The AFC North was in the spotlight during a Saturday doubleheader.

Lamar Jackson led the Baltimore Ravens to an AFC North championship, securing a 35-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns. This win supported Jackson’s candidacy for the MVP award, adding to his two previous accolades. He threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Ravens finish the season at 12-5.

The final game of Saturday showcased the Cincinnati Bengals against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals clinched a crucial 19-17 away win against the Steelers, keeping their playoff dreams alive. With a record of 9-8, the Bengals have won five consecutive games but need additional help on Sunday to secure a playoff spot.

Who stood out during these AFC North matches? YSL News Sports takes a closer look at Saturday’s winners and losers.

WINNERS

Baltimore Ravens

This victory awarded the Ravens their second straight AFC North title and their fourth division championship in the last seven years.

The Ravens will enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the AFC.

Lamar Jackson

Jackson surpassed 4,000 passing yards for the first time in his career, making history as the first player to throw for over 4,000 yards and rush for more than 900 yards in a single season.

He had an impressive touchdown pass where he looked away and celebrated before Rashod Bateman snagged the ball in the end zone.

During the regular season, Jackson recorded 4,172 passing yards, 41 touchdown passes, 915 rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns, making a strong case for his third MVP title.

Derrick Henry

Henry celebrated his 31st birthday on Saturday with a significant gift: an AFC North title in his debut season with the Ravens.

He had a strong impact on the game, rushing for 138 yards and scoring two touchdowns—130 of those yards came in the second half.

This season, Henry rushed for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Nate Wiggins, Michael Pierce, Ravens’ defense

Wiggins achieved his first career interception, which was a pick-six, by intercepting Bailey Zappe’s pass and returning it 26 yards for a touchdown, giving the Ravens an early lead.

Pierce also contributed with a late-game interception, when he intercepted another pass thrown right to him in the fourth quarter. The entire squad celebrated his first career interception.

The Ravens’ defense demonstrated their strength with these two takeaways and limited Cleveland to just 230 total yards.

Bengals’ playoff hopes

The Bengals’ hard-fought win has kept their playoff hopes alive. For the Bengals (9-8) to progress to the postseason, they need losses from both the Broncos (9-7) and Dolphins (8-8) on Sunday. The greatest challenge appears to be the Broncos, who are set to face the Chiefs’ backup team, with Kansas City resting many of its starters.

Joe Burrow

The Bengals’ quarterback leads the NFL in pass attempts, completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns.

Burrow started strong by completing his first 12 passes, guiding the Bengals downfield for two consecutive scoring drives right from the outset.

Although Burrow faced numerous hits, he remained resilient. He was assessed for a concussion during the third quarter but did not miss any plays.

While Cincinnati’s offense struggled after Tee Higgins suffered an ankle injury in the second half, they managed to make enough significant plays to secure the win.

Burrow finished the game with 277 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a valiant effort.

Ja’Marr Chase

Chase has already set franchise records for receptions and receiving yards in a single season and currently leads the entire league in both categories.

He was particularly challenging for Steelers CB Cory Trice Jr., finishing the game with 10 catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.

Chargers

The Steelers’ defeat now leaves the door open for the Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) to secure the fifth seed in the AFC playoffs. If the Chargers defeat the Raiders on Sunday, they will surpass the Steelers (10-7) and advance to play the AFC South champion Houston Texans (9-7) in the wildcard round.

Sack leaders

Four top sack leaders showcased their skills in this match: Trey Hendrickson, Myles Garrett, Kyle Van Noy, and T.J. Watt.

Hendrickson achieved 3.5 sacks, raising his total to a league-leading 17.5 for the season.

Van Noy also contributed a sack, increasing his yearly total to 12.5.

LOSERS

Bailey Zappe, Browns’ offense

The Browns are heading into the offseason with many questions surrounding the quarterback position. Their struggles and constant changes at quarterback are hindering the franchise’s progress.

Zappe’s first start for the Browns (3-14) did little to instill confidence.

While playing in Baltimore is always tough, Zappe failed to make a solid impact.

For any quarterback, the challenges were evident. Yet, Zappe struggled with accuracy while Cleveland’s offense was mostly unproductive throughout the game.

The Browns concluded their season with a disappointing six-game losing streak. On a positive note, the team is set to secure a top-three pick in the 2025 draft. This is a great opportunity to select a quarterback who can challenge Deshaun Watson, anticipated to make a comeback from an Achilles injury next season.

Steelers’ Offense

Russell Wilson managed to complete only four passes during a tough first half for the Steelers’ offense. They encountered a turnover on downs with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter, failing to gain a single yard on both third-and-1 and fourth-and-1. In total, the Steelers mustered just 75 yards in the first half, with only 27 of those being through the air. They entered halftime trailing 13-7.

The third quarter did not show any improvement: Pittsburgh was restricted to just 16 yards and one first down during a scoreless period.

However, Wilson and the Steelers’ offense showed some improvement in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 points. They had a chance to clinch victory, but their efforts came too late.

George Pickens

The Steelers’ leading wide receiver had three missed catches on Saturday.

There was a pivotal moment when Pickens and Wilson couldn’t connect on a crucial third-and-12 in the last 30 seconds, which could have set them up for a chance to kick a game-winning field goal.

In the loss, Pickens managed one catch but no yardage.

Steelers’ Losing Streak

The Steelers held the top spot in the AFC North for a significant portion of the season. Now, they find themselves on a troubling four-game losing streak and are firmly positioned in a wild-card spot.