In sports , a division is a group of teams who compete against each other for a championship.
112-672: The American Football Conference – Northern Division or AFC North is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division was created after the restructuring of the 2002 NFL season when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams. The division consists of the Baltimore Ravens , Cincinnati Bengals , Cleveland Browns , and Pittsburgh Steelers . This
224-685: A Ray Lewis interception return for a score put the game squarely in Baltimore's favor. The 24–10 win put the Ravens in the AFC Championship against the Oakland Raiders . The game was rarely in doubt. Shannon Sharpe 's 96-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter followed by an injury to Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon were crucial as the Ravens won easily, 16–3. Baltimore then went to Tampa for Super Bowl XXXV against
336-460: A league system (also known as a pyramid structure), a division consists of a group of teams who play a sport at a similar competitive level. Teams can move up to a higher division of play or drop down to a lower one via the process of promotion and relegation , based on their performance in the standings at the end of the season. The existence of divisions based on level of competition ensures that teams at one competitive level can play other teams at
448-673: A 1,364-yard rushing season by rookie Jamal Lewis helped too) but the defense became the team's hallmark and bailed a struggling offense out in many instances through the season. Ray Lewis was named Defensive Player of the Year. Two of his defensive teammates, Sam Adams and Rod Woodson , made the Pro Bowl . Baltimore's season started strong with a 5–1 record. But the team struggled through mid-season, at one point going five games without scoring an offensive touchdown. The team regrouped and won each of their last seven games, finishing 12–4 and making
560-588: A 20–3 win over the Miami Dolphins , in which the team forced three turnovers and out-gained the Dolphins 347 yards to 151. In the divisional playoff the Ravens played the Pittsburgh Steelers . Three interceptions by Grbac ended the Ravens' season, as they lost 27–10. Baltimore ran into salary cap problems entering the 2002 season and was forced to part with a number of impact players. In
672-508: A 34–7 win. In 2001 , the Ravens attempted to defend their title with Elvis Grbac as their new starting quarterback, but a season-ending injury to Jamal Lewis on the first day of training camp and poor offensive performances stymied the team. After a 3–3 start, the Ravens defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the final week to clinch a wild card berth at 10–6. In the first round the Ravens showed flashes of their previous year with
784-561: A bus to their games instead of flying. Since realignment, the Steelers have won the division title seven times, and the Ravens and Bengals have each won four times. The Steelers have swept all divisional opponents twice, in 2002 and 2008 (going 7 for 7 both times, winning against the Browns in a 2002 AFC Wildcard game and the Ravens in the 2008 AFC Championship ), and the Ravens and Bengals have swept all three divisional opponents once each,
896-619: A new franchise. Not all players, staff or front office would make the move to Baltimore, however. After relocation, Modell hired Ted Marchibroda as the head coach for his new team in Baltimore. Marchibroda was already well known because of his work as head coach of the Baltimore Colts during the 1970s and the Indianapolis Colts during the early 1990s. Ozzie Newsome , the Browns' tight end for many seasons, joined Modell in Baltimore as director of football operations. He
1008-434: A new franchise. This led to heated arguments between Cooke and Angelos, who accused Cooke of being a " carpetbagger ". The league eventually persuaded Rams team president John Shaw to relocate to St. Louis instead, leading to a league-wide rumor that Tagliabue was again steering interest away from Baltimore, a claim which Tagliabue denied. In response to anger in Baltimore, including Governor Schaefer's threat to announce over
1120-651: A new group of investors, including author Tom Clancy , to bid on teams whose owners had expressed interest in relocating. Angelos found a potential partner in Georgia Frontiere , who was open to moving the Los Angeles Rams to Baltimore. Jack Kent Cooke opposed the move, intending to build the Redskins' new stadium in Laurel, Maryland , close enough to Baltimore to cool outside interest in bringing in
1232-580: A no-contest (and later cancelled), the Cincinnati Bengals officially played 16 games in the 2022 season. This, however, had no bearing on the winner of the Division as the Bengals had 2 more wins than the second placed Ravens. + A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games, so the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for this year. At the conclusion of
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#17327807053041344-626: A professional American football team based in Baltimore . The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its home games at M&T Bank Stadium and is headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland . The Baltimore Ravens were established in 1996 after Art Modell , then owner of the Cleveland Browns , announced plans in 1995 to relocate
1456-667: A result, and was later indefinitely suspended by the NFL, although a judge later vacated this indefinite suspension. In Week 12, the Ravens traveled down for an interconference battle with the New Orleans Saints , which the Ravens won. In Week 16, the Ravens traveled to Houston to take on the Texans. In one of Flacco's worst performances, the offense sputtered against the Houston defense and Flacco threw three interceptions, falling to
1568-403: A similar competitive level, thus creating parity and more exciting matches. In North America , where sports usually operate on a franchise system rather than a league system, a division is a group of teams within a league which is organized along geographical lines rather than competitive success. Teams based in cities that are in a particular region of the continent are grouped together in
