AFC North Rivalries

Division rivalries are born of experience. The Steelers, Browns, Bengals, and Ravens are used to facing each other year after year in pursuit of the AFC North title. Coaches, players, and fans draw on the memories of past games as they look forward to the next meeting with their team's rival.

Last-minute heroics, heart-breaking blunders, division clinchers, statement makers, shootouts, shutouts. Every game adds another chapter to the story of the rivalry.

This section of the site keeps track of all of those great divisional games. On this page, you can see how all six AFC North matchups stand. Follow the links, and you can find out more of the story behind each rivalry-- and see the scores of every game ever played between AFC North teams.

Steelers, 27-14 Browns, 13-6 EDGE controlled by PIT INTENSITY resentment  Overall series record: Steelers, 60-56  Last 10 games: Steelers, 9-1  Streak: Browns, 1 click for more stats

Bengals, 23-20 Bengals, 18-12 EDGE slight edge to PIT INTENSITY antagonism  Overall series record: Steelers, 48-32  Last 10 games: Steelers, 6-4  Streak: Bengals, 2

Bengals, 23-20 OT Bengals, 16-7 EDGE halfway to CIN INTENSITY resentment  Overall series record: Bengals, 38-35  Last 10 games: Bengals, 8-2  Streak: Bengals, 3 click for more stats

Ravens, 20-17 OT Steelers, 23-20 EDGE dead even INTENSITY antagonism  Overall series record: Steelers, 19-11  Last 10 games: tied, 5-5  Streak: Steelers, 1 click for more stats

Bengals, 17-14 Bengals, 17-7 EDGE leaning toward CIN INTENSITY hostility  Overall series record: Ravens, 15-13  Last 10 games: Bengals, 7-3  Streak: Bengals, 2

Ravens, 34-3 Ravens, 16-0 EDGE on BAL's side INTENSITY antagonism  Overall series record: Ravens, 15-7  Last 10 games: Ravens, 7-3  Streak: Ravens, 4

Former AFC Central rivals

The AFC Central was the precursor to the AFC North. It lasted from the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 until the realignment in 2002, and it was in the AFC Central that most of the AFC North rivalries got their start. (Browns-Steelers is the only AFC North rivalry that predates even the AFC Central.)

The Ravens, Bengals, Browns, and Steelers were all members of the AFC Central, but the other two members definitely deserve mention:

• The Houston Oilers were one of the AFL's founding franchises. They joined the AFC Central in 1970 along with the Steelers, Browns, and Bengals, and soon developed heated rivalries with all three (especially the Steelers). The Houston Astrodome, known as the "House of Pain," was one of the toughest places in the NFL for any road team to get a win. In 1997, the Oilers moved to Tennessee, and they changed their name to the Tennessee Titans in 1999. Before leaving the division, they also developed a rivalry with the Baltimore Ravens. The Titans are now part of the AFC South division.

• The Jacksonville Jaguars were an expansion team added to the AFC Central division in 1995. They got off to an amazing start, and created quite a rivalry with the Steelers, even though they were only in the same division for seven years. They also moved to the AFC South division in 2002.

Other great rivalries

What about non-divisional rivalries like Steelers vs. Raiders?   Browns vs. Broncos?   Bengals vs. Chargers?   Ravens vs. Redskins?

I guess they will have to wait for another section of the site.