We are witnessing another team's ascension to the top of the AFC North. Welcome to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals' coming out party started last month at Heinz Field, where they beat the Steelers by two scores. It culminated three weeks later in Baltimore, as the Bengals routed the Ravens 41-17 on Sunday. The Ravens came into the game outscoring their last three opponents 106-48, but Joe Burrow is more powerful than momentum. The No. 1 overall pick threw for a career-high 416 yards and three touchdowns, including a crucial 82-yard score to his former LSU teammate, Ja'Marr Chase.
Chase finished with eight catches and 201 yards. Burrow-Chase is looking a lot like Roethlisberger-Brown, without the added baggage.
Still, that dynamic combination helped propel the Steelers to four straight playoff berths and three division crowns. The Bengals have it now, and the Steelers don't. They only be 1.5 games behind Cincinnati, but organizationally, they're much further back.
Burrow's success shows just how much a young transcendent quarterback can lift an entire franchise. The surprise Heisman winner came to a team that had endured four straight losing seasons, including a brutal 2-14 campaign. Then he tore his ACL and MCL. Now he's back, and his swagger in fully intact. He says playing in Baltimore doesn't intimidate him, because SEC crowds are louder.
The way forward in the AFC North will be putting up big points. Lamar Jackson is enjoying an MVP-caliber season, and is just two weeks removed from leading an incredible 19-point come-from-behind victory over the Colts. Last week, Jackson outplayed Justin Herbert on his own field.
Baker Mayfield may not be as explosive as Burrow and Jackson, but he was off to a promising start before suffering his shoulder injury. But even without Mayfield, the Browns have an offensive scheme in place. Somebody named "D'Ernest Johnson" rushed for 146 yards and a touchdown against the Broncos Thursday night.
The Steelers, meanwhile, have found success through minimizing Roethlisberger. Last week against Seattle, he averaged just 5.3 yards per passing attempt. That may work against a team with Geno Smith at quarterback, or maybe even Case Keenum.
But that won't be the case against Jackson or Burrow.
The Steelers' season isn't over, especially since they can run the table over the next couple of weeks. But the way they can truly regain their glory in the AFC North isn't on the roster right now. He's throwing passes somewhere else.