1680-555: A sort of "Judgment Day" with the new team of Baltimore facing the old team of Baltimore (the former Baltimore Colts having left Baltimore under questionable circumstances in 1984). Both Indianapolis and Baltimore were held to scoring only field goals as the two defenses slugged it out all over M&T Bank Stadium. McNair threw two costly interceptions, including one at the 1-yard line. The eventual Super Bowl champion Colts won 15–6, ending Baltimore's season. The Ravens hoped to improve upon their 13–3 record but injuries and poor play plagued
1792-658: A stunning MNF upset loss in Jacksonville as they were held to one touchdown in a 12–7 loss. Their final scoring drive failed as Joe Flacco threw an interception in the closing seconds of the game. After beating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 of the regular season, the Ravens advanced to the playoffs as the Number 2 seed in the AFC with a record of 12–4. They gained the distinction of AFC North Champions over Pittsburgh (12–4) due to
1904-542: A tie-breaker. Ravens' Lee Evans was stripped of a 14-yard touchdown pass by the Patriots Sterling Moore with 22 seconds left and Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff pushed a 32-yard field goal attempt wide left on fourth down as the Patriots held on to beat the Ravens 23–20 during the AFC championship game and advance to Super Bowl XLVI. The Ravens' attempt to convert Joe Flacco into a pocket passer remained
2016-654: A video of Rice dragging Palmer's body out of an elevator after apparently knocking her out. For the incident, Rice was initially suspended for the first two games of the 2014 NFL season on July 25, 2014, which led to widespread criticism of the NFL. In Week 1, on September 7, the Baltimore Ravens lost to the Cincinnati Bengals , 23–16. The next day, on September 8, 2014, TMZ released additional footage from an elevator camera showing Rice punching Palmer. The Baltimore Ravens terminated Rice's contract as
2128-497: A work in progress as the 2012 season began. Terrell Suggs suffered a tendon injury during an off-season basketball game and was unable to play for at least several weeks. In the opener on September 10, Baltimore routed Cincinnati 44–13. After this easy win, the team headed to Philadelphia, but lost 24–23. Returning home for a primetime rematch of the AFC Championship, another bizarre game ensued. New England picked apart
2240-627: Is located in the south-central United States, the Cowboys are a member of the NFC East division due to their long-standing rivalries with the New York Giants , Philadelphia Eagles , and Washington Commanders , all of whom are located on the Eastern seaboard . In U.S. college sports , a "division" has a meaning different from either sense listed above, although somewhat closer to that of
2352-503: Is the only division in the NFL in which no member team has hosted a Super Bowl in their stadiums. The division, however, has won eight Super Bowl titles (six for Pittsburgh and two for Baltimore) in total. The AFC North currently has four members: Baltimore Ravens , Cincinnati Bengals , Cleveland Browns , and Pittsburgh Steelers . The original four members of the AFC Central were the Browns, Bengals, Steelers and Houston Oilers (now
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#17327807053042464-497: The 1985 Chicago Bears defense. Since the divisional rival Tennessee Titans had a record of 13–3, the Ravens had to play in the wild card round. They dominated the Denver Broncos 21–3 in their first game. In the divisional playoff, they went on the road to Tennessee. With the score tied 10–10 in the fourth quarter, an Al Del Greco field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown by Anthony Mitchell, and
2576-598: The AFC Championship Game by avenging a Week 5 loss to the Titans 13–10 at LP Field on a Matt Stover field goal with 53 seconds left in regulation time. The Ravens fell one victory short of Super Bowl XLIII by losing to the Steelers 23–14 at Heinz Field on January 18, 2009. In 2009 , the Ravens won their first three games, then lost the next three, including a close match in Minnesota . The rest of
2688-583: The AFC North . The Ravens ended the regular season with a franchise-best 13–3 record. Baltimore had secured the AFC North title, the No. 2 AFC playoff seed, and clinched a 1st-round bye by season's end. The Ravens were slated to face the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the playoffs, in the first meeting of the two teams in the playoffs. Many Baltimore and Indianapolis fans saw this historic meeting as
2800-425: The New York Giants . The Ravens' defense carried them to a win. They recorded four sacks and forced five turnovers, one of which was a Kerry Collins interception returned for a touchdown by Duane Starks . The Giants' only score was a Ron Dixon kickoff return for a touchdown; however, the Ravens immediately countered with a touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff by Jermaine Lewis . The Ravens became champions with
2912-462: The New York Jets before the season, and was replaced by former Indianapolis Colt Jim Harbaugh , and later Eric Zeier . Cornerback Rod Woodson joined the team after a successful stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers , and Priest Holmes started getting the first playing time of his career and ran for 1,000 yards. The Ravens finished 1998 with a 6–10 record. On November 29, the Ravens welcomed
3024-472: The Pro Football Hall of Fame . The name "Ravens" was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe 's poem The Raven . Chosen in a fan contest that drew 33,288 voters, the allusion honors Poe who spent the early part of his career in Baltimore and is buried there. Other names polled included "Marauders", "Americans", and "Bombers", among others. As The Baltimore Sun reported at the time, fans also "liked
3136-527: The San Francisco 49ers , on February 3, 2013, in New Orleans. It was the second franchise Super Bowl win. As of 2012, the Steelers are the AFC North's most successful team with a 599–547–21 record all-time with the Browns 2nd in line with an overall record of 510–441–while the Ravens sit in 3rd (even though they were not an official franchise until 1996) at 164–128–and then the Bengals today remain
