AFC North Week One – The Big Lead
This NFL season appears to have more ambiguity than ever before, the health issues of different players, uncertainty in position rooms, and how new teams will mesh together. The NFL is a constantly changing league and predictions seemingly become harder and harder to make every season. The AFC North is known as the toughest division in football and is an ever changing group of teams who dislike each other, it is an exciting time for sports and a perfect time to make predictions for week 1.
The Browns take game one over the Bengals
Cincinnati opens as the 5.5 point favorite which in the NFL is a pretty large sum. The Browns come into this game without much going for them, many people expect them to have the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. Despite this, the Browns have the kryptonite for the Bengals, great pass rush. The Browns also typically start hot unlike the Bengals who since drafting Joe Burrow have been one of the slowest starting teams in the NFL.
Joe Flacco throws for 300+ yards
Flacco has always been one of the NFLs “gunslingers” he is a guy who goes out there and throws the ball all game regardless of how he is doing. This is exactly what the Browns needed two years ago in their surprising playoff run where Flacco led them down the stretch. Flacco will probably throw a lot this game due to the lack of run game and the Bengals quick firing offense, I expect Flacco to be throwing all game and with precision as his arm has had all offseason to rest.
The Bengals rush for less than 70 total yards
Cleveland does not have a lot of strengths, however their defensive line is one of the strongest. In order for them to beat the Bengals, they will need the run game to be shut down so the Bengals offense is one dimensional. The Browns can achieve this through the brute strength of rookie Mason Graham who shines against tough competition, I fully expect the Browns run stopping ability and the Bengals inability to create holes to be a huge issue during week 1.
Tee Higgins gets 125+ receiving yards
The Browns will enter week 1 with two main goals, shutting down the run, and shutting down Jamarr Chase. This will leave Tee Higgins with so much room to work with, Joe Burrow has every capability in the world to get him those numbers with his ability to read the defense and be accurate. Higgins just signed a big contract this offseason and will want to prove that he is worth every penny, he is also fully healthy for the first time in a long time.
Noah Fant will catch a touchdown
With limited linebackers for the Browns, especially considering the absence of Jermiah Owusu-Koramoah, the Bengals will most likely aim to target the middle of the field and target their tight ends/secondary options. Noah Fant will be a huge help for this, they acquired him this offseason in hopes to provide extra depth for a thin position group, they will want to get Fant involved quickly and he will catch a touchdown in his first game as a Bengal.
The Bengals allow 24+ points
The Browns offense is one of the worst in the league, the Bengals defense is also one of the worst in the league. I fully expect the Browns to take full advantage of a week secondary and be slinging the ball around all game. The over/under for the game is at 47.5 meaning the Browns are most likely projected to score about 20, The Browns will be doing everything they can to prove they are a competitive team and they will exploit the weak defense the Bengals have put together this offseason.
The Ravens will win by 10+ points
Last season in their regular season game, the Ravens obliterated the Bills 35-10 in week 4 of the 2024 NFL season. Especially after the dramatic loss in the divisional round last year, they will bring a level of physicality the Bills have not seen in a long time. The Ravens also have a tradition of doing well to open the season and with Lamar Jackson feeling snubbed by the voters and Josh Allen receiving the MVP, the Ravens want revenge.
The Ravens rush for 200+ yards
Each team is very similar from the last two times they have met and I am expecting the Ravens to try and run it down the throat of the Bills. With this Derrick Henry will be getting a lot of touches as he showed no signs of regression last year. With the combination of Henry, Jackson, and Keaton Mitchell, the Ravens will be a force to be reckoned with in the AFC, and I expect them to start hot versus a really good Bills team.
The Ravens intercept Josh Allen 2+ times
The Ravens buffed their secondary this offseason with adding All Pro, Jaire Alexander and locking up Kyle Hamilton with a 4 year contract. This in combination with the pass rush combos John Harbaugh is so good at, I am expecting Josh Allen to feel flustered in his first game back after the MVP hangover. The Ravens simply put have an amazing defense from all three levels that have the ability to make any quarterback feel uncomfortable.
Aaron Rodgers throws for 200+ and 2 touchdowns with no turnovers
The Steelers main goal in this first game is to protect Rodgers at all costs and make it easy on an offense that is trying to find their groove. The Steelers had a lot of changes, especially on the offensive side of the ball and Arthur Smith will keep things simple in week 1 to get a good start to the season against the Jets. There will most likely be nothing spectacular but instead just trying to provide an easy path to victory for the defense and play clean, time consuming football.
TJ Watt gets 2+ sacks
TJ Watt came off an underwhelming second half of last year’s season where he had almost no production down the stretch. After a good offseason and training, as well as signing a contract that made him the highest paid non QB in NFL history, he will want to prove himself. It does not hurt that Justin Fields also has a tendency to hold on to the ball for longer than he has to. This coupled with Watt’s ability to quickly beat the tackle, Fields will have a hard day lined up on the opposite side of Watt.
The run game will have less than 100 total yards
The Steelers have been a running team these past few seasons, but they have always been a bit inefficient, they have struggled to maintain over 4 yards per carry. After an offseason with not many changes to the offensive line, they will most likely struggle against a solid Jets defense. I have no doubt despite being inefficient in the run game, they will continue to pound the rock and chew up as much clock as possible.
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