The AFC North has been dominated by the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens over the past five years.
Both teams have experienced widespread success in recent seasons, leaving little room for the other two teams in the division to make any headway.
The Pittsburgh Steelers had their moment in the sun during Ben Roethlisberger’s time with the team, but they’ve mostly been shut out during this time.
The same can be said about the Cleveland Browns, who haven’t won the division since 1989.
While the Browns have had some decent teams in the years between, they haven’t been good enough to win the division.
The tides could turn in 2024, at least, according to Sal Iacono.
Iacono recently appeared on a segment of FanDuel TV, where he said, “I think it’s a top three defense,” adding, “This is my division winner.”
Will the Browns win the AFC North this season? 🤔@TheCousinSal thinks this is Cleveland’s year to win the division 👀@FDSportsbook | @BillSimmons | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/T8Uvxk91DZ
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) September 3, 2024
Iacono believes that the Browns have put the right pieces in place to succeed on both sides of the ball.
Deshaun Watson hasn’t proved himself to the degree the team has hoped, but if he plays as anticipated, the Browns’ offense could be taken to a whole new level.
Their defense is also top-tier, as Iacono pointed out, so if the offense is serviceable, there’s reason to believe that he could be on to something.
Of course, they’ll need to take down the Bengals and Ravens on their way to winning the division, which has proven to be a difficult feat over the past several years.
