The Pittsburgh Steelers still have two games apiece coming up versus the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, and Baltimore Ravens. While they have a lead over all of them, there is still plenty of time to even the playing field. And that includes a case for the Browns, who have more talent than their 2-6 record indicates.
After all, the Browns reached the postseason a year ago, with the Steelers, and their roster isn’t remarkably different. The biggest change from last season is that they were still able to win with Deshaun Watson. But now they don’t have to win with him—and Ryan Clark thinks that makes them more dangerous.
“This is a team that’s in the AFC North that hasn’t played an AFC North game”, Clark said of the Steelers on ESPN after their win Monday night pushed them to 6-2. “Now it looks like Cleveland will be better with Jameis Winston. We know what the Ravens are. The Cincinnati Bengals are a tough team to beat. This team does have to continue improving”.
Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in a Week 7 loss to the Bengals. His backup, Jameis Winston, made his Browns debut against the Ravens this past week and led a comeback victory. Their win helped the Steelers in knocking back the Ravens, so now Pittsburgh holds the outright divisional lead.
But it is just a one-game lead, and the Steelers still have nine games to play. While they posted a 5-1 divisional record last year, that will be hard to repeat. And I do agree with Clark—the Browns are better with Jameis Winston. But that’s almost more about addition by subtraction more than anything else.
While the Browns have minimal legitimate aspirations for the postseason, they revel in the opportunity to play spoiler. And there is no party the Browns like to spoil more than a Steelers party. The two teams will play each other twice in a three-week span in Weeks 12 and 14, which should be telling.
That comes amid a run of divisional games for the Steelers that sees them play six such games in an eight-week span. The week before the Steelers play the Browns the first time, they play the Ravens. And the week after that, they play the Bengals.
While the Browns did trade WR Amari Cooper, they still have plenty of talent for the Steelers to worry about. Nick Chubb is only getting his feet back underneath him, and he could be impactful by the time Pittsburgh sees him. And that isn’t even going into a defensive roster helmed by Myles Garrett, who, despite Steelers fans’ protestations, is exceptional.
But let’s just put it this way: Pittsburgh needed two takeaways in the final five minutes to close out a home Monday Night Football win against the New York Giants. The Steelers can play any team close, and that includes the Browns, who may legitimately be better off with Winston.
