Ravens' Main Competition in AFC North Revealed

The Baltimore Ravens have spent all summer watching themselves get penciled in as one of the dominant favorites to win it all at the start of next season, and for good reason.

There aren't many teams who can hang with the Ravens' roster, making them look like one of the likeliest candidates to challenge the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles for the upcoming title. The AFC has no shortage of top-tier quarterbacks, but it's their assortment of complements to Lamar Jackson that make the difference.

But not so fast, say some NFL analysts. The Ravens may not even be the only AFC North team that looks to challenge the opposing conference, with some believing that the Pittsburgh Steelers can continue hanging around with their new star.

They've consistently gotten it done without steady quarterback play, and look to change the equation in introducing a highly-qualified signal caller in Aaron Rodgers. He's looking to prove that he still has gas left in the tank, set to turn 42 this fall after an unimpressive stint with the New York Jets.

"Pittsburgh has enough offensive firepower to support a nasty defense with the potential to finish as the top-ranked unit in every major category (scoring defense, yards allowed and takeaways)," Bucky Brooks of NFL.com writes. "With a renewed commitment to playing complementary football via an old-school approach that prioritizes physicality and toughness over all else, the Steelers can win by utilizing a formula that has helped the franchise collect six Lombardi Trophies."

"Admittedly, I previously touted this blueprint and formula with Russell Wilson/Justin Fields under center, but Rodgers is an upgrade as a seasoned game manager with the infectious confidence and swagger that suit Pittsburgh's locker room. The four-time league MVP not only believes in his talent, but he envisions himself as a difference maker with the secret sauce to put the Steelers over the top."

Rodgers, who's set to spend his regular season encountering old foes, could feasibly keep the Steelers' hope of maintaining their stretch of consecutive winning records alive if he continues playing safe, risk-averse football.

But if last season's run with the Jets, which ended with his getting cut before season's end, was any indication of what's to come, then the Ravens won't have to worry too much about inter-divisional competition for the Super Bowl.