Browns seek 6th win to take sole AFC North lead

The Cleveland Browns arrive in Pittsburgh on Sunday with a 5-2 record and a chance to take sole possession of the first-place spot in the AFC North. Both teams are tied, making this head-to-head matchup a direct test of which squad is better positioned for the postseason.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson said the game offers another chance to prove the team can compete at a top level. Watson noted, "Another opportunity for us to go out there and play and try to get a win for the city and showcase that we’re a team that we can play in this league at a top level."

Cleveland’s recent form is defined by late-game heroics. All five of the Browns’ wins this season have been decided in the fourth quarter, including a 27-24 road victory in Tennessee last week. The team has not been 6-2 after eight games since 1994, a mark from the era when Bill Belichick was a young coach in Cleveland.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have responded to their earlier loss to Cleveland with three consecutive wins. Head coach Mike McCarthy described the team as a work in progress, while quarterback Aaron Rodgers emphasized the importance of controlling the game late. Rodgers said, "In the fourth quarter, you want the ball in your hands and have a chance to win the game."

The Steelers have shown resilience in close contests, scoring the last 10 points against Indianapolis, rallying from a 13-point deficit against Tampa Bay, and managing the clock effectively against New Orleans. Their defense allowed only 18 rushing yards in that final game, the second-lowest total in the league for a single game this season.

Historically, the Steelers hold a strong advantage at home against the Browns. Pittsburgh is 24-1 in the regular season at Acrisure Stadium since it opened in 2001. However, Cleveland held the Steelers to just two sacks in their recent meeting, limiting the pressure on Watson, who threw for 278 yards in that game.

Cleveland’s defense ranks first in the league with 46 tackles for loss and sixth with 20 sacks. Eleven players on the roster have recorded at least one sack. Watson leads the NFL in passer rating at 132.2 and completion rate at 73.2% in the final two minutes of the first and second halves.

Wide receiver Denzel Boston is tied for second in the league with three receptions of at least 40 yards. For Pittsburgh, running back Jaylen Warren ranks fourth in yards from scrimmage with 855 and is pacing toward his career high of 1,291 yards set last season. Edge rusher T.J. Watt has 18.5 of his 120.5 career sacks against the Browns.