3248-446: The St. Louis Rams and had the best season of his career with 17 touchdown passes and an 81.2 pass rating. He was joined by receiver Qadry Ismail , who posted a 1,000-yard season. The Ravens initially struggled with a record of 4–7 but managed to finish with an 8–8 record. Due to continual financial hardships for the organization, the NFL took an unusual move and directed Modell to initiate
3360-633: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers . The Ravens organization was led by general manager Ozzie Newsome from 1996 until his retirement following the 2018 season, and has had three head coaches: Ted Marchibroda , Brian Billick , and since 2008, John Harbaugh . Starting with a record-breaking defensive performance in their 2000 season , the Ravens have established a reputation for strong defensive play throughout team history. Former players such as middle linebacker Ray Lewis , safety Ed Reed , and offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden have been enshrined in
3472-591: The Tennessee Titans ). The AFC North is the only AFC division that does not contain a charter team from the original American Football League . However, the Cincinnati Bengals were an AFL expansion team in the 1968 AFL season (the Steelers and Browns joined the AFC in 1970), although the Bengals joining the AFL was contingent on the team joining the NFL after the AFL–NFL merger was finalized in 1970, as Paul Brown
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3584-431: The playoffs for the first time. During the 2000 season, the Ravens' dominating defense broke a notable NFL record. They held opposing teams to 165 total points, surpassing the 1986 Chicago Bears mark of 187 points for a 16-game season, which at that time was the current NFL record. That record still stands, and the 2000 Ravens remain in the discussion as one of the greatest NFL defenses of all time, most notably alongside
3696-464: The two-minute warning but turned the ball over on downs. The Ravens then took an intentional safety in the waning moments of the game to preserve the victory. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco , who completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns, was named Super Bowl MVP. Coming off as the defending Super Bowl champions, this was the first year in franchise history for the team without Ray Lewis. The Ravens started out 3–2, and started
3808-433: The 2022 season ^ A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games. Because of the strike, the league used for its playoffs a special 16-team "Super Bowl Tournament" just for this year. Division standings were not formally acknowledged (although every division wound up sending at least one team to the playoffs); Cincinnati had the best record of the division teams. Division (sport) In sports using
3920-542: The 2–0 Houston Texans 14-loss streak by shutting them 30–9 in Week 3. However, the Ravens lost their next 3 games, losing to the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers in last-minute field goals and were shut out in an attempt to tie the game against the Cleveland Browns 24–18. After winning and losing their next game, the Ravens came out 4–6, but managed winning their next four games in dominating
4032-416: The 32nd pick in the 2018 draft. After the team started the season with a 4–5 record, Jackson took over as the starting QB in Week 11 when Joe Flacco was sidelined with a hip injury. The team won six of its next seven games, finishing the 2018 season with a 10–6 record and winning the AFC North, giving them their first playoff appearance since 2014 and their first division title since 2012. The Ravens lost to
4144-611: The AFC Central changed once again in 1999 when the NFL reactivated the Cleveland Browns. The division had six teams for the 1999 to 2001 seasons, and was the only division to have that many teams in the post-merger era. Aside from Pittsburgh's appearance in Super Bowl XXX , the only other appearance in the Super Bowl for the division in the decade was the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV , who came up one yard short of
4256-587: The AFC Central in the Super Bowl during the decade, appearing in Super Bowls XVI and XXIII . Both appearances resulted in close losses to the San Francisco 49ers . The Steelers returned as the dominant team in the division in 1992. They won five divisional titles in six years, and played in Super Bowl XXX , in which they lost to the Dallas Cowboys . In 1992, the Oilers were involved in one of
4368-439: The AFC Central title in 2000—were both moved to the new AFC South , while the rest of the AFC Central remained intact and was renamed the AFC North. The Bengals, Browns, and Steelers were guaranteed to remain in a division together in any circumstance; this was part of the NFL's settlement with the city of Cleveland in the wake of the 1995 Cleveland Browns relocation controversy . The division, geographically speaking, thus became
4480-461: The Baltimore defense (which was considerably weakened without Terrell Suggs and some other players lost over the off-season) for the first half. Trouble began early in the game when a streaker ran out onto the field and had to be tackled by security, and accelerated when, at 2:18 in the 4th quarter, the referees made a holding call on RG Marshal Yanda . Enraged fans repeatedly chanted an obscenity at this penalty. The Ravens finally drove downfield and on
4592-495: The Bengals 2-yard line. Huntley did not secure the football as Logan Wilson stripped and Huntley fumbled the ball and Sam Hubbard recovered the ball, running a 98-yard Scoop and Score to defeat the Ravens. This play was the longest fumble return touchdown in NFL playoff history. On January 22, the Bengals and the Bills rematched at the Bills' home stadium, Highmark Stadium . Despite the home field advantage and heavy snow conditions,
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4704-399: The Bengals in 2009 and Ravens in 2011. Since divisional realignment, the Steelers have made the playoffs ten times, the Ravens eight times, the Bengals seven times, and the Browns two times. In 2005, although finishing second in the division to the Bengals, the Steelers became the first team in NFL history to enter the playoffs as a #6 seeded wild card team and win the Super Bowl. In 2008,
