The Athletic Football Show used its September preview to lay out a portrait of an AFC North at once familiar and unsettled, arguing that the division’s identity—trenches-first football, generational quarterback talent and intense regional pride—remains intact even as new forces alter the calculus. The panel, during the 2 p.m. Eastern segment on Sept. 3, favored the Baltimore Ravens to win another division crown while warning that Cincinnati’s firepower and Cleveland’s offseason moves keep the race competitive; Pittsburgh, the hosts said, still looks like it is rebuilding toward relevance.

“I don’t think the North has lost what makes it unique,” one panelist said. “But the pieces are different. Who can marry elite quarterback play with a clean salary-cap sheet and a stout defensive line will win.” That encapsulated the show’s central thesis: quarterback ascendancy still matters, but roster construction, health and cap flexibility will decide who endures.

The Ravens emerged as the default favorite because of roster continuity and defensive architecture that the hosts described as “a model” for mixing pressure schemes with coverage versatility. Baltimore’s strengths were framed less as a star-centric argument than as the product of depth along the line and a coaching staff that maximizes a dual-threat quarterback’s value. The Athletic’s panel gave Baltimore the edge in situational football and red-zone efficiency—factors they identified as decisive in short divisional slates.

Cincinnati was cast as the chief threat, an offensive juggernaut with elite pass-catching weapons and a quarterback pedigree that, if healthy, can outscore most opponents. The show flagged concerns about the offensive line’s durability and defensive gaps that could be exposed by physical teams in November and December. Still, the hosts stressed that Cincinnati’s ceiling remains among the highest in the conference.

Cleveland and Pittsburgh represent different narratives. The Browns were praised for aggressive roster moves intended to accelerate a window that many analysts believe is narrow, with a note of caution about continuity at skill positions and long-term cap implications. Pittsburgh, analysts argued, is still sorting a quarterback puzzle and balancing youth development with veteran stewardship; the franchise’s storied culture, they said, gives it patience, not immunity.

Interlaced with team-by-team analysis was a look at industry trends: the show’s “Building the Beast” segment—first impressions of the 2025 draft-eligible quarterbacks—underscored how mobility and mental processing are premium traits for teams short on roster flexibility. The hosts pointed to analytics-driven play-calling, expanded use of pre-snap motion, and an increased premium on multi-year salary-cap planning as league-wide shifts that hit the North hard, given its historical emphasis on bruising, ball-control football.

The episode also touched on the broader social and economic footprint of the division. Local economies still lean on game-day revenue and civic identity tied to rivalries; panelists noted renewed debates about stadium financing and community returns on public investment. Player health and safety, including concussion protocols and long-term care for former players, featured as continuing ethical and financial pressures shaping front-office decisions.

By the end of the hour, the show left viewers with a simple admonition: watch the trenches and track roster flexibility. In a division that prizes toughness and narrative, the 2025 AFC North may be decided as much by balance sheets and injury margins as by Monday-night heroics.