National Football League

Sizing up the AFC North

Published Nov. 3, 2014 11:10 p.m. ET

foxsports

The AFC North is the NFL's most competitive division.

It might stay like that the rest of the way, and the next really big game comes Thursday night when the Cleveland Browns visit the Cincinnati Bengals in a game that's for first place, at least for a few days. The slimmest of margins separates first place and fourth.

This could get good.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Bengals play twice in December, and the Bengals come to Cleveland in between those games. So, nothing's decided and the real fun is just getting started.

The real fun, in fact, starts Thursday.

Following is a look at each AFC North team and their remaining November schedules.

BENGALS (5-2-1, 2-0 in division)

Cleveland

at New Orleans

at Houston

at Tampa Bay

A really big home division game followed by a couple days rest and three straight road games. The New Orleans trip is obviously the toughest, but the Texans could be playing for something, too. The Bengals know if they hold serve at home and stay healthy they'll be in the mix, and if they can go 3-1 in the rest of November they can again be the team everybody's chasing down the stretch.

STEELERS (6-3, 2-2 in division)

at New York Jets

at Tennessee (Monday night)

BYE

vs. New Orleans

Ben Roethlisberger is just on fire, and there's little from the numbers or the game film to indicate the next two opponents are capable of stopping that role. The Steelers are playing confidently but have been a much better home team and still have defensive questions. Still, the schedule sets up nicely and if the offense keeps humming, they're real contenders. No one would have said that three weeks ago.

BROWNS (5-3, 1-2 in division)

at Cincinnati

Houston

at Atlanta

at Buffalo

If the Browns win Thursday, they'll command both respect and attention. If not, they'll face a must-win stretch of games starting with a home game against the physical Texans, who are off this week. The Browns are 4-1 at home and will have to play better on the road if they hope to contend. Can the offensive line hold up against the likes of Geno Atkins and J.J. Watt?

RAVENS (5-4, 2-3 in division)

vs. Tennessee

BYE

at New Orleans (Monday night)

vs. San Diego

Consecutive division losses have knocked the Ravens from first to fourth; of greater concern is two losses to the Bengals, which could cost the Ravens in multiple tiebreakers. The Ravens need to get the pass defense fixed and will welcome the bye week when it comes. The struggling Titans should serve as a get-well game for the Ravens, and they'll come back off the bye with a pair of very important games.