4816-536: The Bengals were able to upset the Bills, with a score of 27–10 after Bills quarterback Josh Allen was intercepted on the team's final offensive play by Cam Taylor-Britt . The Bengals then advanced to face against the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC Championship for the second consecutive time. The Bengals would lose this time after a costly penalty allowed the Chiefs to hit a game winning field goal. This
4928-762: The Bills and 22–17 to the Chiefs respectively. The Bengals won the division in 2021. The Steelers were given a shocking last minute invite to the NFL Playoffs, but their journey fell short with a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild card round. The Bengals beat the Raiders at home 26–19 in the Wild Card matchup, the Titans 19–16 in Tennessee, and the Chiefs 27–24 in Kansas City to make it to
5040-456: The Chiefs 30–7, but once again were knocked from the playoffs by Pittsburgh in a hard-fought game 31–24. The Ravens hosted their arch-enemy in Week 1 of the 2011 season. On a hot, humid day in M&;T Bank Stadium, crowd noise and multiple Steelers mistakes allowed Baltimore to crush them with three touchdowns 35–7. The frustrated Pittsburgh players also committed several costly penalties. Thus,
5152-477: The Colts back to Baltimore for the first time in 15 years. Amidst a shower of negative cheers towards the Colts, the Ravens won 38–31. Three consecutive losing seasons under Marchibroda led to a change in the head coach. Brian Billick took over as head coach in 1999 . Billick had been offensive coordinator for the record-setting Minnesota Vikings the season before. Quarterback Tony Banks came to Baltimore from
5264-504: The Jets 10–9 on the 2010 opener, but then lost a poorly played game against Cincinnati the following week. The Ravens rebounded against the other two division teams, beating Cleveland 24–17 in Week 3 and then. The Ravens scored a fine win (31–17) at home against Denver in Week 5. The Ravens finished the season 12–4, second in the division due to a tiebreaker with Pittsburgh, and earning a wild card spot. Baltimore headed to Kansas City and defeated
5376-583: The Jets 19–3, a Steelers win 22–20 during Thanksgiving, a booming ending in Baltimore against the Vikings 29–26, and an 18–16 win at Detroit, including Justin Tucker's 61-yard game-winning field goal. The Ravens were 8–6, with the 6th seed, but after losing their next two games, and the San Diego Chargers winning their next two to clinch the 6th seed, the Ravens finished 8–8 and missed the playoffs for
5488-579: The NFL Draft, the team selected Ed Reed with the 24th overall pick. Reed would go on to become one of the best safeties in NFL history, making nine Pro Bowls until leaving the Ravens for the Houston Texans in 2013. Despite low expectations, the Ravens stayed somewhat competitive in 2002 until a losing streak in December eliminated any chances of a postseason berth and a 7–9 finish. In 2003 ,
5600-579: The NFL, which the franchise recognized with a special badge being worn on their uniforms during the 2015 NFL season. The Ravens lost key players such as Joe Flacco, Justin Forsett , Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith Sr., and Eugene Monroe to season-ending injuries. Injuries and their inability to win close games early in the season led to the first losing season in the Harbaugh-Flacco era with a 5–11 mark. The 2016 Ravens finished 8–8, but failed to qualify
5712-535: The Ravens being held to only 54 yards total rushing. The Titans won 20–17 on a late field goal, and Baltimore's season ended early. Ray Lewis was also named Defensive Player of the year for the second time in his career. In April 2003, Art Modell sold 49% of the team to Steve Bisciotti , a local businessman who had made his fortune in the temporary staffing field. After the season, Art Modell sold his remaining 51% ownership to Bisciotti, ending over 40 years of tenure as an NFL franchise owner. The Ravens did not make
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#17327807053045824-437: The Ravens drafted their new quarterback, Kyle Boller , but he was injured midway through the season and was replaced by Anthony Wright . Jamal Lewis ran for 2,066 yards (including a then-NFL record 295 yards in one game against the Cleveland Browns on September 14). With a 10–6 record, Baltimore won their first AFC North division title. Their first playoff game, at home against the Tennessee Titans , went back and forth, with
5936-472: The Ravens entered the 2008 campaign with much uncertainty. Baltimore smartly recovered in 2008, winning eleven games and achieving a wild card spot in the postseason. On the strength of four interceptions, one resulting in an Ed Reed touchdown, the Ravens began its postseason run by winning a rematch over Miami 27–9 at Dolphin Stadium on January 4, 2009, in a wild-card game. Six days later, they advanced to
6048-488: The Ravens had gained their first-ever victory over the Steelers with Ben Roethlisberger playing and avenged themselves of repeated regular and postseason losses in the series. But in Week 2, the Ravens collapsed in Tennessee and lost 26–13. They rebounded by routing the Rams in Week 3 and then overpowering the Jets 34–17 in Week 4. Week 5, the Ravens had a bye week, following a game against the Texans. But in Week 7, Baltimore had
6160-484: The Ravens played the final professional sporting event at Baltimore's historic Memorial Stadium , winning 21–19 over the Tennessee Oilers . 1998 marked the opening of a new stadium for the Ravens, currently known as M&T Bank Stadium , but originally named " PSINet Stadium" after the now-defunct internet service provider which purchased the original naming rights. Quarterback Vinny Testaverde left for
6272-472: The Ravens traveled to Denver to play against the top-seeded Broncos. In a very back-and-forth contest, the Ravens pulled out a 38–35 victory in two overtimes. They then won their 2nd AFC championship by coming back from a 13–7 halftime deficit to defeat the Patriots once again, 28–13. The Ravens played the Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers . Baltimore built a 28–6 lead early in
6384-614: The Ravens were the only franchise in any of the major American team sports which did not carry forward the records of the team as it existed prior to its move to a new location (until the Arizona Coyotes relocated to become the Utah Hockey Club in the NHL). The team is owned by Steve Bisciotti and was valued at $ 4.63 billion in 2023, making them the 28th-most valuable sports franchise globally. The Ravens have been one of
