The Steelers just stomped the Browns 27-6 on Sunday, rolling into their midseason bye week with a 6-2 record and sitting all alone at the top of the AFC North. You’d think quarterback Aaron Rodgers would be celebrating after that kind of beatdown, especially against a divisional rival. But nope, postgame he was straight-up terse. Rodgers called the offense’s performance “not very complete” and straight-up said there “should’ve been a lot more points.” Talk about setting a high bar, even in a huge win.
Winning, Even When It’s ‘Not Very Complete’
Despite Rodgers’ critique, the Steelers are absolutely crushing it. They’re on a four-game winning streak and sitting pretty in first place in arguably the NFL’s most competitive division. Both Cleveland and Pittsburgh were 5-2 heading into Week 8, with the Browns having already handed the Steelers a loss earlier in the season. But in the rematch at Acrisure Stadium, the Steelers unleashed a ground game masterclass, running for 200 yards while locking down the Browns to a measly 34 rushing yards. That’s a 21-point victory, folks. Even with Rodgers wanting more, he couldn’t deny they are in a good spot, saying, “We’re 6-2 going into the bye, first in the division. We’re right where we want to be.”
The AFC North Is a War Zone, And the Steelers Are Leading It
This AFC North is no joke; not a single team is under .500, which is just wild at midseason. While the Steelers are 6-2, the rest of the division had a rough Sunday. The now 5-3 Browns got blown out. The Bengals, now 5-2, did win, jumping into second place, but it took overtime to barely beat the 1-7 Titans. And the Ravens, who everyone picked to win the AFC North before the season started,? They’re now dead last at 4-4 after a brutal 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. To make things even worse for Baltimore, Lamar Jackson is injured again, headed to IR with a thumb issue. The Steelers have already split their series with the Browns this season, and they’re 2-1 in the division after an earlier 30-27 win against the Bengals.
Building for What’s Next
Linebacker T.J. Watt is clearly fired up by how the team is finding ways to win, no matter what. He loves that they’ve “won games many different ways,” noting they’ve “come from behind,” “been able to hold leads,” and played games where they’ve “looked great” and “haven’t looked great.” That kind of versatility is huge, and Watt knows they need to keep growing and building. He’s also looking forward to Derrick Harmon hopefully coming back soon, and the bye week hitting at a perfect time for the team to regroup. What’s next, you ask? A massive Sunday Night Football matchup on November 15 against the Bengals. Rodgers knows it: “Winning is the most important thing…that game in two weeks is going to be really important.” The Steelers also still have both matchups against the Ravens due later in the season. You know this team isn’t letting off the gas.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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