Welcome to Steelers Morning Rush, our new daily short-form podcast with Alan Saunders, giving a longer perspective on a single news topic surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers or the National Football League. Today, it's the state of the AFC North, where Pittsburgh is in first place a quarter of the way through the season.

The Baltimore Ravens are unexpectedly 1-3, with a serious rash of injuries further hampering their outlook beyond the slow start, including a hamstring injury that will cost Lamar Jackson playing time.

The Cincinnati Bengals have lost Joe Burrow and seemingly all hope for surviving his absence and the gutter-dwelling Cleveland Browns are up to their usual tricks.

So does that make the Steelers the favorites to with the AFC North? Alan breaks it down.

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