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AFC North is the most overrated NFL division

The AFC North may have the best combined record of any NFL division, but don't let that fool you.

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

After 10 weeks, the AFC North remains the best division in the NFL in terms of combined records. The Bengals, Browns, Steelers and Ravens are a combined 23-14-1. However, when you dive deeper into the numbers and how those wins came about, you'll see that's a deceiving number.

A favorable schedule vs. the NFC South and AFC South has helped significantly. The AFC North is a combined 2-1 vs. Tampa Bay, 2-0-1 vs. Carolina, 2-0 vs. Atlanta, 3-0 vs. Tennessee and 2-1 vs. Jacksonville. That's a combined nine wins vs. teams with a combined 10-35-1.

Then there's actual division play. All four teams have two wins in divisional play. The Bengals currently own the only sweep of a team with two wins vs. Baltimore, who has beaten the Browns and Steelers. Pittsburgh has beaten the Browns and Ravens once as well. The only divisional matchup that hasn't happened is Cincy vs. Pitt, which happens twice in the final four weeks of the season.

As for the best wins of each team: The Bengals' sweep of Baltimore is the only thing they have to boast of. Those same Ravens' best wins are over Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The Browns have a home win over 4-5 Saints in addition to a road win over Cincinnati.

The Steelers have a home win over the Colts, who are 6-3, but are 2-3 vs. teams with above .500 records, and both wins came at home.

To sum it all up, the best wins by an AFC North team are either against each other, vs. the Saints or the Colts, and the latter two came at home. This division has no good road wins to speak of against teams outside the North.