Update (7:07 p.m. ET, Thursday): Browns quarterback Taylen Green has been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Steelers, listed with an “other coach’s decision” designation on the NFL’s official Week 4 injury report. Steelers quarterback Will Howard has also been ruled out with the same designation. Guard Gennings Dunker, who had been out with a knee injury, no longer appears on Pittsburgh’s injury report.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns meet Thursday with first place in the AFC North on the line. Both teams enter at 2-1 in a division where every team has a winning record. Kickoff at Huntington Bank Field is 8:15 p.m. ET, with Pittsburgh seeking to end decades of struggles in Cleveland.
Steelers vs. Browns game information
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 1
- Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- Venue: Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, Ohio
- TV/Streaming: Prime Video
Where do both teams stand entering Week 4?
Every team in the AFC North is 2-1. Pittsburgh has scored 53 and allowed 60 through three games, while the Browns have scored 54 and allowed 71. The Steelers are coming off a 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns have won two straight, including a 21-18 comeback over the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 27 in which Deshaun Watson found Harold Fannin Jr. for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.
What is Pittsburgh’s history in Cleveland?
Pittsburgh has won just one of its last eight trips to Cleveland since 2018, with three losses in Thursday night games.
Who is expected to start and who is banged up?
Aaron Rodgers is expected to start at quarterback for Pittsburgh. Backup Will Howard has been ruled out with an “other coach’s decision” designation on the official Week 4 injury report. Running back Rico Dowdle (toe) and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. have been ruled out.
With Dowdle sidelined, Jaylen Warren is expected to anchor the ground game. Last week against Cincinnati, Warren racked up 176 scrimmage yards on 20 touches, according to CBS Sports.
For Cleveland, Deshaun Watson is expected to start at quarterback. Backup Taylen Green has been ruled out with the same “other coach’s decision” designation. Center Elgton Jenkins (concussion), guard Teven Jenkins (torso/back), linebacker Justin Jefferson and receiver Tylan Wallace (knee) have all been ruled out.
Rookie Austin Barber has started in Teven Jenkins’ place at right guard since Week 1, according to Browns Wire, and figures to hold that spot again Thursday. Elgton Jenkins’ absence at center puts a backup up against a Steelers defensive line that includes veteran tackle Cam Heyward, according to Cleveland.com.
Can Cleveland’s pass rush disrupt Rodgers again?
The Browns own the NFL’s second-highest quarterback pressure rate at 42.2%, and defensive tackle Mason Graham has four sacks in three games, tied for second-most in the league. That pressure comes without star edge rusher Myles Garrett, making Cleveland’s interior rush the focal point for a Pittsburgh offensive line protecting Rodgers. Rodgers has completed 66 of 113 passes for 700 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions this season.
Does Cleveland’s offense have more to give?
Cleveland ranks among the bottom five NFL offenses in total yards, passing yards, rushing yards, third-down conversion rate and red-zone touchdown percentage. Still, Watson has thrown multiple touchdown passes with no interceptions in consecutive wins. His legs have also become a bigger factor; he ran for 45 yards on 11 carries last week, his best rushing output of the season. Cleveland’s offensive line now must navigate Thursday’s game without two projected starters up front in Teven Jenkins and Elgton Jenkins.
What to watch
Thursday’s winner takes over first place in the AFC North, a division where every team currently has a winning record. Pittsburgh’s front five must find a way to slow Cleveland’s interior rush without abandoning the run game that carried Warren to a career night against Cincinnati. For Cleveland, a patchwork offensive line missing both Teven Jenkins and Elgton Jenkins will be tested immediately by a Steelers defense anchored by Cam Heyward, and continuing to complement a bottom-tier offense with a physical, opportunistic defense will be the difference between building on their surprising start and falling back to .500.
Reporting from Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, FOX Sports and Bleacher Report contributed to this story. Official statistics: ESPN (official league data).
