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No two AFC groups have performed greater than the Steelers and Browns. The 2 groups have performed one another 139 instances, with the primary matchup going down on Oct. 7, 1950. The Browns, of their first NFL season, defeated the Steelers that day en path to profitable their first of 4 league titles.
After a decade-plus lull, the Steelers-Browns rivalry is again. Since 2018, the 2 groups are 3-3-1 towards each other. Each groups are at present making an attempt to maneuver up the meals chain that’s the AFC North division. Cleveland, regardless of a rash of accidents, ended a two-game shedding streak by defeating the visiting Broncos final Thursday evening. The Steelers received simply one in all their first three video games earlier than rebounding with wins over the Broncos and Seahawks. Given the Ravens‘ and Bengals‘ quick begins, Sunday’s sport is pivotal so far as retaining tempo with the remainder of the division.
Earlier than the one hundred and fortieth sport between the 2 groups, listed here are 5 quick information concerning the Steelers-Browns rivalry. We additionally rank the highest six common season video games between the 2 groups.
Steelers lead all-time collection 77-61-1
Cleveland held a 48-32 collection lead coming into the Nineteen Nineties. In the course of the rivalry’s first twenty years, the Browns received 31 of the collection’ first 40 video games till Pittsburgh turned the tables within the Nineteen Seventies. Essentially the most aggressive decade between the 2 groups was within the Nineteen Eighties, with the Browns profitable the 10-year interval with a 12-8 report.
The groups cut up their first eight video games to start out the Nineteen Nineties. However issues modified in 1994, when the Steelers received every of their three video games towards the Browns that included their first playoff matchup. From 1994-2017, the Steelers went 39-6 towards the Browns to take management of the collection lead. Pittsburgh took the collection lead following its 34-7 win over Cleveland in Week 1 of the 2007 season. A big portion of Pittsburgh’s success throughout this span was the disparity in quarterback play. Whereas the Browns struggled to discover a longterm starter, the Steelers loved the regular play of Ben Roethlisberger, who’s 24-3-1 towards the group that famously handed on him within the 2004 draft.
Historic blowout wins
The Browns dealt the Steelers their greatest loss in 1989, when Cleveland got here to Pittsburgh and left with a 51-0 win within the season-opener. The Steelers received the rematch one month later as each groups made the playoffs earlier than falling to the eventual AFC champion Broncos. A decade later, the Steelers defeated the Browns, 43-0, in Cleveland’s first sport again after the unique model of the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1996. The Browns rallied to defeat the Steelers in Pittsburgh two months later.
Playoff historical past
The Steelers have a 2-1 postseason lead over the Browns. Pittsburgh rolled to a 29-9 win over Cleveland within the divisional spherical of the 1994 playoffs. It was the primary playoff loss for Invoice Belichick, who one week earlier defeated the Patriots to report his first postseason win as a head coach. within the 2002 wild card spherical, the Steelers overcame a 24-7 deficit to defeat the Browns, 36-33. Pittsburgh quarterback Tommy Maddox threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns, whereas Cleveland quarterback Kelly Holcomb threw for 429 yards and three touchdowns in a shedding effort.
The Browns returned the favor this previous January, as Cleveland raced out to a 28-0 lead en path to a 48-37 victory. Baker Mayfield led the way in which with 263 yards and three touchdowns, whereas Roethlisberger threw for 501 yards with 4 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
Teaching parallels
Earlier than teaching the Steelers, Chuck Noll and Invoice Cowher had been Browns gamers. Noll performed guard and linebacker throughout his seven seasons with the Browns. A key member of Cleveland’s 1954 and ’55 championship groups, Noll returned one in all his 5 interceptions for a landing throughout the 1955 season. As a lineman, Noll was usually used to funnel within the performs to Browns quarterback Otto Graham. Noll disliked the apply a lot that he allowed his quarterbacks to name their very own performs when he grew to become coach of the Steelers. Noll’s remaining win because the Steelers’ coach got here towards Belichick and the Browns on the finish of the 1991 season.
