Steelers Beat Browns 27-6: Jaylen Warren Runs for 143 Yards as Pittsburgh Takes AFC North Lead

The Pittsburgh Steelers got their revenge, and the top spot in the AFC North with it. Jaylen Warren tied a career high with 143 rushing yards and a touchdown on his 28th birthday, the defense sacked Deshaun Watson eight times, and Pittsburgh beat the Cleveland Browns 27-6 on Sunday at Acrisure Stadium.

The win moves the Steelers to 6-2 heading into their bye week, with four straight victories since their 27-24 loss in Cleveland in Week 4. The Browns fell to 5-3. According to the AP, Cleveland has now lost 23 consecutive regular-season games in Pittsburgh.

Browns vs. Steelers: how Pittsburgh took control

This one was decided early. CBS Sports reported that the Steelers outgained the Browns 134 yards to minus-1 in the first quarter, with 117 rushing yards on 11 carries in the opening 15 minutes.

Pittsburgh’s defense forced turnovers on Cleveland’s first two drives. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. lost a fumble on the first, but Chris Boswell missed a 54-yard field goal. On the next possession, Patrick Queen forced a Watson fumble that Keeanu Benton recovered, and Rico Dowdle finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead.

There was an early scare for Cleveland: Watson left after a hard hit on the game’s third play, and Shedeur Sanders came in briefly, per CBS Sports. Watson was back under center later in the half.

The teams traded field goals in the second quarter before tight end Pat Freiermuth, who had set up the score with a 28-yard catch, ran in a 1-yard sneak to make it 20-6 at halftime. By then Pittsburgh had outrushed Cleveland 160-26.

Darnell Washington’s big catch

The Steelers’ first drive of the second half stalled after a drop by tight end Darnell Washington. He made up for it on the next one: a lumbering 58-yard catch-and-run that set up Warren’s short touchdown and a 27-6 lead with 9:39 left in the third quarter. Washington finished with a team-high 94 receiving yards on three catches.

Cleveland had a chance to answer late in the third when Denzel Ward intercepted a pass that went off DK Metcalf’s hands, but the Browns turned it over on downs in the red zone early in the fourth quarter. Mason Rudolph replaced Aaron Rodgers at the two-minute warning.

Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers match player stats

Pittsburgh - Jaylen Warren: 143 rushing yards on 17 carries, 1 TD (102 yards on 10 carries in the first half) - Rico Dowdle: 9-yard rushing TD - Darnell Washington: 3 catches, 94 yards - Pat Freiermuth: 1-yard rushing TD, 28-yard catch - T.J. Watt: 2 sacks - Patrick Queen: 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks, forced fumble - Team: 200 rushing yards and 3 rushing TDs on 33 carries; 8 sacks

Cleveland - Harold Fannin Jr.: 10 catches on 12 targets for a career-high 154 yards - Denzel Ward: interception - Team: 34 rushing yards on 14 carries; 3 of 10 on third down at one point late in the game

CBS Sports noted that Watt’s 20.5 career sacks against the Browns are the most by any player against Cleveland in NFL history.

Harold Fannin Jr. was Cleveland’s offense

For long stretches, Fannin was the only Browns player moving the ball. At one point in the second quarter, CBS Sports observed that no other Cleveland player had more than three receiving yards. He recovered from his early fumble to post the second 100-yard game of his career.

AFC North standings after Week 8

With the win, Pittsburgh (6-2) holds sole possession of first place in the division, a game ahead of Cleveland (5-3). The Browns came in looking for their first regular-season win in Pittsburgh since 2003 and their first season sweep of the Steelers since 1988, according to CBS Sports. Instead, the division race tilted back toward Pittsburgh.

Before the game, there was some extra edge. Browns pass rusher Jared Verse had talked about “dirty” play by the Steelers after the Week 4 game and walked past Cam Heyward during warmups, CBS Sports reported.

Steelers schedule: what’s next

The Steelers have their bye week next, so they will sit on a four-game winning streak and a division lead. Pittsburgh’s defense has now forced multiple turnovers in six games this season, and the team is plus-5 in turnover margin, per CBS Sports.

For Cleveland, the issues are clear: a run game that managed 34 yards, eight sacks allowed and red-zone failures. The Browns are still above .500 and squarely in the division race, but they will need more than one tight end to keep pace.