Nov 23, 2013 4 min read

CLEVELAND – Since the NFL returned to Cleveland in 1999, following a three-year hiatus after Art Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore, there have been precious few games played between the Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers that were meaningful to both franchises.

Sure, the Browns made the playoffs in 2002, but the Steelers beat them in all three meetings that season, including 36-33 in a playoff game at Heinz Field.

Today’s game at Cleveland’s FirstEnergy Stadium won’t have as much on the line as that 2003 win-or-go-home playoff game, but there is plenty for which to play.

With both teams at 4-6 and on the cusp of being in the thick of the AFC playoff race, the winner will keep its playoff hopes alive. The loser? They can probably start on their offseason plans.

“It’s certainly big for us,” said Steelers tight end Heath Miller. “We’ve put ourselves in a little bit of a hole here and every game is important.”

The Steelers and Browns have taken far different paths to 4-6.

The Steelers started 0-4 before winning four of their last six. The Browns were 3-2 before losing four of their past five.

Two of Cleveland’s four wins have come against division rivals Baltimore and Cincinnati. No team in the AFC North has won a road game within the division.

“They have been very stingy at home, particularly against the AFC North,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said of the Browns.

Since its return in 1999, Cleveland has never beaten Pittsburgh and Baltimore in the same season.

The Browns also haven’t had a lot of success facing Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Ohio native is 15-1 against the team that passed on him in the 2004 draft, taking tight end Kellen Winslow instead.

Cleveland has used 22 different starting quarterbacks since 1999, the latest being veteran Jason Campbell, who will make his fourth start of the season today.

“He played, I thought, very well in the first two games, and then (in the last game) not so well,” said first-year Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski.

Campbell threw three interceptions last week in a 41-20 loss at Cincinnati.

“He’ll bounce back. I’m anxious to see him to that, and I’m expecting him to do that,” Chudzinski said.

With neither team running the ball well, it could be on the shoulders of Roethlisberger and Campbell to make the offenses go. Cleveland averages 83.6 rushing yards per game while the Steelers are at 76.5.

Roethlisberger missed last year’s game at Cleveland – a 20-14 Browns victory – with a shoulder injury. Charlie Batch started that game at quarterback and the Steelers fumbled eight times, losing five.

“It was a tough one to watch,” admitted Roethlisberger.

That game was one of just five Cleveland wins in the past 28 regular-season meetings against Pittsburgh. But Cleveland is favored against the Steelers for the first time since 2003.

Coming off a 367-yard, four-touchdown game against Detroit – an effort that earned him AFC offensive player of the week honors – Roethlisberger doesn’t need much more motivation.

“We’ve put some good games together when we’ve played them,” said Roethlisberger, who has thrown 24 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions in his career against Cleveland.

“It’s an AFC North rival, so any time you play them, you want to step up your game a little bit. It doesn’t hurt that its not far from the hometown where I grew up. So you get a little extra motivation.”

Linebacker LaMarr Woodley (calf) and defensive end Brett Keisel (foot) are bquestionable to play for the Steelers. … Starting inside linebacker Craig Robertson (knee) is doubtful to play for Cleveland. … Steelers safety Troy Polamalu has eight career interceptions against the Browns. … Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown leads the NFL in receptions with 74 and needs six more to join John Stallworth, Hines Ward and Yancey Thigpen as only players in team history to catch at least 80 passes in a season.