The Pittsburgh Steelers picked up a 24-21 win over the Minnesota Vikings back on September 28 in Dublin, Ireland to improve their record to 3-1 heading into the Week 5 bye week. The excitement following Pittsburgh's win was at a season-high, as it felt the Steelers finally performed at the level that they are capable of. However, Minnesota's Week 5 performance suddenly makes Pittsburgh's Week 4 win not so impressive.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen sacks Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz during Pittsburgh's 24-21 win at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland.
The Vikings entered their Week 5 matchup against the Cleveland Browns as 3.5-point favorites, but for most of the afternoon, they looked more like the underdog. Despite eventually pulling out a 21-17 victory, Minnesota struggled to move the ball consistently and trailed for a good portion of the game. Their offense sputtered through the first three quarters before finally coming alive in the fourth.
Cleveland, meanwhile, entered the game in complete disarray. To say the Browns have had a rough 2025 season would be an understatement. They began Week 5 with a 1-3 record, their lone win coming against the Green Bay Packers back in Week 3.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski made the decision during the week to bench veteran quarterback Joe Flacco in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel. The Browns drafted Gabriel with the 94th pick in April's NFL Draft out of Oregon, and there was no initial thought that he would be the future at quarterback for Cleveland.
To his credit, Gabriel delivered a surprisingly strong performance in his first NFL start. He completed 19 of 33 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He managed the game well, avoided turnovers, and put the Browns in position to win late in the fourth quarter. Minnesota's defense had been one of the top in the league in 2025, and the Browns put up 322 total yards of offense in the loss.
Kennedy Rodriguez / Cleveland Browns
Dillon Gabriel looks to throw against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5 of the 2025 NFL Regular Season.
Cleveland led 17-14 with under a minute to go before Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz connected with Jordan Addison for a game-winning touchdown with just 25 seconds remaining. Gabriel’s performance and Cleveland’s near-upset could mean one of two things; either the Browns may have found something in their young quarterback, or the Vikings simply aren’t as good as many believed.
Minnesota now heads into their bye week with a 3-2 record, but there are plenty of reasons for concern. Outside of their 48-10 demolition of the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3, the Vikings have looked average at best.
Granted, they've played with a backup quarterback in Wentz over the last three games, but even when starter JJ McCarthy was healthy, the team struggled. While Wentz’s experience has helped keep them afloat, he hasn’t been enough to make Minnesota look like a legitimate contender in the NFC North.
Much like their Week 4 game against Pittsburgh, the Vikings stumbled through three sluggish quarters against Cleveland before finding life late in the game. The difference this time was that their fourth-quarter comeback was enough to secure a win.
The Steelers rushed for 131 yards against the Vikings in Week 4, behind 99 yards and two touchdowns from Kenneth Gainwell. At the time, that number seemed very impressive against a tough Minnesota defense.
The Browns proceeded to rush for 140 yards on Sunday, including 110 yards from rookie Quinshon Judkins. That performance by Cleveland’s offense raises questions about just how strong the Vikings’ run defense really is, and whether Pittsburgh’s success on the ground was more about Minnesota’s defensive struggles rather than the Steelers’ dominance up front.
Matt Starkey / Cleveland Browns
Dillon Gabriel drops back to pass against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5 of the 2025 NFL Regular Season.
Steelers Will Host Cleveland At Acrisure Stadium In Week 6
For the Steelers, context matters. While the win over Minnesota in Dublin still counts in the standings, it may not carry the same weight if the Vikings turn out to be a middle-of-the-pack team. Still, Pittsburgh can only control what’s ahead of it, and the next challenge will come in Week 6 when they host the Browns at Acrisure Stadium.
The matchup will mark the Steelers’ first AFC North game of the season. Pittsburgh will enter at 3-1, rested and refreshed after the bye week, while Cleveland fell to 1-4 following the loss in London. The Steelers have dominated the rivalry at home for two decades, with the Browns’ last regular-season win in Pittsburgh coming all the way back in 2003.
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