The Pittsburgh Steelers sit atop the AFC North in the projected 2025-26 NFL season, but not everyone agrees on the exact record. According to FOX Sports, the Steelers are 6-4, holding a half-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens at 5-5. Yet a Wikipedia template suggests the Steelers are only 5-4, and the Ravens 4-5. The hierarchy is consistent — Steelers first, Ravens second, Bengals and Browns tied for third — but the numbers don’t match. And here’s the thing: neither source has updated its full game logs. This isn’t just a typo. It’s a sign that the 2025-26 season is still in the realm of projections, not reality.
Conflicting Data, Same Hierarchy
FOX Sports offers a detailed breakdown: the Steelers have scored 246 points and allowed 232, with a 5-2 conference record and a 2-1 division record. Their home record is 4-2, and they’re riding a one-game winning streak. The Ravens, meanwhile, have actually outscored their opponents 252 to 251 — a near-perfect point differential — yet they’re still behind, thanks to their 2-3 home record and a tougher non-division schedule. The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns both sit at 3-7, but neither source provides full stats for them. That’s odd. When you’re tracking a division race, you’d expect complete data.Meanwhile, the Wikipedia template — which appears to be a placeholder — shows the Steelers at 5-4, Ravens at 4-5, and Bengals at 3-6. But if you scroll down to the detailed table, every team is listed as 0-0-0. That’s not a data error. That’s a system glitch. Someone built the template expecting live updates, but no one fed it real results. It’s like having a scoreboard that shows the final score but no play-by-play.
Why It Matters: The Steelers’ Edge
Even if the win totals differ by one game, the story stays the same: the Steelers are ahead. And in the AFC North, that’s everything. The division has been a war zone for years — think 2023’s epic Ravens-Steelers overtime thriller, or the 2024 Browns’ surprise surge. This year, the Steelers’ defense is holding opponents under 23 points per game, a marked improvement from 2024. Their offensive line, rebuilt after injuries decimated it last season, is finally giving quarterback Mason Rudolph time to operate. (Yes, he’s still the starter. No, Aaron Rodgers isn’t involved — he’s with Green Bay, and this isn’t that timeline.)
The Ravens? They’re dangerous. Their offense is explosive, but their defense is porous on the road. They’ve lost three of five away games. That’s not a fluke — it’s a pattern. If the Steelers can win their next two divisional matchups — one in Baltimore, one at home — they’ll likely lock up the division before December. But if the Ravens sweep those games? The table turns. Fast.
Projections vs. Reality: The 2025-26 Paradox
Here’s the twist: the 2025-26 season hasn’t started yet. The NFL schedule won’t be released until April 2025. These standings? They’re projections. Draft outcomes, free agency moves, and injury reports haven’t even been finalized. So why are we seeing them? Because sports media — especially sites like FOX Sports — love to generate buzz. They use algorithms, historical trends, and analyst predictions to build fake standings. It’s engaging. It’s clickable. But it’s not real.
Compare this to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East: 8-2. That’s impossible. The Eagles haven’t played a single game in 2025. Same with the Los Angeles Rams at 8-2 and the Chicago Bears at 7-3. These aren’t just inconsistent — they’re fictional. The NFL doesn’t release standings until Week 1. This entire dataset is a ghost.
What’s Next? The Real Race Begins in September
By late August 2025, training camps will open. The Steelers’ new defensive coordinator, Mike Phair, will test his blitz packages. The Ravens will finalize their offensive line after losing center Tyler Linderbaum to injury in the preseason. The Bengals, with Joe Burrow healthy, will look to bounce back from a brutal 2024. And the Browns? They’re quietly building something under new head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The real standings will be set in stone by January 2026. Until then, treat these numbers like weather forecasts — interesting, but subject to change. The Steelers are favored. The Ravens are hungry. And the division? Still wide open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do FOX Sports and Wikipedia show different win totals for the Steelers?
FOX Sports is publishing projected standings based on analytics and expert predictions, while the Wikipedia template is a placeholder that hasn’t been updated with real data. The 6-4 vs. 5-4 discrepancy likely stems from different algorithms — FOX uses weighted performance trends, while Wikipedia’s top-line numbers may reflect an older or incomplete model. Neither reflects actual games played, since the season hasn’t started.
Are these standings real or just fantasy projections?
These are projections, not real results. The NFL’s official schedule for the 2025-26 season won’t be released until April 2025. All current standings — including those for the Eagles, Rams, and Bears — are algorithm-generated estimates. Real records begin accumulating after Week 1, which is expected in September 2025.
How could the Steelers maintain their lead if the Ravens are outscoring them?
Point differential isn’t the only factor — divisional record and head-to-head matchups matter more. The Steelers have a 2-1 edge over AFC North opponents, while the Ravens are 1-2. Even with a better overall point total, the Ravens’ poor home record (2-3) and tougher non-division schedule hurt them in tiebreakers. If the Steelers win their next two divisional games, they’ll likely clinch the division before Week 17.
Why are there no quarterback names mentioned in the standings?
Standings track team performance, not individual players. While Mason Rudolph is currently projected as Pittsburgh’s starter, and Lamar Jackson leads Baltimore, these stats don’t reflect QB play. Quarterback performance impacts wins, but it’s not listed in divisional standings — only points, wins, losses, and records are. Any mention of Aaron Rodgers here is misleading; he’s not on the Steelers roster and hasn’t been since 2023.
Should fans trust these projections for fantasy football or betting?
Not yet. Projections are useful for early-season hype, but they’re not reliable for fantasy or betting. Injuries, coaching changes, and draft picks — all unknown until mid-2025 — will drastically alter outcomes. Wait until after the NFL draft in April and preseason games in August for accurate projections. These numbers are more like a movie trailer than the final film.
