The Pittsburgh Steelers picked up a thrilling 30-27 victory Sunday over the Cincinnati Bengals. The team just won’t have to much time to celebrate as they are back in action Thursday on the road against the Cleveland Browns.
Winning in Cleveland used to be nearly automatic for the Steelers during the Ben Roethlisberger era. Yet the easy win has been anything but that as of late, as noted by one analyst.
Steelers Face Real Challenge Thursday in Cleveland
Browns radio analyst Andrew Siciliano pointed out a stat that may have some fans in Pittsburgh concerned during the short week. He shared a post on X detailing how the Browns are 6-1-1 against the Steelers at home since 2016.
The tie came in 2018 and the Steelers’ only win in that stretch came back in 2021 in a close 15-13 final.
Last year’s game in Cleveland was among the most shocking in recent memory, as Shedeur Sanders and the Browns picked up a 13-6 win. The game featured Aaron Rodgers seemingly doing everything in his power to avoid being the quarterback who gave Myles Garrett his single-season sack record. The result was a rough day on offense and the eventual defeat.
The Browns look like a completely new team in 2026 and enter the game at 2-1 following an inspired victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Deshaun Watson seemed to turn back the clock and is playing at his best level since joining the Browns back in 2022.
Yet the Steelers came alive Sunday as well with the 30-27 win over the Bengals. This could lead to a rather thrilling game Thursday night.
Early Battle for First Place
Every team in the AFC North currently has a 2-1 record and the winner Thursday night will vault into first place, at least for several days.
This is a crucial game for Pittsburgh as well to see if Sunday’s offensive outburst was an aberration, or if it’s a sign of things to come. Jaylen Warren finally broke out for 127 rushing yards and Rodgers looked like his past self with three touchdown passes. This came against a Cincinnati defense that had just embarrassed the Houston Texans offense a week prior.
This historic rivalry has become competitive once again in recent years and the Browns are looking to make a huge statement with a win to improve to 3-1. A Steelers loss would only drop the team to 2-2, but would also raise questions if they are a legitimate contender in 2026.
Steelers Must Overcome Concerning Trend Thursday Night