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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Chris Roling

Bengals scratch and claw closer in tight AFC North standings

The Cincinnati Bengals gained some major ground in the AFC North in Week 5, even if it doesn’t appear like it at first glance.

While the Bengals were beating the Arizona Cardinals, the Baltimore Ravens were upset by the Pittsburgh Steelers (Cleveland was on bye).

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That puts the divisional standings like so:

  • Steelers 3-2 (2-0 AFC North)
  • Ravens 3-2 (2-1)
  • Browns 2-2 (1-2)
  • Bengals 2-3 (0-2)

Cliches about it being a long season aside, the Bengals are in a pretty good spot on what appears to be the other end of Joe Burrow’s calf injury. If the 317 yards and three touchdowns in the 34-20 win over Arizona are a sign of things to come, it’s good news heading into Week 6 against Seattle before a bye in Week 7.

While winning more games over the first month would have been nice, the standings of the always-brutal AFC North look manageable for a team getting its top-five quarterback steadily back to form.

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