6496-447: The Ravens, with two picks in the first round, drafted offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden at No. 4 overall and linebacker Ray Lewis at No. 26 overall. Both Ogden and Lewis went on to play for the Ravens for their entire professional careers and were both inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame . The 1996 Ravens won their opening game against the Oakland Raiders , but finished the season 4–12 despite receiver Michael Jackson leading
6608-487: The Steelers became the first team to repeat as division champion since the division's realignment in 2002. The team went on to win Super Bowl XLIII that season, their second Super Bowl in four years and an NFL-record sixth overall. In 2009, the Cincinnati Bengals swept their annual six-game slate of divisional opponents. Their first three games against the AFC North came in weeks three-through-five when they beat
6720-487: The Steelers dominated the division for most of the 1970s. The Steelers also would win four Super Bowls in the decade, which were also the team's first league titles. The 1980 Cleveland Browns broke the Steelers' six-year run as division champions, but failed to advance past the divisional round of the playoffs, losing to the Oakland Raiders as a result of Red Right 88 . The Bengals were the only team to represent
6832-484: The Steelers, Browns and Ravens, respectively, each by three points. The close finishes deemed the Bengals, "Cardiac Cats". Cincinnati clinched their first division title since '05 in a week 16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, 17–10. In the playoffs, however, the Bengals fell to the New York Jets at home, 24–14. Baltimore finished off their season by winning three of their final four games to finish 9-7 and earn
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#17327807053046944-479: The Super Bowl. Their season ended with a 23–20 loss in Super Bowl LVI to the Rams. The Cincinnati Bengals won the division the second consecutive time in 2022. The 11–4 Bengals faced up against the 12–3 Buffalo Bills on January 2, 2023, however, Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed after a tackle on Tee Higgins . The game was suspended after the play. Days later, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell cancelled
7056-408: The Texans 25–13. With their playoff chances and season hanging in the balance, the Ravens took on the Browns in Week 17 at home. After three quarters had gone by and down 10–3, Joe Flacco led the Ravens on a comeback scoring 17 unanswered points, winning 20–10. With the win, and the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the San Diego Chargers, the Ravens clinched their sixth playoff berth in seven seasons. In
7168-411: The bye, and with Billick calling the offense, Baltimore would record a five-game win streak before losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in week 13. Still ranked second overall to first-place San Diego Chargers , the Ravens continued on. They defeated the Kansas City Chiefs , and held the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers to only one touchdown at Heinz Field , allowing the Ravens to clinch
7280-427: The division in 2020. The Ravens and Browns also made it into the playoffs as the 5th and 6th seeded wildcards respectively. For the Browns, it was their first playoff appearance since 2002. The Browns defeated the Steelers 48–37 in Pittsburgh for the wild-card round. The Ravens beat the Titans 20–13 in their Wild Card matchup. However, both the Ravens and Browns failed to win their Divisional Round matchups, losing 17–3 to
7392-440: The division, have no direct history involving Paul Brown. The AFC Central division was formed when the Browns and Steelers brought their rivalry from the NFL Century Division to the AFC in 1970, joining the newly formed "AFC Central" with the Houston Oilers (from the AFL 's East Division ) and Cincinnati Bengals (from the AFL's West Division ). Although the Bengals won the first AFC Central Division Championship in 1970,
7504-401: The division. Moreover, the top teams in a division qualify for the postseason playoff tournament that crowns the league champion, which heightens the rivalries between the teams in a division. Geographically-based divisions can become skewed if an expansion team joins the league or if one of the franchises within a division moves to another city, necessitating a shuffling or realignment of
7616-405: The divisions of the league) are at the same competitive level and remain so year after year. North American professional sports leagues often construct their season schedules in a way such that teams in a division play matches against each other more often than other teams in the league. This not only has the effect of reducing travel costs, but also creates exciting rivalries between the teams in
7728-411: The eventual Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos. The Steelers won the division title in 2016 after a 31–27 win over the Ravens on Christmas Day. Despite victories in the playoffs against Miami and Kansas City, they fell to New England in the AFC Championship Game. One particularly notable game in the 2017 occurred in a Week 13 Monday Night Football matchup between the Bengals and the Steelers. During
7840-412: The exception of schools in the highest level of NCAA (American) football , which have never had an NCAA-recognized national championship ). As an example, the NCAA is split into three divisions: The term division is also used in US college sports to indicate the groupings of members of a given conference . However, this usage is more recent. The first conference to divide its teams into divisions
7952-488: The first Super Bowl to go into overtime. Along the way, the team got revenge on the Bills seven years after the comeback in the wild-card round by defeating the Bills 22–16 as a result of the Music City Miracle . The decade began with the Ravens winning Super Bowl XXXV . The team's defense, led by linebacker Ray Lewis , was arguably one of the best defenses of all time. In 2002, the NFL realigned into eight divisions of four teams. The Jaguars and Titans—the latter winning
