STEELERS STAKE HOLD ON TOP OF AFC NORTH WITH DOMINANT WIN OVER BROWNS

The Steelers crushed the Browns, 27-6 yesterday on the strength of a powerful running game and a shutdown defense that sacked Deshaun Watson eight times, held Cleveland to 34 yards rushing, and forced the Browns to fumble the ball away on their first two possessions.

Jaylen Warren ran for 143 of the Steelers’ 200 yards rushing while quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a quiet afternoon, throwing only 25 times for 172 yards with one interception, a long pass that a wide-open DK Metcalf bobbled into the air, allowing the Browns’ Denzel Ward to snatch the ball from him.

Rico Dowdle, Pat Freiermuth, and Warren all scored on short runs and Chris Boswell kicked two chip-shot field goals.

It was the Steelers’ fourth straight win as they head into their bye week leading the AFC North with a 6-2 record. Cincinnati is in second place at 5-2 after beating Tennessee, 43-36 in overtime.  The Browns are 5-3 and the Ravens, who lost quarterback Lamar Jackson for the season yesterday in their 36-10 loss to Buffalo, are in last place in the division at 4-4.

Coach Mike McCarthy says the Steelers were intense, even after their return from playing in Paris the week before.

McCarthy says the Steelers are playing winning football, and they can be even better.

Defensive lineman Cam Heyward had six combined tackles, three solo tackles, with one-and-a-half sacks, a quarterback hit, and a batted-down pass.  He says the Steelers are getting better game-by game.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers says the offense left a lot of opportunities on the field, but the Steelers are doing the job on both sides of the ball.

Linebacker Patrick Queen led the Steelers with twelve tackles and one-and-a-half sacks.  TJ Watt had two sacks, and Watt, Heyward, Queen, and Keeanu Benton all deflected passes at the line of scrimmage.

After taking this week off, the Steelers return to action on November 15^th with a Sunday night game at Cincinnati.  The Bengals will play at Atlanta this Sunday.  The Browns are at New Orleans on Sunday.  The Ravens will face Jacksonville in Baltimore this Thursday night.