On the first of October, the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers faced off in the spotlight on Thursday Night Football with first place in the AFC North on the line. Exactly one month later, the two teams will do it all over again in Pittsburgh, with the division lead once again hanging in the balance. 

The Steelers have not lost since the Week 4 matchup in Cleveland, and the Browns have only dropped a rain-soaked game in New York. Both teams head into the pivotal game at 5-2, with the Browns owning the tiebreaker for now. The Steelers are rolling, and the Browns will have to succeed in these five key matchups to come out of Pittsburgh with their stamp on first place. 

Stopping the Run

It is cliché to point to stopping the run for a key to any game in the NFL; however, it rings true for Sunday. Jaylen Warren has rushed for over 100 yards three times this season, including 93 yards in his first matchup against the Browns. He is averaging 5.5 yards per carry this season and he can hit for a big play at any moment. 

Rico Dowdle missed the first game in Cleveland, but he is back and can provide relief for Warren. The Steelers got away from utilizing Warren against the Browns, and the addition of Dowdle will help them be a more well-rounded offense. 

The Browns defense has struggled giving up chunk plays against the run. The more Aaron Rodgers has to throw and take hits, the better the defense can be. The defensive line needs to plug holes and hit Warren before he can get a head of steam going downfield. 

Continuing to Run the Ball

The offense finally had a good game running the ball last Sunday. Lanes were open and Judkins showed speed and strength hitting the holes. Dylan Sampson returned and shook off some rust by showing his speed on the outside. KC Concepcion even contributed on creative runs. 

The rushing attack needs to be productive to keep Deshaun Watson from obvious passing downs and having the Steelers’ pass rushers feed off the home crowd to create havoc. Hopefully Todd Monken and the offense has unlocked a strategy to upstart the previously stagnant running game. 

Denzel Ward and the Secondary

The first game between these two teams was slow going to start, then Ward picked off Rodgers and the offense came alive. The same was said last week against the Tennessee Titans and the team fed off the defensive leader’s turnover. 

The Steelers’ receivers have been great this season, and they have a big-bodied tight end that provides a matchup problem. Rodgers has thrown the ball over 30 times in every game this season. He is not afraid to place the ball anywhere on the field, and the secondary has to communicate and be aware of their assignment to prevent any breakdowns. This game can come down to the turnover battle, and the Browns had two interceptions in the first matchup. 

Limiting the Pass Rush

The Steelers pass rush has rattled Cleveland quarterbacks in recent years. The last time Watson played in Pittsburgh he threw a pick six to the defensive end, setting the tone for the game. Spencer Fano will have to continue his great rookie season against TJ Watt and keep Watson upright. 

The ball got out of Watson’s hand faster last week in Tennessee and the offense put up 27 points. The defensive line knows that Watson has the propensity to hang onto the ball a little long and they will look to hit him hard. Monken and Watson have to take them out of the game and put the offense in manageable third downs to convert.

The Browns-Steelers rivalry matters. Todd Monken understands that. But when you prepare every week like it’s the biggest game you’ve ever played, your standard doesn’t change. The attention to detail, the focus, the weight room, rehab, practice and film study are already where…

— Lance Reisland (Coach Riz) (@LanceReisland) October 29, 2026

Present Versus History

Everyone is well aware that the Browns have not won a regular-season game in Pittsburgh in 23 years. Their roster is filled with rookies and second-year players, and they should not care about the failures that came before them. 

“Well, it has nothing to do with our team. I mean, this year, whether it’s where we’re at record-wise, comparing the past or the history against the Steelers, it’s a divisional game," said Monken about playing in Pittsburgh. "It’s bigger because it’s obviously a divisional opponent. The fastest way to get in the playoffs is [to] win your division.”  

The youth on the roster will not have the pressure of winning in the Steel City, allowing them to play fast and free. Monken is rightfully treating this like any other game and is not letting the ghosts of teams’ past haunt the locker room. 

The AFC North is up for grabs, and the Browns have the opportunity to be in first place past Week 8 for the first time since 2014. They are 2-2 on the road and 3-0 at home. If the Browns want the division to run through Cleveland, then it starts with them handling the keys to the game in Pittsburgh and changing history.