As bad as the Bengals' loss was Sunday, the team remains tied for first in the AFC North after one week. Of course, the Bengals also are tied for last in the division.

        All four AFC North teams - the Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Steelers - lost on opening weekend.

        The Steelers' 30-14 loss at New England on Monday night completed the sweep.

        The AFC North is the only one of the NFL's eight divisions to be swept in the first round of games. The AFC West is the league's only 4-0 division.

        It's only one week, but the AFC North might not be the league's strongest division in the first season of realignment.

        Its four teams were outscored by a combined 114-66: The Bengals were 34-6 losers against San Diego; Cleveland lost 40-39 to Kansas City; and Baltimore lost 10-7 at Carolina.

        And the four teams that defeated AFC North teams are coming off a season in which they had a combined record of 23-41 - and that includes the 11-5 Super Bowl champion Patriots.

        Carolina was 1-15. San Diego was 5-11. Kansas City was 6-10.

        On Monday, Bengals coach Dick LeBeau, who is in his 44th NFL season as a player or coach, was asked if he had an experience to draw on to help him cope with his team's position.

        “We're 0-1, and that's what half the teams in the league are,” he said. “What's going to tell the tale is what you do the next 15 weeks. What we did in the first week is already a matter of record. We're going to have to change that. Our season lies in front of us.”

Bengals stick with Frerotte AFC North goes winless Bengals Q&A: Fans have plenty of advice, gripes Texans' coach excited, cautious

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