PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers seized sole possession of first place in the AFC North on Sunday, utilizing a bruising rushing performance and eight sacks to defeat the Cleveland Browns 27-6 at Acrisure Stadium.
The matchup marked the most significant division clash between the rivals in years, with Pittsburgh improving to 6-2 to avenge an earlier loss to Cleveland this season. The Browns dropped to 5-3, missing an opportunity to complete their first regular-season sweep of the Steelers since 1988, Yahoo Sports reported.
Early Miscues Doom Cleveland
The Steelers established complete control from the opening kickoff, outgaining the Browns 135 yards to minus-1 in the first quarter, according to Yahoo Sports. Pittsburgh generated 118 of those yards on the ground while Cleveland turned the ball over on its opening two drives.
Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson left the game briefly on the third play following a roughing penalty, entering the sideline medical tent for evaluation. Backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders entered for a series, completing two passes, but his throw to tight end Harold Fannin Jr. ended in a fumble recovered by Pittsburgh.
Watson returned on the following possession, but linebacker Patrick Queen strip-sacked him and recovered the loose football. That takeaway set up a 45-yard scoring drive capped by a touchdown run from Rico Dowdle to give Pittsburgh a 7-0 advantage.
Rushing Attack Breaks the Game Open
While Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers managed a modest statistical performance, Pittsburgh’s backfield controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the afternoon. Pittsburgh amassed 200 rushing yards compared to just 34 for Cleveland, Sports Illustrated reported.
Running back Jaylen Warren paced the offense with 143 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, while Dowdle chipped in 57 yards. Cleveland settled for a pair of field goals in the second quarter, but the Steelers expanded their edge just before halftime when tight end Pat Freiermuth scored on a quarterback sneak as seconds expired, giving Pittsburgh a 20-6 advantage at the break.
Early in the second half, tight end Darnell Washington broke loose for a 58-yard catch and run, setting up a 1-yard scoring plunge by Warren to widen the deficit.
Cleveland Offense Stifled in the Red Zone
Watson finished with 324 passing yards and completed 69.2 percent of his throws, according to Browns Wire, but Cleveland failed to score a touchdown. Constant pressure derailed multiple scoring threats, with Pittsburgh edge rusher T.J. Watt collecting two of the defense’s eight sacks.
Cleveland mounted a promising drive into the red zone despite absorbing 30 yards in penalties, Yahoo Sports reported. However, on fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line, rookie receiver Denzel Boston caught a pass with one hand but failed to land both feet in bounds.
One bright spot for the Browns was Fannin, who hauled in 10 passes for a career-best 154 yards, Sports Illustrated reported. Cleveland’s defense also picked off Rodgers, but the Browns ultimately coughed up four turnovers, counting failed fourth-down attempts.
Cleveland will look to rebound from the division loss when it travels to face the 2-5 New Orleans Saints next Sunday, while Pittsburgh looks ahead to defending its newfound perch atop the AFC North.
