Dec 7, 2024 4 min read

By Will Graves

AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH — The video is still fresh. So is the frustration for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A chance to take firm control of the AFC North evaporated in the snow in Cleveland two weeks ago, when Jameis Winston and the Browns provided a flash of light in an otherwise dark season by beating Pittsburgh 24-19.

A rematch looms on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium with stakes that feel plenty familiar.

Pittsburgh (9-3) can get closer to locking up the division with a win. The Browns (3-9) can give their stretch run a jolt and sweep their rivals for the first time since 1988 if they can replicate those three spirited hours inside a snow globe that ended with a rare moment of joy.

“Since what year?” said Cleveland wide receiver Elijah Moore when asked about the 36-year drought. “Yeah, we got to change that. We got to break these chains.”

Save for a stunning victory in the first round of the playoffs after the 2020 season, the Browns have felt a heavy burden when facing the Steelers.

Pittsburgh has been a hellish destination for most teams, but especially the Browns, who have lost their last 20 regular-season games on the Steelers’ home field. Cleveland’s last, non-playoff win at Acrisure Stadium came on Oct. 5, 2003 as quarterback Tim Couch led the Browns to a 33-13 rout.

Browns linebacker Jordan Hicks – who was 11 the last time Cleveland won in the Steel City in the regular season – said the chance to damage an opponent’s playoff hopes or seeding can definitely propel a team this time of year.

“There’s situations where teams have aspirations, they’re trying to get whatever it may be, first-round bye, be first in the division, whatever it is,” he said. “A lot of that stuff comes within the last two, three games. But at the end of the day, any time you beat a division rival, it feels good, especially when they’re playing for something.”

Not that the Steelers are getting too far ahead of themselves.

They were four days removed from an emotional victory against Baltimore the last time they faced the Browns. One slow start by the offense (fueled in part by three sacks from Cleveland star Myles Garrett ) and one bumpy finish by the defense later, all the momentum Pittsburgh had created against the Ravens vanished in the accumulating snow.

While the Steelers got some of it back by beating Joe Burrow and the Bengals in a shootout last Sunday, they know it won’t do much good if they don’t back it up in a rivalry where familiarity breeds plenty of contempt.

“Like we just played those guys,” Pittsburgh cornerback Joey Porter Jr. said. “Not too many things could change in one game. We just got to look over what we did wrong.”

There’s plenty to review.

Nick Chubb – who sustained a season-ending knee injury in Cleveland’s last visit to Pittsburgh on Sept. 18, 2023 – rushed for two touchdowns, the second coming at the end of a late drive orchestrated by Jameis Winston, who has brought a free-flowing, anything-goes approach after taking over for the injured DeShaun Watson.

“We have to be on our Ps and Qs,” Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward said. “They’ve just grown a lot with having Jameis at the helm and he is slicing and dicing.”

The Steelers will likely have outside linebacker Alex Highsmith back after he missed almost a month with an ankle injury. Highsmith’s return gives the Steelers a full complement of weapons at a position where they are thriving.

Nick Herbig thrived in Highsmith’s absence and with veteran Preston Smith finding his footing, the Steelers could continue to experiment with formations that have three outside linebackers on the field, including All-Pro T.J. Watt, who was uncharacteristically quiet in the first meeting with the Browns.

“It’s pretty exciting, isn’t it?” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.