8064-604: The first time since 2007. On January 27, 2014, the Ravens hired former Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak to be their new offensive coordinator after Jim Caldwell accepted the new available head coaching job with the Detroit Lions . On February 15, 2014, star running back Ray Rice and his fiancée Janay Palmer were arrested and charged with assault after a physical altercation at Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey . Celebrity news website TMZ posted
8176-732: The following year. The resulting controversy ended when representatives of Cleveland and the NFL reached a settlement on February 8, 1996. Tagliabue promised the city of Cleveland that an NFL team would be located in Cleveland, either through relocation or expansion, "no later than 1999". Additionally, the agreement stipulated that the Browns' name, colors, uniform design and franchise records would remain in Cleveland. The franchise history includes Browns club records and connections with Pro Football Hall of Fame players. Modell's Baltimore team, while retaining all current player contracts, would, for purposes of team history, appear as an expansion team ,
8288-634: The football team when they came to the city and the wheelchair basketball team became known as the Maryland Ravens. After the controversial 1984 relocation of the Colts to Indianapolis, several attempts were made to bring an NFL team back to Baltimore. In 1993, ahead of the 1995 league expansion, the city was considered a favorite, behind only St. Louis , to be granted one of two new franchises. League officials and team owners feared litigation due to conflicts between rival bidding groups if St. Louis
8400-426: The franchise from Cleveland to Baltimore. As part of a settlement between the league and the city of Cleveland, Modell was required to leave the Browns' history, team colors, and records in Cleveland for a replacement team and replacement personnel that would resume play in 1999 . In return, he was allowed to take his own personnel and team to Baltimore, where such personnel would form an expansion team . Therefore,
8512-421: The game, the Bengals took a 17–0 lead, but the Steelers outscored them 23–3 the rest of the game for 23–20 win. The game was a brutal affair with serious injuries to Shazier, Mixon and Burfict and subsequent suspensions to JuJu Smith-Schuster and George Iloka (with Iloka's later being overturned). The two teams clocked up four penalties for unnecessary roughness, one for unsportsmanlike conduct, one for roughing
8624-594: The game. By win percentage, the Bengals won the North again. After a victory against the Atlanta Falcons , the Baltimore Ravens clinched their playoff spot as well. On January 15, 2023, in the Super Wild Card Weekend, the #3 ranked Bengals played at home against the #6 Ravens. Bengals defeated Ravens by a score of 24–17 with the most notable play by Tyler Huntley failing a Quarterback Sneak at
8736-490: The initial committee voting system to prevent the entire league ownership from voting on Baltimore's bid. This led to public outrage and The Baltimore Sun describing Tagliabue as having an "Anybody But Baltimore" policy. Maryland governor William Donald Schaefer said afterward that Tagliabue had led him on, praising Baltimore and the proposed owners while working behind-the-scenes to oppose Baltimore's bid. By May 1994, Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos had gathered
8848-417: The last play of the game, Justin Tucker kicked a 27-yard field goal to win the game 31–30, capping off a second intense and controversially officiated game in a row for the Ravens. The Ravens would win the AFC North with a 10–6 record, but finished 4th in the AFC playoff seeding, and thus had to play a wild-card game. After defeating the Indianapolis Colts 24–9 at home (the final home game of Ray Lewis),
8960-653: The league system. The major governing bodies for college sports, the NCAA and NAIA , divide their member schools into large competitive groups. These groups are much larger than divisions in either the league or franchise system—for example, the NCAA's highest competitive level, Division I , has more than 300 member schools. The vast majority of teams are members of conferences , smaller groupings that usually have between 6 and 14 members. Conference champions, plus selected other teams, compete in national championship tournaments (with
9072-474: The league with 14 touchdown catches. The 1997 Ravens started 3–1. Peter Boulware , a rookie defender from Florida State , recorded 11.5 sacks and was named AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year. The team finished 6–9–1. On October 26, the team made its first trip to Landover, Maryland to play their new regional rivals , the Washington Redskins . The Ravens won the game 20–17. On December 14, 1997,
9184-506: The loudspeakers Tagliabue's exact location in Camden Yards any time he attended a Baltimore Orioles game, Tagliabue remarked of Baltimore's financial package: "Maybe (Baltimore) can open another museum with that money." Following this, Angelos made an unsuccessful $ 200 million bid to bring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Baltimore. Having failed to obtain a franchise via the expansion, the city, despite having "misgivings", turned to
9296-533: The most famous playoff games in NFL history. In a game now known as The Comeback , the Oilers surrendered a 32-point lead to the Buffalo Bills and lost in overtime, 41–38. It was the largest deficit ever overcome in the history of the NFL for nearly 30 years. In 1995, the Jacksonville Jaguars joined the league through expansion and were placed in the AFC Central. It was the first change to
9408-744: The most successful NFL franchises since their inception, compiling a regular season record of 263–197–1 (.572), the second-highest among active franchises. They also own the fourth-highest playoff winning percentage at 17–13 (.567). The team has qualified for the NFL playoffs 15 times since 2000 with two Super Bowl titles ( Super Bowl XXXV and Super Bowl XLVII ), two AFC Championship titles ( 2000 and 2012 ), five AFC Championship game appearances ( 2000 , 2008 , 2011 , 2012 , and 2023 ), and seven AFC North division titles ( 2003 , 2006 , 2011 , 2012 , 2018 , 2019 , and 2023 ). They are one of two teams to be undefeated in multiple Super Bowl appearances, along with
