AFC North Preview Week 8: Ravens take on Browns; Steelers to play in primetime again

Taking a look ahead for the AFC North division in Week 8.

Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

The reigning AFC North champions are coming off their fifth straight win of the season in which they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in primetime on Monday Night Football to remain in first place in the standings. Now they will looking to avoid falling victim to the proverbial trap game when they go on the road to face one of their divisional rivals in the Cleveland Browns for the first time this season.

These two teams have split their annual regular season series in each of the last three seasons with winning on the other’s home turf. After winning their first meeting of the 2023 season by more than 20 points on the road, the Ravens blew a 14-point fourth quarter lead in the second matchup at home. The quarterback who orchestrated and led the Browns second-half comeback in that upset win was Deshaun Watson who won’t be under center in either games against the Ravens this year after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in the team’s Week 7 loss to another rival.

The Ravens are entering this divisional matchup pretty banged up but still in good shape and trending in right direction on a short week with nearly a dozen players listed on Thursday’s injury report. Players who have yet to practice this week include running back Rasheen Ali (ankle), wide receiver Zay Flowers (ankle), cornerback Marlon Humphrey (knee) and cornerback T.J. Tampa (ankle). Meanwhile cornerback Nate Wiggins (shoulder/illness) and defensive tackle Travis Jones (ankle) returned to practice Thursday after sitting out on Wednesday. The limited and full participants were cornerback Arthur Maulet (knee/hamstring), defensive tackle Broderick Washington (knee), linebacker Malik Harrison (groin), cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) and running back Keaton Mitchell (knee).

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

After making a surprisingly successful quarterback switch from starting Justin Fields to Russell Wilson under center and beating the New York Jets, the frisky Steelers will host the other New Jersey-based franchise in primetime on Monday Night Football, making it the team’s third time playing in a nationally televised game in the last four weeks.

This will mark the first meeting between these two teams since the 2020 season when the Steelers came away with their third straight win in the all-time series, extending a streak from 2012. With a defense that is one of the best and stingiest in the league and an offense that has scored 30-plus points in back-to-back games for the first time since Weeks 5 and 6 of the 2020 season, Pittsburgh is poised to roll to their third straight win of the season.

The Steelers are heading into this game a little banged up with 10 players listed on Thursday’s initial injury report with non-rest-related designations. Those who did not participate in practice included center Zach Frazier (ankle), outside linebacker Nick Herbig (ankle), wide receiver Roman Wilson (hamstring) and defensive back Deshon Elliott (back). Meanwhile, limited and full participants included running back/kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle), defensive back Damontae Kazee (ankle), cornerback Donte Jackson (shoulder), offensive tackle Dylan Cook (foot) and linebacker Tyler Matakevich (hamstring) and defensive tackle Keeanu Benton (calf).

Cincinnati Bengals (3-4)

In what will likely be the most competitive game played by a team in the division this week , the Bengals will be looking to win their third straight game and improve to .500 when they host the Philadelphia Eagles (4-2). Fresh off notching consecutive victories for the first time this season in a low-scoring divisional matchup, Cincinnati could be in for another hard-fought battle in this Week 8 interconference clash on Sunday afternoon.

This will mark the first meeting between these two teams in four years since Week 3 of Joe Burrow’s rookie year when he battled Carson Wentz to a 23-23 tie after regulation and overtime. Both offenses are loaded this time around including a elite wide receiver duos and quarterbacks who excel at pushing the ball down the field, suggesting that a shootout could very well be in the cards for this game.

The Bengals are heading into seemingly another must-win game with just four players listed on their injury report with actual ailments. All four practiced on Thursday with the only limited participants being starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (knee) and starting safety Geno Stone (shin) while Burrow (wrist, shin) and defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. (thumb) practiced fully both days.

Cleveland Browns (1-6)

Not only was their losing streak extended to five straight after getting beat in their first home game in nearly a month by the Bengals last week, but the Browns will also be forging on the rest of the season with a starting quarterback and play-caller on offense. In addition to having former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston take over under center after losing Watson for the season with an injury, Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski handed over play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. Sunday

The Browns have a dozen players on their injury report, including eight starters between both sides of the ball. Of the four players who did not take the practice field on Wednesday or Thursday were running back Jerome Ford (hamstring) and safety Ronnie Hickman (ankle), linebacker Jordan Hicks (elbow, triceps) and left tackle Jedrick Wills (knee). The list of limited and full participants includes the following:

OT Jake Conklin (knee)

DB Tony Brown (ankle)

C Ethan Pocic (knee)

OG Wyatt Teller (knee)

DB Ronnie Hickman Jr. (ankle)

DE Myles Garrett (Achilles)

QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (finger)

WR Jerry Jeudy (knee)