Browns Seek Sole AFC North Lead Against Steelers in Pittsburgh
Cleveland aims to extend its lead in the division with a win in a game where both teams have shown late-game resilience.
By Lucas Chen ·
The Cleveland Browns travel to Pittsburgh Sunday to play the Steelers for the sole lead in the AFC North. Both teams hold a 5-2 record, and the winner will stand alone at the top of the division as the month of November begins.
The Browns have secured five wins this season, with every victory decided in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Deshaun Watson leads the league in passer rating at 132.2 and completion rate at 73.2% during the final two minutes of the first and second halves. The team's defense ranks first in the NFL with 46 tackles for loss and sixth with 20 sacks.
The Steelers have won three straight games since losing to the Browns at Cleveland in October. Head coach Mike McCarthy noted that his team trains for one-possession scenarios, stating that there is nothing like living those moments in real time. The Steelers have found ways to win late, including draining the final five minutes and 52 seconds against the Saints last Sunday.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has indicated that the offense still has room for improvement, particularly in the red zone. The team has only one rushing touchdown this season, a 50-yard sprint by Jaylen Warren against Indianapolis. Warren currently ranks fourth in the NFL with 855 yards from scrimmage and is on pace to break his career high of 1,291 yards.
The matchup hinges on the Steelers' ability to pressure Watson, who has a surgically repaired Achilles tendon. In their last meeting, Pittsburgh managed only two sacks, matching the Browns' season low. Edge rushers T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig will look to disrupt Watson more effectively than they did a month ago. Watt has recorded 18.5 of his 120.5 career sacks against Cleveland.
The Steelers hold a 24-1 regular season record against the Browns at home since Acrisure Stadium opened in 2001. Cleveland has won just twice in that venue. The Browns have not been 6-2 after eight games since 1994. Wide receiver Denzel Boston is tied for second in the NFL with three receptions of at least 40 yards.
Inactive Browns players include Dillon Gabriel, Taylen Green, Justin Jefferson, Noah Igbinoghene, Audric Estime, and Parker Brailsford. The Steelers allowed 18 yards rushing against the Saints last week, the second-lowest single-game total in the league this season.
Source: News 5 Cleveland (WEWS)
