QB musical chairs? Why the AFC North is struggling at the premier position

Through 5 weeks of the 2025 NFL regular season, the AFC North and its backmost scenery does not lucifer what it looked similar erstwhile the play opened connected Sept. 7.

As of Friday, 3 of the 4 teams are expected to commencement a antithetic QB than they did successful Week 1. A speedy recap for those who mightiness person missed the churn astatine the astir important position:

• The Baltimore Ravens are inactive waiting to spot if seasoned Lamar Jackson (hamstring) is steadfast to commencement their Week 6 game. He has missed 4 consecutive practices. If he's not, Cooper Rush volition get his 2nd commencement of the season.

• The Cincinnati Bengals, who are without the injured Joe Burrow (turf toe), acquired 40-year-old Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns connected Tuesday successful a bundle that included draught picks. Flacco volition commencement Sunday against the Green Bay Packers aft losing his starting spot to Dillon Gabriel successful Cleveland.

• The determination was expected to elevate Shedeur Sanders to Gabriel's backup, but manager Kevin Stefanski has waited connected announcing that designation.

• The Pittsburgh Steelers are the lone squad successful the part that has started the aforesaid QB each play arsenic the 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers is 3-1 contempt being 25th successful QBR.

Rodgers hasn't been the lone QB successful the part to struggle. In fact, AFC North QBs person posted a 44.4 Total QBR, by the worst of immoderate division. QBs successful the part person besides turned the shot implicit 29 times (most of immoderate division) and had 21 interceptions (most of immoderate division).

This isn't however it was expected to play retired erstwhile the play started with two-time MVP Jackson successful Baltimore and Burrow, who finished 4th for MVP past year, successful Cincinnati.

AFC North reporters Jamison Hensley (Baltimore), Ben Baby (Cincinnati), Daniel Oyefusi (Cleveland) and Brooke Pryor (Pittsburgh) interruption down their respective teams.

Baltimore Ravens (1-4)

Week 6 game: vs. Los Angeles Rams (3-2), 1 p.m. ET, Fox

Expected QB starter: Cooper Rush

Stats of note: Jackson led 1 of the NFL's highest-scoring offenses successful the archetypal period of the play by throwing 10 touchdowns and 1 interception earlier injuring his hamstring. Last Sunday, Cooper Rush had a forgettable archetypal commencement for the Ravens with 179 yards and 3 interceptions, though lone 1 prime could beryllium blamed connected him.

Outlook: Jac...