So, what’s the short-and-to-the-point status of the teams in the AFC North after one week?

Here it is:

*Browns — These guys have to learn how to close down games and win. That’s an art form altogether removed from anything that happens on the practice field. It’s an attitude, a state of mind. It really is mind over matter. It’s a belief. Nothing changes until that changes.

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*Cincinnati Bengals — They once again played horribly in the opener, but this time they survived because of the Browns’ struggles. Possibly the fact they won — they’re not nearly this bad, and will get much better — is a sign that their fortunes are changing and they won’t dig an early hole for themselves.

*Baltimore Ravens — They proved long ago that they wither in the playoffs, and their major meltdown against the Buffalo Bills — bonehead coaching decisions and mismanagement — indicates that it is spreading into the regular season. There could be significant problems brewing here.

*Pittsburgh Steelers — They went totally out of character and let Aaron Rodgers drag them around by the nose all summer, but it paid off when he fired a club-record four touchdowns in his first start and drove the team into position for Kris Boswell’s 60-yard cannon shot of a field goal to edge the New York Jets. The Steelers still have a number of issues, but they usually get better as the season goes on and now they have a real quarterback to lead them for the first time in a number of years. They are the best team in the division right now.

Steve King