AFC North will become first NFL division in 88 years to pull off this feat if Bengals beat Browns in Week 18

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When it comes to the postseason, the Bengals’ game against the Browns on Sunday is essentially meaningless for both teams. The Browns have clinched the fifth seed in the AFC and the Bengals have already been eliminated from playoff contention, which means there won’t be much at stake in the game. 

Although there won’t be much on the line from a playoff standpoint, there could be some history made on Sunday. If the Bengals beat the Browns, that would push them to 9-8 on the season, and if that happens, it would make the AFC North the first division since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to have EVERY single team finish above .500. 

Here’s a current look at the AFC North standings heading into Week 18:

1. Ravens: 13-3
2. Browns: 11-5
3. Steelers: 9-7
4. Bengals: 8-8

Over the past 53 years, we’ve seen several divisions come close to having every team finish over .500, but it’s never happened. Just last year, the NFC East had a chance to put every team over .500, but the Commanders lost three of their final four games to finish at 8-8-1. 

Although no division has pulled off this feat since the merger, it has been done before. If the Bengals win, it would make the AFC North the first division in 88 YEARS to put every team over .500. The last time it happened came all the way back in 1935 in the much-vaunted NFL West. 

Here’s a look at how that division finished: 

1. Lions: 7-3-2
2. Packers: 8-4
3. Bears: 6-4-2
4. Cardinals: 6-4-2

This was so long ago that the Cardinals were playing in Chicago (They played in the Windy City until 1960 when they moved to St. Louis, and after that they eventually moved to Arizona in 1988). 

The NFL West finished the season by also producing the NFL champion that year when the Lions beat…

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Author : John Breech

Publish date : 2024-01-05 16:43:21

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