Whereas the hometown Steelers didn’t choose him up, Cowher latched on with the Browns in 1980 after breaking into the NFL with the Eagles in 1979. A backup linebacker and particular groups maven, Cowher was half Cleveland’s “Cardiac Children” group that suffered a heartbreaking loss to the eventual champion Raiders within the 1980 playoffs. Cowher spent three years in Cleveland earlier than he was traded again to Philadelphia, the place an harm prematurely ended his taking part in profession. However Cowher was introduced again to Cleveland after becoming a member of Marty Schottenheimer’s employees in 1985. He spent two years as Cleveland’s particular groups coach and one other two as secondary coach. The Browns performed in consecutive AFC championship video games over that span.
Highest-scoring matchup
In Week 6 of the 1979 season, the 2 groups mixed to attain 86 factors, as Pittsburgh left Cleveland with a 51-35 win. The Steelers took a fast 21-0 earlier than the groups primarily traded factors for the rest of the sport. Pittsburgh working backs Franco Harris, Sidney Thornton and Rocky Bleier mixed to amass 351 yards and 4 touchdowns, whereas Terry Bradshaw threw three landing passes. Browns quarterback Brian Sipe threw 5 touchdowns but additionally threw three expensive interceptions. His two favourite targets had been tight finish Ozzie Newsome and receiver Dave Logan, who caught a mixed 11 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns. The Steelers went onto win their second straight Tremendous Bowl and fourth over a six-year span.
High 5 common season video games
6. 1952: Browns 21, Steelers 20
After profitable the collection’ first 4 video games with relative ease, the Browns discovered themselves trailing by 13 factors in Pittsburgh earlier than rallying to attain the sport’s remaining two touchdowns. Otto Graham made up for his 4 interceptions by throwing for 401 yards and three touchdowns that included the game-winning rating. He was aided by Corridor of Fame working again Marion Motley, whose 142 all-purpose yards within the sport included a 68-yard landing reception. Pittsburgh’s offense was led by Steelers 2019 Corridor of Honor inductee Elbie Nickel, whose two landing receptions helped the Steelers get out to an early lead.
5. 1963: Steelers 9, Browns 7
From 1950-58, the Browns dominated not solely Pittsburgh however a lot of the NFL panorama. Cleveland received three championships over that span and performed within the NFL Championship Sport seven instances. However the Steelers and the remainder of the NFL started to catch up as the last decade got here to a detailed. Pittsburgh, after profitable simply six of their first 27 video games towards the Browns, went 4-2 towards the Browns from 1959-61. Amongst Pittsburgh’s wins over that span was a 21-20 nail-biter in 1959, as Corridor of Fame quarterback Bobby Layne led the Steelers to a come-from-behind victory in Cleveland.
A largely mediocre franchise for his or her first three a long time, the Steelers loved a quick run of success within the early ’60s. In 1963, Pittsburgh discovered themselves in a good race for the fitting to symbolize the Jap Convention within the NFL title sport. The Browns, Giants and Cardinals had been additionally within the working to play both the Packers or Colts for the world tile. That made the Steelers’ Week 9 house sport towards the Browns a vital sport for each events concerned.
The sport performed out to be a showcase between two gritty defenses and two Corridor of Fame working backs. Trailing 7-0 at halftime, the Steelers recorded a security when linebacker Bob Schmitz tackled Jim Brown ultimately zone. Legend has it that that was the primary time Brown was tackled for a security. Pittsburgh received the sport when Ed Brown hit Gary Ballman for a nine-yard rating within the fourth quarter. The Steelers had been powered by John Henry Johnson, who rumbled for 131 yards on 27 carries. Brown ran for 99 yards on 19 carries.
