Week 1 of the NFL season just dropped, and man, did the AFC North come to play! Every single team in the division kicked things off with a W, setting a serious tone for the year. Talk about making a statement right out of the gate. This division is no joke, and they just proved it with some insane early season performances.
Baltimore’s Monster Start and a Glimmer of Concern
The Jesse Minter era in Baltimore exploded, with the Ravens blowing past the Indianapolis Colts 41-23. Minter’s defense was absolutely as advertised in Week 1, shutting down big plays in the air, bringing consistent pressure on the quarterback, and forcing two critical turnovers. Trey Hendrickson, their big-ticket free agent, was an absolute wrecking ball up front with eight pressures. Tavius Robinson and Malaki Starks each notched a sack. Roquan Smith snatched an interception, and Marlon Humphrey forced a fumble, both veteran guys looking to bounce back.
On offense, Declan Doyle’s unit put up a ridiculous 506 total yards. Lamar Jackson looked phenomenal, completing 17 of 25 passes for 324 yards and a touchdown, plus another 40 yards and a score on the ground. Zay Flowers was completely unstoppable in the first half, racking up a career-high 150 yards and a touchdown before a hamstring injury took him out. Derrick Henry looks poised for another monster season, too, tallying 144 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries. The win was huge, but that Zay Flowers injury? Fingers crossed it isn’t serious.
Bengals’ New Defense Shines, Steelers Grind It Out
Over in Cincinnati, the Bengals grabbed a 33-27 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their revamped defense wasted no time showing off, forcing four turnovers against the Bucs, including three fumbles and sacking Baker Mayfield four times. That first-round pick trade for Dexter Lawrence might not have shown up on the stat sheet, but his massive presence was definitely felt in the interior, causing problems against both the run and pass. Joe Burrow had a mixed outing, going 25 of 35 for 254 yards, a touchdown, and one pick-six. Superstar Ja’Marr Chase was surprisingly quiet with just two catches for 12 yards, but veteran tight end Mike Gesicki stepped up big, leading the team with 78 receiving yards and a touchdown on five catches. Chase Brown chipped in with 56 rushing yards and a score, plus another 22 yards receiving.
Then you’ve got the Pittsburgh Steelers, kicking off the Mike McCarthy head coaching era with a hard-fought 20-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Pittsburgh’s defense absolutely feasted on Cooper Rush, who was starting in place of an injured Tua Tagovailoa. Rush got picked off twice, including a clutch pick-six by T.J. Watt that really sealed the deal. What a way to start your season, right?
Three wins, three statements. The AFC North just served notice that every game is going to be a battle in that division. With big performances from stars like Jackson and Henry, defensive takeaways all over the place, and new coaches getting wins, it’s going to be wild to see how these teams build on this early momentum. Next week is going to be huge as they try to keep that perfect record alive.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply