3. Cleveland Browns Weeks 1-4
Cleveland has an eerily similar start to the Cincinnati Bengals. In fact, three games are the same. However, the locations are different for all of those games.
Going to Jacksonville in September is never an easy task, staying in Florida to take on Tampa Bay, then there is a bit of home cooking against the Carolina Panthers and wrapping up the first month of the season at home for a rivalry game with the Steelers is a rough stretch to open on for Cleveland.
Any division rivalry game is going to be a hard-fought affair. Now, take into account that the game is on a short week as part of Thursday Night Football after a battle with the Panthers. Additionally, starting with consecutive road games in Florida is brutal, considering the Browns are a cold-weather team.
2. Baltimore Ravens Weeks 7-10
Hosting the rival Bengals, marching into Buffalo, followed by a pair of home games with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers, is a hard patch for the Ravens. However, there are reasons to be elated if you are a fan of the team.
For starters, only three of the games in this period are against playoff teams from last season. You could say the span is from Weeks 8-11, depending on how you perceive a rivalry game with Cincinnati or going to the Carolina Panthers, throwing a wrench into the statement, but rivalries in the AFC North are heated, so the Bengals were the choice here. Speaking of the number three, there are three home games for the Ravens in this period of time.
That said, it is far from smooth sailing for Baltimore. After going to Buffalo, the Ravens host Jacksonville on a short week for Thursday Night Football. However, there is a long week of rest before the Chargers game on a Monday night.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers Weeks 11-14
This is by far the hardest stretch of games for any team in the AFC North. However, it comes with some perks at the end.
Going to Philadelphia, hosting the Denver Broncos, then the Texans before wrapping up the 4-game segment in Jacksonville is just the most brutal stretch of games in the division this season. Funny enough, the Jaguars appeared in each team’s hardest games this season. Playing against four straight playoff teams from 2025, however, is no joke for the Steelers.
Another matter that should not be laughed at is the track record Pittsburgh has had against its cross-state rivals. Since 2016, the teams have played four times. The Philadelphia Eagles won three of them, each by double digits.
Then there is the Black Friday game with the Broncos, which will be a short week. However, there is a silver lining afterward. There is a long week before hosting the Houston Texans, and another one heading into Jacksonville because that game is scheduled for a Monday night.
Overall, it is a brutal 4-game stretch for Pittsburgh, but with there being a couple of long weeks, things could be worse for the Steelers.
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