The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to move to 6-2 on Sunday as the team took down the Cleveland Browns in Week 8. This was a big win as it gave Pittsburgh sole possession of first place in the AFC North. It was also the team's final contest before the bye week. It is always better to go into the break coming off of a big win rather than a loss, especially against an opponent within the division. This game also had some more storylines behind it as Cleveland beat Pittsburgh earlier in the year, and a few players on the Browns were speaking negatively about the Steelers over the last week or so.
Barry Reeger / Imagn Images
Nov 1, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) runs the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter of an NFL game at Acrisure Stadium.
A big reason the Browns were not able to come away with a win in Pittsburgh was the performance of running back Jaylen Warren, and the performance of the running game as a whole from the Steelers. Three different players had a rushing touchdown on the day, but Warren was by far the most productive player for the offense.
It was his birthday, and he had one of the best games of his career. He ran the ball 17 times for 143 yards and a score. This came after some players on the Browns spoke about Warren directly while speaking with the media during the last week.
Warren spoke to the media after the win on Sunday, and he spoke about players for Cleveland giving the Steelers some whiteboard material throughout the week. He had a message for some of those players, who were mostly on the defense. He was asked if he heard about what Verse and other players had to say.
"Yeah, but we really didn't pay attention to it," Warren said. "You know, some walk, some talk."
Verse spoke out against the Steelers offensive line over the last week, and he spoke about Cam Heyward. He called the Steelers out for being dirty following the game between the two teams back in Week 4. He spoke a lot over the last week, but to find what he did during the game one would have to scroll all the way to the bottom of the stat sheet. He had one assisted tackle and a quarterback hit.
Scott Galvin / Imagn Images
Oct 1, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) rushes for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns in the second half at Huntington Bank Field.
Verse was ridiculed by some members of the Cleveland media after some of his comments, mainly because he has not been that productive during the 2026 season. He still has zero sacks on the year, yet he spoke a ton over the last week. He will be blamed for giving the Steelers a ton of bulletin-board material, which typically leads to additional motivation. Warren played like a man who was motivated, and he noted that all Verse did was talk.
Steelers Need To Serious Carry Momentum Past The Bye Week
This was a great win for the Steelers, and it is almost unfortunate to have a bye week in Week 9. This is one of those wins that probably has a good amount of momentum behind it, and surely some players in the locker room just want to carry this momentum forward. The bye week is a good thing though, as the team has a chance to get completely healthy, and the roster might look a little different after the bye week as it is possible a trade or two could occur.
Pittsburgh's next game is also within the AFC North as the team will travel to play the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10. The Steelers have already beaten the Bengals once during the 2026 season, and sweeping Cincinnati would be a step in the right direction when it comes to winning the AFC North for the second season in a row.
What do you think about Warren's comments after the Steelers dominated the Browns on Sunday? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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