Pittsburgh Steelers occupy first place in the AFC

After beating the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3, the Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2020 while remaining in pole position in the AFC North and tied for the best record in the conference with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Steelers put on a defensive show of strength in their 20-10 victory over the Chargers, allowing just 168 yards of total offense and committing five sacks.

Pittsburgh’s offense also had its best outing of the young season so far, breaking the 20-point mark for the first time while finishing with 346 yards.

Moving forward, the Steelers will travel to Indianapolis and face the Colts in Week 4 before returning home in Week 5 for a Sunday night showdown against the Dallas Cowboys.

Elsewhere in the division, the Baltimore Ravens avoided their first 0-3 start since 2015 by beating the Dallas Cowboys 28-25 on the road. They led 28-6 with less than 10 minutes left before falling apart in heartbreaking fashion, but they did just enough to pull out the win in the end.

With a 1-2 record, Baltimore faces a tough test against the Buffalo Bills at home on Sunday Night Football in Week 4.

A week after earning a gratifying win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cleveland Browns fell to 1-2 on Sunday after a surprising 21-15 loss to the New York Giants at home. Their offense recorded just 212 total yards and allowed eight sacks on the day.

Cleveland has a chance to turn things around fairly quickly, though, as it faces the Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders on the road in Weeks 4 and 5, respectively.

The Cincinnati Bengals look to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2019 when they face the Commanders at home on Monday night. They are coming off a tough 26-25 loss to the Chiefs in Week 2.

Cincinnati will hit the road for a game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4 before returning home to face Baltimore in Week 5.

The Steelers join the Seattle Seahawks as the only NFL teams with a two-game lead in their respective divisions after three weeks.

ESPN’s Football Power Index currently gives Pittsburgh an 80% chance of making the playoffs, which is the third-best odds in the AFC and the fourth-best odds in the NFL. Interestingly, however, that odds also give them the sixth-lowest odds of any team to win their division.

Regardless, the Steelers have to feel pretty good about where they are right now. They couldn’t have had a better start to the season and they’ve been impressive every step of the way. Historically, teams that start the season 3-0 have about a 75% chance of making the playoffs, so it’s safe to say they’re trending in the right direction.

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