9520-759: The number-six seed in the AFC Playoffs. In the first round of the postseason, Baltimore defeated the New England Patriots in Foxboro, 33–14. In the divisional round of the postseason, Baltimore's season came to an end with a 20–3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, who would defeat the Jets one week later to win the conference. The Ravens repeated as division champions in 2011 and 2012. The team went on to win Super Bowl XLVII over
9632-464: The only team in the division with their all-time record below .500 as they sit in last at 310–396–. In 2015, the Bengals became the first team in the AFC North (Central) to ever start the year 8–0, finishing the season 12–4 and winning the division for the second time in three years. Cincinnati clinched the division title in week 16 when the Steelers were upset by the 4–10 Ravens in Baltimore, quarterbacked by Ryan Mallett. Bengals' quarterback Andy Dalton
9744-564: The original Baltimore Ravens. In 1972, the Ravens wheelchair basketball team was founded by Ralph Smith, long-term resident of Baltimore, second Vice President of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) and Member of the NWBA Hall of Fame. The name "Ravens" was inspired by Bob Ardinger, a member of the Ravens wheelchair basketball team. In the 1990s, the naming rights were later sold to
9856-549: The passer and another for taunting. The Bengals themselves clocked up 13 penalties for 173 yards. When asked about the viciousness and the brutality of the game, Roethlisberger responded that it was "AFC North football". The Ravens clinched the division in Week 15 of 2019 in a 42–21 win over the NY Jets . However, they were upset by the Tennessee Titans at home in the second round as the Number 1 seed. The Steelers won
9968-527: The playoffs for the second straight year. They were eliminated from playoff contention after their Week 16 loss to their division rivals, the Steelers . This was the first time the Ravens missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2004 – 2005 , as well as the first in the Harbaugh/Flacco era. During the 2017 season , the Ravens improved upon their 8–8 record from 2016 by one win, finishing
10080-494: The playoffs in 2004 and finished the season with a record of 9–7 with Boller spending the season at QB. They did get good play from veteran corner Deion Sanders and third-year safety Ed Reed , who won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. They were also the only team to defeat the 15–1 Pittsburgh Steelers in the regular season. The next off-season, the Ravens looked to augment their receiving corps (which
10192-415: The possibility of obtaining the Cleveland Browns , whose owner Art Modell was financially struggling and at odds with the city of Cleveland over needed improvements to the team's stadium. Enticed by Baltimore's available funds for a first-class stadium and a promised yearly operating subsidy of $ 25 million, Modell announced on November 6, 1995, his intention to relocate the team from Cleveland to Baltimore
10304-466: The regular season to nine games. Because of the strike, the league used for its playoffs a special 16-team "Super Bowl Tournament" just for this year. Division standings were not formally acknowledged (although every division wound up sending at least one team to the playoffs); Cincinnati had the best record of the division teams. ++ Due to the Week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills being declared
10416-439: The sale of his franchise. On March 27, 2000, NFL owners approved the sale of 49% of the Ravens to Steve Bisciotti . In the deal, Bisciotti had an option to purchase the remaining 51% for $ 325 million in 2004 from Art Modell. On April 9, 2004, the NFL approved Steve Bisciotti's purchase of the majority stake in the club. Banks shared playing time in the 2000 regular season with Trent Dilfer . Both players put up decent numbers (and
10528-545: The same division. For instance, in Major League Baseball , both the American and National Leagues have East, Central, and West divisions; the teams in each division are mostly (but not always) located in the eastern, central, and western sections of North America respectively. In a franchise system, teams are not promoted or relegated as are teams in a league system. All teams in the league (and by extension,
10640-422: The season 9–7 and missing the playoffs for the third year in a row. This marked the first time the Ravens failed to make the playoffs in three straight seasons since the team's first three years of existence (1996–1998). The Ravens suffered a loss at home to the Cincinnati Bengals in the final game of the season that prevented them from earning a playoff berth. The Ravens drafted quarterback Lamar Jackson with
10752-556: The season was an uneven string of wins and losses, which included a home victory over Pittsburgh in overtime followed by a Monday Night loss in Green Bay . That game was notable for the number of penalties committed, costing a total of 310 yards, and almost tying with the record set by Tampa Bay and Seattle in 1976 . Afterwards, the Ravens easily crushed the Lions and Bears , giving up less than ten points in both games. The next match
10864-432: The shortest driving distance between each team among the NFL's eight divisions, as three of the teams are located within close proximity of Interstate 70 (with the one city that is not, Cleveland, being two hours north of I-70), and the distance between Baltimore and Cincinnati (the two teams furthest away from each other) being only 526 miles (847 km) apart. The Browns and Steelers, the two closest rivals, even ride
10976-477: The structure of the division since its inception and added a second team to the division from the U.S. South. In 1996, in one of the most controversial decisions in American sports history , the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore and were rechristened as the Baltimore Ravens . Then in 1997, the Oilers moved to Tennessee but remained in the division (the team later was renamed the Titans in 1999 ). The makeup of
11088-585: The team. The Ravens finished the 2007 season in the AFC North cellar with a disappointing 5–11 record. A humiliating 22–16 overtime loss to the previously winless Miami Dolphins on December 16 ultimately led to Billick's dismissal after the end of the regular season. He was replaced by John Harbaugh , the special teams coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and the older brother of former Ravens quarterback Jim Harbaugh (1998). With rookies at head coach ( John Harbaugh ) and quarterback ( Joe Flacco ),
