The Cleveland Browns are staring down a familiar foe in Week 17 - the Pittsburgh Steelers - and while the first meeting this season didn’t go their way, there’s a different energy brewing in Cleveland this time around.
Back in their earlier matchup, the Browns fell 23-9 to Pittsburgh in a game that felt out of reach from the jump. But history at home tells a different story. Cleveland has taken the last three meetings against the Steelers at home, and they’d love nothing more than to play spoiler to Pittsburgh’s AFC North title hopes - especially with the postseason picture tightening.
Here’s the scenario: if the Baltimore Ravens beat the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, the Steelers will need to beat the Browns to lock up the division before Week 18. But if Cleveland pulls off the win? That sets the stage for a Week 18 showdown between Pittsburgh and Baltimore with the AFC North crown hanging in the balance.
And just ahead of this pivotal clash, Cleveland is adding a familiar name to its roster - one that might raise a few eyebrows in Pittsburgh. The Browns have signed offensive lineman Kendrick Green off the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad. Green, a third-round pick by the Steelers in 2021 out of Illinois, started 15 games as a rookie but didn’t see the field in 2022 before being traded to the Houston Texans.
Now, he’s back in the AFC North - but this time, he’s wearing orange and brown.
As for the Steelers, they’ll be without one of their key playmakers in Week 17. Star wide receiver DK Metcalf is suspended for two games following a confrontation with a fan during Pittsburgh’s win over the Detroit Lions. That’s a major blow to an offense that’s already had its ups and downs this season.
On the other side of the ball, Myles Garrett is chasing history. The Browns’ defensive cornerstone is just one sack away from setting a new single-season franchise record. And if you’re a Browns fan, there’s no better way to see that milestone reached than against the Steelers.
So while the playoff math gets complicated, the mission for Cleveland is pretty simple: protect home turf, disrupt Pittsburgh’s plans, and maybe, just maybe, watch one of their own etch his name into the record books in the process.