Todd Monken spent part of his Wednesday availability trying to keep the Browns focused on the present, not the ugly history that comes with a trip to Pittsburgh. That’s understandable. The Browns have gone 2-26 on the road against the Steelers since the millennium, including 22 straight regular-season losses, and now they head into Acrisure Stadium on Halloween weekend with first place in the AFC North on the line.
Cleveland already handled Pittsburgh at home in Week 4, but that road number hangs over this matchup every time it comes around. Monken brushed off the broader picture when asked about his message to the team.
“I don’t know the other 20-something years, whatever that is. I’m just worried about this year, and really today, that’s all I’m worried about.”
The Browns and Steelers both enter at 5-2, and a win Sunday would give Cleveland sole possession of first place. Based on the first meeting, there are a few clear areas where the Browns can tilt the rematch their way.
One of the biggest is the opening quarter, where Cleveland has been a mess. The Browns’ best trait this season has been their five game-winning drives in the fourth quarter, but that late magic has masked a brutal habit of starting slow. They’ve been outscored 58-13 in the first quarter, which is dead last in football.
That showed up in the first matchup, too. Cleveland eventually built a 21-10 halftime lead, but after one quarter it was Pittsburgh 7, Cleveland 0. The Steelers are top-10 in first-quarter scoring, according to Team Rankings, so if the Browns again spend the opening minutes chasing the game, they could be in trouble fast.
The run game is another swing area, though neither side has exactly been pounding opponents into submission. Cleveland ranks 19th in average rushing yards per game, while Pittsburgh sits 20th. The Browns did win the ground battle 112-92 in the first meeting, and that kind of edge could matter again if one team is willing to lean into it more than the other.
That probably won’t be the Steelers. With Rodgers at quarterback, Pittsburgh ranks second in the NFL in pass play percentage.
Per Sharp Football Analysis, 13 of the Steelers’ 14 offensive touchdowns have come through the air, the highest rate in football. They have been efficient when they do run it - the Steelers rank eighth in EPA per rush, according to SumerSports - but they haven’t shown much interest in sticking with Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle.
That could suit Cleveland just fine if the Browns can keep forcing Pittsburgh into the air.
The final factor is the one that often decides these kinds of games: sacks and turnovers. Watson and Rodgers have both taken plenty of punishment. Watson leads the league with 26 sacks taken through seven games, while Rodgers is third with 22.
Neither quarterback has been reckless with the ball, though. Watson has four total giveaways, including three interceptions and one lost fumble. Rodgers has thrown five interceptions and has not lost a fumble.
Still, when you combine sacks and turnovers, Cleveland has been too loose with the football and too vulnerable to negative plays. The Browns average 4.9 sacks plus turnovers per game, which ranks 31st in the league.
That’s a dangerous number against a Steelers defense built to create havoc, with T.J. Watt, Jalen Ramsey and company waiting to make life miserable.
If Cleveland can win that battle, it has a real shot at leaving Pittsburgh with first place.
In Other News...
Browns Just Got More Fuel To Finish What They Started Vs Steelers
The Browns head into Sunday with a chance to do something they have not done since 1998: sweep the Steelers. Cleveland already handled Pittsburgh in Week 4, and the formula looked familiar for this rivalry, with the Browns defense doing much of the heavy lifting by limiting the Steelers scoring chances and making every possession feel like a grind.
Kurt Warner added another layer to the matchup this week, questioning whether Pittsburgh has enough offensive explosiveness to make a real postseason push. For Cleveland, that kind of outside doubt only sharpens the focus, because finishing the job against a division rival would not just mean another win, it would mean a rare season sweep and a little more proof that the Browns know how to control this matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Trade Deadline Should Be About One Kind Of Defender
With the trade deadline approaching, the Browns are being urged to shop with a very specific kind of defender in mind: someone young enough to help now and still make sense beyond this season. Clevelands roster needs are obvious, but the bigger point is how the front office should approach the market, with an eye toward cost-controlled additions rather than expensive rentals who could look out of place once the calendar flips.
That is why names like EDGE rushers Tuli Tuipulotu and KLavon Chaisson, along with cornerback Riq Woolen, fit the conversation better than older, pricier alternatives. The Browns need impact at positions of need, but they also need to avoid paying a premium for short-term help when the more sensible move may be targeting defenders who can grow with the roster and keep their value intact well past 2026. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Fans Suddenly Have A New Reason To Watch Myles Garrett
Myles Garretts latest setback has given Browns fans an unexpected reason to keep an eye on the Rams, where the pass rusher is now on injured reserve after surgery and still has no clear timetable for a return. With Los Angeles already dealing with multiple injuries this season, Garretts status has become another variable in a year that has been hard to pin down, and even his availability for Week 8 remains uncertain.
For Cleveland fans, the intrigue goes beyond one missed game. The schedule always has a way of creating new crossovers, and the possibility of Garrett lining up in a marquee matchup against Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Eve is the kind of storyline that can shift quickly from hypothetical to headline. In a league this unpredictable, one injury report can change which games suddenly feel worth circling. [Read more 🡒]