2021 AFC North Betting Preview

Aug 17, 2021

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My divisional preview series is designed to be a long-form extension of our Move The Line division betting breakdowns. I'll be previewing each division while providing you with insight on the best ways to bet on each team. This time, we're looking at the AFC North.

The Ravens have been perennial contenders in the John Harbaugh era. Despite outscoring their opponents by 12.9 points per game over the past two seasons, by far the highest point differential in the league, they're looking to advance to their first AFC Championship game with Lamar Jackson at the helm.

The Browns ended their run of a dozen straight losing seasons in 2020 with an 11-5 campaign that culminated with a dismantling of their division rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round. They enter 2021 with depth and talent on both sides of the ball, and expectations are sky-high.

The Steelers sputtered down the stretch after an 11-0 start, holding on to win the division despite losing four of their last five. For the most part, they're running it back with a lot of the same core in 2021, but is that a good thing?

We only saw Joe Burrow for 10 games due to the knee injury that derailed his and the Bengals' season, but all signs were encouraging. Burrow's offense will need to continue to take strides forward if Zac Taylor (6-25-1 as head coach) wants to return in 2022.