11200-491: The teams in a division. Furthermore, the results of the realignment may not always reflect geographical realities. For instance, in 1995, the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL) moved to St. Louis, Missouri and became the St. Louis Rams . The team retained its place in the NFC West division despite the fact that St. Louis is further east than Dallas, Texas , home of the Dallas Cowboys . Although Dallas
11312-545: The third quarter before a partial power outage in the Superdome suspended play for 34 minutes (earning the game the added nickname of the Blackout Bowl). After play resumed, San Francisco scored 17 unanswered third-quarter points to cut the Ravens' lead, 28–23, and continued to chip away in the fourth quarter. With the Ravens leading late in the game, 34–29, the 49ers advanced to the Baltimore 7-yard line just before
11424-532: The tie-in with the other birds in town, the Orioles , and found it easy to visualize a tough, menacing black bird". Edgar Allan Poe also had distant relatives who played football for the Princeton Tigers in the 1880s through the early 1900s. These brothers were famous players in the early days of American football. Before the football team, there was the Baltimore Ravens wheelchair basketball team —
11536-567: The wild card round, the Ravens won 30–17 against their divisional rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers , at Heinz Field . In the next game in the Divisional round, the Ravens faced the New England Patriots . Despite a strong offensive effort and having a 14-point lead twice in the game, the Ravens were defeated by the Patriots 35–31, ending their season. The 2015 season marked 20 seasons of the franchise's existence competing in
11648-609: Was against the Steelers , where Baltimore lost a close one before beating the Raiders to end the season. With a record of 9–7, the team finished second in the division and gained another wild card. Moving into the playoffs, they overwhelmed the Patriots 33–14; nevertheless they did not reach the AFC Championship because they were routed 20–3 by the Colts in the Divisional Round a week later. Baltimore managed to beat
11760-591: Was awarded a franchise. In October Charlotte, North Carolina was the first city chosen. Several weeks later, Baltimore's bid for a franchise—dubbed the Baltimore Bombers , in honor of the locally produced Martin B-26 Marauder bomber —had three ownership groups in place and a state financial package which included a proposed $ 200 million, rent-free stadium and permission to charge up to $ 80 million in personal seat license fees. Baltimore, however,
11872-399: Was having his best season of his five-year career until breaking his thumb on December 13 against Pittsburgh caused him to miss the rest of the season. In the playoffs, Cincinnati (quarterbacked by A. J. McCarron ) lost in a rematch with the Steelers, 18–16, in the final minutes of a heated battle. Pittsburgh advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs, only to lose to Peyton Manning and
11984-550: Was later promoted to vice-president/general manager. The home stadium for the Ravens first two seasons was Baltimore's Memorial Stadium , previously home to the Baltimore Colts , the Baltimore Orioles , and the Canadian Football League 's Baltimore Stallions . The Ravens moved to their own new stadium, now known as M&T Bank Stadium , next to Camden Yards in 1998. In the 1996 NFL draft ,
12096-417: Was not a supporter of the AFL. The AFC North contains all three of the pre-merger NFL cities (Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh) whose then-franchises joined the AFC in 1970. Three of the teams also have interlocked histories. Both the Bengals and the Browns were founded by Paul Brown , while the Ravens and the city of Cleveland have their own unique relationship . Only the Steelers, the oldest franchise in
12208-640: Was second-worst in the NFL in 2004) by signing Derrick Mason from the Titans and drafting Oklahoma wide receiver Mark Clayton in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft . However, the Ravens ended their season 6–10. The 2006 Baltimore Ravens season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record of 2005. The Ravens, for the first time in franchise history, started 4–0, under the leadership of former Titans quarterback Steve McNair . In 2006 , The Ravens lost two straight games mid-season on offensive troubles, prompting coach Billick to drop their offensive coordinator Jim Fassel in their week seven bye. After
12320-628: Was the Southeastern Conference which, upon expanding to 12 members in 1992, divided into Eastern and Western divisions. Other conferences have undergone similar expansion and division. The usage in the section above is still maintained. For example, the Georgia Bulldogs are in Division I, but are also in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference. Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are
12432-586: Was the first ever back-to-back championship appearance in Bengals' history. The Baltimore Ravens won the division in 2023, as well as the #1 seed in the AFC. All 4 teams in the AFC North finished the 2023 regular season with winning records. 2023 marked the first time since 1935 that each team within an entire division finished the regular season with a winning record. The Steelers became the first team in AFC and AFC North history to post 20 consecutive non-losing records. Place cursor over year for division champ or Super Bowl team. + A players' strike in 1982 reduced
12544-509: Was unexpectedly passed over in favor of Jacksonville, Florida , despite Jacksonville's minor TV market status and that the city had withdrawn from contention in the summer, only to return with then-Commissioner Paul Tagliabue 's urging. Although league officials denied that any city had been favored, it was reported that Tagliabue and his longtime friend Washington Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke had lobbied against Baltimore due to its proximity to Washington, D.C., and that Tagliabue had used
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