AFC North: Who Will Win The Division? Futures Bet Update

The AFC North is one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL going into Week 12, as every team in the division has a winning record. A 6-5 record would be good enough to be at or near the top of multiple divisions, but it is the record of the last-place team in this one. As a result, the AFC North futures betting markets are still tight, as all four teams have a chance to come away with the division crown.

Pittsburgh Steelers +1000

The Pittsburgh Steelers currently sit in third place in the AFC North with a 5-4-1 record heading into the 12th week of the 2021 NFL season. That tie could come back to haunt the Steelers, as it came in a very winnable game against the Detroit Lions. But the Steelers aren’t fully out of the race in the AFC North just yet, even if they have shown some major flaws.

Pittsburgh has the worst point differential in the AFC North, though a -12 point differential isn’t terrible. The offense of the Steelers has lacked consistency, as Pittsburgh has 30 fewer points than any other team in the division this year. They will need to fix that if they want to climb over the Bengals and Ravens down the stretch.

Cleveland Browns +450

Cleveland is in last place with a 6-5 record this season, just a percentage points below the third-place Steelers. It has been a turbulent year for the Browns, with questions about Baker Mayfield’s ability to lead a team and the waiving of Odell Beckham Jr. overshadowing a lot of what the Browns have done on the field.

For Cleveland, the defense has been the weak link this year. They have given up point totals of 45 or more multiple times this season, losing games to the Patriots and Chargers thanks to some porous defense. But the Browns aren’t out of this race yet and have the best running game in this division to lean on.

Cincinnati Bengals +300

The Cincinnati Bengals are in second place in the AFC North now and have moved all the way up to 3/1 odds to win the division. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase have become a dynamic duo, and the Bengals have allowed the fewest points of any team in this division so far this season.

The question now is how the Bengals perform down the stretch, as this franchise hasn’t had meaningful games this late into the season since the Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco era. But the poise of Burrow and the explosive nature of their offense will make the Bengals a tough out.

Baltimore Ravens -130

Baltimore entered this season as the favorite to win the AFC North, and the Ravens still hold that spot as they hold a one-game lead over the Bengals for the division lead going into Week 12. The Ravens have overcome a mountain of injuries and an illness that knocked Lamar Jackson out for a week to be in a position to control their own destiny over the last seven weeks of the season. But Baltimore has to finish strong or they could relinquish their lead in a hurry.