The Pittsburgh Steelers are alone in first place in the AFC North. Pittsburgh beat the Cleveland Browns 27-6 on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium, avenging a three-point loss in Cleveland in Week 4 and moving to 6-2 on the season. The Browns, who came into the day tied with the Steelers at 5-2, fall to 5-3.
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Jaylen Warren on the field for the Steelers during the 2026 season.
This one was decided by the defense. The Steelers sacked Cleveland quarterbacks eight times, hit them 13 times, forced two fumbles and recovered both. Cleveland finished with just 34 rushing yards on 15 carries, never reached the end zone and was stopped twice on fourth down. Pittsburgh also forced four three-and-outs.
The tone was set on the opening drive. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson left for a concussion evaluation after a helmet-to-helmet hit on third down, and Shedeur Sanders took over until tight end Harold Fannin Jr. fumbled on third down. Watson returned for the next series and was strip-sacked, and defensive lineman Keeanu Benton and cornerback Daylen Everette came away with the two fumble recoveries, according to the ESPN box score.
Running back Rico Dowdle turned the second takeaway into points almost immediately, scoring on a nine-yard run with 8:02 left in the first quarter.
Steelers Ground Game Controls The Browns Rematch
Pittsburgh's offense leaned on the run all afternoon, and it worked. The Steelers ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries, an average of just over six yards per carry. Fourteen of their 21 first downs came on the ground, and they outgained Cleveland 361 to 319 in total yards.
Jaylen Warren broke off a 51-yard run late in the first quarter on a drive that ended with a Chris Boswell field goal after a Browns goal-line stand. Boswell made two field goals, from 20 and 37 yards, and missed from 57.
The biggest swing came at the end of the first half. Browns kicker Andre Szmyt hit a 49-yard field goal with 49 seconds left to cut the lead to 13-6, but the Steelers answered right away. Tight end Pat Freiermuth plowed in from one yard out with five seconds left, giving Pittsburgh a 20-6 halftime lead. SteelerNation broke down that brutal first half at the break.
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TJ Watt on the field for the Steelers during the 2026 season.
Warren put the game out of reach in the third quarter. He finished a drive with a one-yard touchdown run with 9:42 left in the period, and Boswell's extra point made it 27-6. Neither team scored again.
The passing game was not needed much. The Steelers completed 13 of 25 passes for 172 yards, with one interception and a long completion of 58 yards. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a receiver room missing three players, as SteelerNation noted when the team announced its inactives, mostly handed the game to the run game and the defense.
Cleveland moved the ball through the air at times, completing 29 of 41 passes for 325 yards, but the Browns lost 40 yards on sacks and were flagged nine times for 85 yards.
The win is the Steelers' fourth in a row, and it comes at the perfect time. Head Coach Mike McCarthy and his team head into their bye week with a one-game lead over Cleveland in the AFC North and the head-to-head series tied at one game apiece. The Cincinnati Bengals, who are 4-2, are next on the schedule when Pittsburgh visits Cincinnati on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 15.
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