Steelers sack Browns quarterback, take division lead
Pittsburgh defeated Cleveland 27-6 to enter the bye week in first place, capping a four-game winning streak.
By Jonathan Ramirez ·
Mason McCormick, a guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers, lifted 260-pound Jared Verse and slammed him to the turf during the extra point attempt following the first score of Sunday's game. The physical display set the tone for an afternoon in which the Steelers dominated their division rivals. Jaylen Warren rushed for 143 of the team's season-high 200 total rushing yards in a 27-6 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
The win secures first place in the AFC North for the Steelers as they enter their midseason break. The team improved to a 6-2 record, marking the fourth consecutive win for Pittsburgh. During this streak, the defense has allowed an average of 14.3 points per game. Offensively, the running game has surged, with the team rushing for 348 yards over the last two contests. Sunday's output stood as the second-highest two-game total in the past two seasons.
Tensions had risen before kickoff after Browns outside linebacker Jared Verse issued public challenges to his opponents. Verse, who had previously criticized the Steelers' play, told reporters in Cleveland on Thursday that his team was about to make Pittsburgh theirs. The Steelers responded with on-field performance rather than verbal counterattacks. Left tackle Troy Fautanu noted that the team kept their silence on the field to irritate the visitors, aiming to finish the game without distraction.
Cameron Heyward, the defensive captain, stated earlier in the week that Verse's comments would be addressed. However, after the final whistle, Heyward said he did not seek out Verse for a confrontation. He emphasized that the motivation for the win was the divisional battle, not a personal vendetta against the Browns' trash talk. The Steelers avoided being swept by Cleveland for the 35th consecutive season, extending the longest such run in NFL history. They also tied the league record for the most consecutive regular-season home wins against a single opponent with their 23rd straight victory in this series.
The defensive performance was dominant from the opening drive. Rookie cornerback Daylen Everette forced and recovered a fumble from tight end Harold Fannin on the eighth play of the game. The Steelers forced another fumble on Cleveland's next possession, leading to a 45-yard scoring drive capped by a nine-yard run from Rico Dowdle. The defense recorded three sacks and limited the Browns to negative one net yard in the first quarter. The fewest first-quarter yards allowed by Pittsburgh since the 2017 season finale against Cleveland was minus 16.
The Browns' first points came late in the first half when Andre Szmyt kicked a 32-yard field goal. Cleveland managed to gain some ground in the fourth quarter but could not overcome the 21-point deficit. The Steelers defense recorded eight sacks in total, with T.J. Watt accounting for two. They held Cleveland to just 34 rushing yards. This marked the third straight strong defensive outing for the unit, a marked improvement from their loss at Cleveland on Oct. 1, where they missed 14 tackles.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 13 of his passes for 172 yards. He did not need to be prolific, as the ground attack carried the load. Warren averaged 8.4 yards per carry, including runs of 23 and 51 yards. Dowdle added 56 yards on 15 carries. Tight end Pat Frieremuth scored on a second-quarter run involving a tush push, while another tight end, Washington, caught a 58-yard pass in the third quarter that set up a Warren touchdown. Chris Boswell converted field goals from 20 and 37 yards, along with all three extra point attempts.
Browns quarterback Watson, who has been sacked 28 times in five career games against Pittsburgh, credited the Steelers' scheme for creating pressure. He noted that the defense forced hesitation in his decision-making. After the game, McCormick denied any specific intent behind his actions with Verse, stating he simply did not know it was Verse he was handling. Coach Mike McCarthy praised the team's focus, saying they treated the matchup as a standard divisional game and ignored external noise.