The Steelers’ in the end fell in need of the Jap Convention title, however their win over the Browns performed a job within the Browns additionally falling in need of the NFL title sport. Cleveland would rebound the next season, as Brown and Corridor of Fame receiver Paul Warfield led the Browns to their fourth championship. The Browns would lose to the Steelers that season, nonetheless, behind an historic efficiency by Johnson.
4. 2007: Steelers 31, Browns 28
After getting blown out by the Steelers in Week 1, the Browns rallied to win 5 of their subsequent seven video games coming into their Week 8 showdown at Heinz Discipline. Cleveland stormed out to a 21-6 lead behind three landing passes by quarterback Derek Anderson. Trailing 21-9 at halftime, the Steelers began the second half with a 12-yard landing cross from Ben Roethlisberger to Hines Ward. Roethlisberger then gave Pittsburgh its first lead on a 30-yard landing run, solely to look at seconds later as Joshua Cribbs ran the following kickoff 100 yards for a landing.
The Steelers countered with a 78-yard drive that took almost eight minutes off of the clock. On their remaining drive, Anderson drove the Browns to inside discipline aim vary earlier than Phil Dawson missed the game-tying, 52-yard try with seconds remaining. Whereas each groups completed the season with a 10-6 report, the Steelers received the division by advantage of their season sweep of the Browns. Cleveland’s playoff drought (which at that time was at 5 years) would final till the 2020 season.
3. 1979: Steelers 33, Browns 30 (OT)
Trailing 27-13, the Steelers rallied to drive extra time behind Franco Harris’ two landing runs within the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh received the sport on Matt Bahr’s 37-yard aim in extra time. Dave Logan had his manner with the Steelers vaunted secondary with 135 yards on seven catches that included a 33-yard reception. The Steelers loved a stellar sport from Harris, who complemented his 151 speeding yards with 9 receptions for 81 yards and a landing. The Steelers would go on to defeat the Rams in Tremendous Bowl XIV.
2. 1980: Browns 27, Steelers 26
Many seen this as a “altering of the guard” sport between the 2 franchises. After profitable 11 of their earlier 12 video games towards the Browns, the two-time defending Tremendous Bowl champion Steelers fell to 4-4 halfway by the 1980 season after relinquishing a 20-7 lead in Cleveland. The Browns rallied behind two touchdowns from working again Greg Pruitt and Ozzie Newsome’s 18-yard, game-winning landing cross from Brian Sipe. Sipe riddled the Steelers protection to the tune of 349 yards and 4 touchdowns, whereas Steelers backup quarterback Cliff Stoudt threw for 310 yards in a shedding trigger. Cleveland would make the playoffs for the primary time since 1972, whereas Pittsburgh would fail to make the postseason for the primary time since 1971.
1. 1993: Brown 28, Steelers 23
The rivalry was by no means extra even than it was within the late ’80s and early ’90s. The 2 groups cut up their season collection annually from 1989-93. And whereas the Steelers had been the higher group in 1993, the Browns would salvage a collection cut up by pulling off an electrical upset win in entrance of a raucous house crowd of over 78,000 followers.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Browns struck first when Vinny Testaverde hit Michael Jackson for a 62-yard rating. Moments later, Eric Metcalf took a Pittsburgh punt 91 yards to pay dust. The Steelers averted the early knockout by getting the ball to working again Barry Foster and tight finish Eric Inexperienced. Foster’s two quick landing runs tied the rating at intermission, whereas Gary Anderson’s three second-half discipline targets gave Pittsburgh a 23-21 fourth-quarter lead.
Regardless of Metcalf’s early rating, Pittsburgh elected to punt to him once more late within the fourth quarter. As soon as once more, Metcalf shortly raced to the close to sideline, the place he broke the primary sort out earlier than following his convoy of blockers. Metcalf broke a number of different tackles earlier than he was mobbed by his teammates ultimately zone. The Browns clinched the win when Stevon Moore pressured a fumble on Pittsburgh’s final offensive possession. It will be the Browns’ remaining win over the Steelers earlier than the group moved from Cleveland to Baltimore.
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