Don’t look now, but the Browns currently sit in second place in the AFC North with a 2-2-1 record. Cleveland is coming off an impressive 12-9 win over the Baltimore Ravens to improve to 2-1 in its last three weeks. Had the Browns had normal field goal kicking and not been screwed by the referees in Oakland, this team could possibly be 5-0 – believe it or not. They’ll be tested this week by the Chargers, who could be a playoff-caliber team.
Speaking of perceptions, Chicago is 3-1 and sitting alone atop the NFC North through the first five weeks of the season. Are the Bears legitimate? We wondered the same thing with the Dolphins a few weeks ago but they’ve since lost two straight. Back-to-back double-digit losses to the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals have sent their stock tumbling in a hurry. Ryan Tannehill has become a disaster. After throwing for seven touchdowns and just two interceptions in his first two games, he has three interceptions and two fumbles in the last two contests. Now he’ll get to meet Khalil Mack and the Chicago Bears defense.
Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown finally clicked in the second half of Sunday’s 41-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Brown had six receptions for 101 yards and two touchdowns, including a 47-yard score in the fourth quarter. With Le’Veon Bell still watching from home, the Steelers will need another big game from Roethlisberger and Brown in order to take down the rival Bengals. Cincinnati is coming off back-to-back wins, including a 27-17 victory over Miami last week, and is eager to create some separation atop the AFC North.
Football fans in Dallas certainly can’t be happy with their place in the standings following a 19-16 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football. At 2-3, the Cowboys are sitting second in the NFC East with a tough schedule ahead. Dallas struggled to establish the run vs Houston and Dak Prescott struggled with turnovers after he was pressed into throwing the ball a lot more than the Cowboys probably wanted to do. He’s averaging a paltry 192.2 passing yards per game. The Cowboys will have a tough time winning if the Jaguars defense cuts off Ezekiel Elliott and forces Dallas to be one-dimensional.
The prime-time Sunday Night Football matchup will feature two AFC contenders with Super Bowl aspirations. A year ago, New England was humiliated by Kansas City on opening night. Now the Patriots get their shot at redemption with a chance to make an early-season statement. The New England defense will certainly have its hands full trying to contain Patrick Mahomes, Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, who are the key weapons on the last undefeated team in the AFC. The general feeling is that the Patriots are back after solid wins in back-to-back weeks but this will be the real litmus test.