Steelers bulldoze Browns 27-6 to take AFC North lead, extend home streak over rivals to 23 straight

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jaylen Warren tied a career high with 143 yards rushing and a touchdown on his 28th birthday, and the Pittsburgh Steelers moved into first place in the AFC North by drilling Cleveland 27-6 on Sunday.

The Steelers (6-2) avenged a road loss to the Browns (5-3) a month ago by dominating the line of scrimmage and reminding Cleveland that while the years change, the result when the Browns play in Pittsburgh does not.

The lopsided result marked the Steelers' 23rd straight regular-season win over their longtime rivals at Acrisure Stadium, tying the NFL record for consecutive home victories over an opponent. Green Bay won 23 in a row against Detroit from 1992 to 2014.

The surprising Browns, eyeing their best start in 32 years thanks to the late-game heroics of quarterback Deshaun Watson, came in hoping this time would be different. Defensive end Jared Verse predicted it would be during the week, saying Cleveland would “make Pittsburgh ours.”

It didn't quite happen like that.

The Steelers sacked Watson eight times, and the Pittsburgh offensive line that Verse openly questioned spent three-plus hours bullying the Browns in general and Verse in particular.

The 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year was a nonfactor and at one point landed on his head when Pittsburgh guard Mason McCormick slammed him into the turf during a Steelers field-goal attempt. McCormick was called for unnecessary roughness on the play, but the point had been made.

Warren, in the midst of a breakout year, and backfield mate Rico Dowdle ran through gaping holes as the Steelers ran for 200 yards, including 160 in the first half, the most by any team in the opening half this season.

Dowdle's 56 yards rushing included a 9-yard sprint up the middle to the end zone in the first quarter that gave Pittsburgh a lead it never came close to squandering. The Steelers scored on four of their next five possessions, including a 1-yard plunge by tight end Pat Freiermuth on a tush push on the penultimate play of the first half that put Pittsburgh up 20-6 at the break.

When Aaron Rodgers hit 6-foot-7, 300-pound tight end Darnell Washington for a 58-yard catch-and-rumble early in the third quarter that set up Warren's 1-yard touchdown dive, the Steelers were up by three touchdowns and the late magic Watson summoned five times over the season's first two months was nowhere to be found.

Rodgers finished 13 of 25 for 172 yards with a second-half interception courtesy of wide receiver DK Metcalf, who bobbled the ball directly into the hands of Cleveland defensive back Denzel Ward.

It was a rare misstep on a day the Steelers — outside of some questionable play-calling deep in Browns territory in the first half — did what they almost always do when their rivals from two hours away pay a visit.

Watson, under pressure from the opening possession, passed for 324 yards, many of them in garbage time. He exited briefly in the first quarter after taking a late shot from Pittsburgh's Jaquan Brisker. Shedeur Sanders came in for a couple of chaotic plays, with his stint ending on a fumble by Harold Fannin Jr.

The Browns fumbled on their next possession, too, as a script that's become familiar across the decades played out yet again.

Cleveland: Defensive tackle Maliek Collins sustained an elbow injury in the first half. Cornerback Tyson Campbell was evaluated for a possible concussion.

Browns: Visit New Orleans next Sunday.

Steelers: After a bye, visit Cincinnati on Nov. 15.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here