The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently preparing for their first in-division matchup of the 2025 season as the team will take on the Cleveland Browns at home in Week 6. The Browns sit at the bottom of the AFC North with a 1-4 record, but this is still a big game for Pittsburgh. It is a must-win as the franchise looks to take advantage of their current lead in the division, and a loss to the Browns at this stage of the season would be a bit embarrassing. Pittsburgh should win the game, and whether that happens or not is going to hinge on how the defense performs against Cleveland's rookie quarterback.
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Browns' Dillon Gabriel looks to throw while playing the Minnesota Vikings in London during the 2025 season.
Dillon Gabriel was Cleveland's third-round pick during the 2025 NFL Draft, and he is set to make his second start on Sunday. Playing on the road in Acrisure Stadium is not an easy spot to put a rookie quarterback in, but the Browns are doing it as they look to get their season back on track. Pittsburgh's defense has been playing better over its last two matchups, and the group should be a bit healthier and well-rested coming off of the bye week. Former All-Pro and Super Bowl champion Brandon Graham recently discussed this matchup on Good Morning Football, and he expects a big day from Pittsburgh's defense.
"I see Dillon Gabriel's first challenge against the pass rush this weekend," Graham said. "I see Pittsburgh going out there and dominating them boys. I'm sorry to say to Jim Schwartz, but it's gonna be one of them games that Dillon Gabriel's going to have nightmares."
Pittsburgh's defense is one of the most well-known groups in the NFL due to the star-power the franchise has on that side of the ball. There are fantastic players, young and old, at every level of the defense. The group has been playing better after a horrific start to the season, and the unit will look to pick on Gabriel come Sunday.
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Steelers' TJ Watt sacks Jalen Hurts in a Week 15 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2024 season.
Pittsburgh's pass rush has put together a pair of great games over the Steelers' last two contests. TJ Watt has found his groove in the 2025 season, and a player like Nick Herbig has really stepped up in Alex Highsmith's absence. Cam Heyward and Derrick Harmon have done a good job stopping the run, which was an issue for the Steelers early on in the year.
Gabriel is still getting his footing in the NFL as a starting quarterback, which should make it easy for the Pittsburgh defense to come out and make some splash plays. The offensive line for Cleveland is a little bit beat up, so the pass rush needs to be effective. That could force Gabriel into making some rookie mistakes, which will hopefully lead to turnovers. The Browns defense is no joke, therefore the Pittsburgh defense needs to try to get the offense as many opportunities with the football as possible.
Steelers' Defense Needs To Continue To Get Healthier
As mentioned, Pittsburgh's defense struggled early on, and some of that had to do with injuries. Joey Porter Jr. is expected to play against Cleveland for the first time since exiting Pittsburgh's Week 1 matchup with the New York Jets. His return to the secondary will be huge, while DeShon Elliott already showed how important he is to the defense as he made his presence known during the win over the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Ireland.
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Steelers' DeShon Elliott during a Week 4 game against the Minnesota Vikings during the 2025 season.
The Black and Gold defense on Sunday is going to be the healthiest defense the Steelers have had since the season began, and the group should be ready to put on a show against Gabriel in front of the home crowd.
Do you agree with Graham's prediction for the game on Sunday against the Browns? Let us know in the comments below!
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