The Browns and Steelers are set up for a big one in Cleveland, with first place in the AFC North hanging in the balance and both teams sitting at 2-1. It’s a primetime showdown that comes with plenty of baggage, a fresh cast of characters, and a rivalry that has long tilted one way.
One of the biggest changes: Pittsburgh is coming in without Mike Tomlin on the sideline for the first time since 2007. Tomlin went 28-9-1 against Cleveland in his run, and he outlasted eight Browns head coaches, not counting interim coaches. Now both teams are under new leadership, and this matchup is the latest chance to put a different stamp on the rivalry.
The Browns also have a little extra fuel after Todd Monken’s “Browns is Browns” comment, and that line won’t be forgotten in a game like this. With Thursday night in Cleveland, the Browns will try to lean on their home crowd the way both teams have done in recent seasons when they’ve split the series by protecting their own building.
The trench battle is going to be a major issue for Cleveland. Rookie Spencer Fano draws the toughest test of his young career against TJ Watt, while Dawand Jones may have to step in at right tackle and deal with Alex Highsmith. Jones has not started a game since early last season, and Highsmith gives him a difficult assignment, especially with Fano likely getting most of the extra help.
At center, Luke Wypler is expected to start because of injuries, and that puts him across from Cameron Hayward. The veteran nose tackle is 37 and still a force inside, and Wypler will need to hold up if the Browns want the offense to function. Cleveland’s line also has to clean up the penalties and stop putting the offense behind the chains before drives even get going.
There’s also a clear contrast in age and experience across the rosters. Pittsburgh is one of the oldest teams in the league, while Cleveland is one of the youngest.
That sets up a useful test for the Browns’ young defenders, including Mason Graham, Jared Verse, and Isaiah McGuire, who will need to get to the 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers and make him uncomfortable. On the other side, rookie receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion will be matched up with veteran cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
For Cleveland’s young core, this is more than just another division game. A strong night against a veteran-heavy Steelers team would go a long way toward showing that the Browns can be a problem in the AFC North for a long time.
Then there’s Deshaun Watson, who has tended to play his best when the pressure is highest. He has helped the Browns rally for back-to-back come-from-behind wins, but his starts have been uneven and he didn’t really settle in until the fourth quarter last week. If Cleveland wants to grab first place and keep it, Watson will have to deliver from the opening snap instead of waiting for the comeback script to show up again.
He’s already handled big stages this season, first against Baker Mayfield and then back home in front of a crowd that was ready to boo him off the field if the Browns didn’t win. Now he gets another primetime shot to prove himself to the country.
Thursday night offers Cleveland a chance to turn the page on an old rivalry and show that the new faces can change the old habits.
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Browns May Soon Face A QB Decision Fans Didn't Expect
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That kind of depth can be useful in October, but it also creates pressure on the front office to make a call before the roster becomes unwieldy. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler recently pegged Cleveland as one of three teams that could move a backup quarterback for draft capital, and Gabriel looks like the name that fits the conversation best because of the depth chart and the Browns' roster constraints. [Read more 🡒]