When the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers kick off Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season, the top of the AFC North will be on the line. The winner will run their early season record to 3-1, with the loser dropping back to .500 during the first quarter of the season. For both teams, their Week 1 performances would not have indicated that winning was in the near future.
The Browns were humiliated in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Steelers won in a game that seemed to set back football
a little bit. Cleveland has bounced back with two straight victories, while Pittsburgh only put up three points in a Week 2 loss before beating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3.
With Thursday Night right around the corner, a quick turnaround for both teams, as well as fans and media.
A look at the Steelers’ two victories, tells completely different stories about the team.
In Week 1, against an Atlanta Falcons team playing their third string quarterback, the defense was able to limit everyone but RB Bijan Robinson who had over 170 total yards and the Falcons lone touchdown. On offense, nothing was really rolling. QB Aaron Rodgers completed just 24 of his 40 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown. RB Jaylen Warren had just 10 carries for 46 yards, while RB Rico Dowdle had eight rushes for a paltry 15 yards.
The Week 1 win was far from impressive. This week, versus the Bengals, was a different story. Cincinnati still gave the game away late with a fumble, but Steelers’ offense was able to get going, and its defense was able to limit RB Chase Brown to just 61 yards on 13 carries.
In Week 3, Rodgers completed 19 of 34 passes for 292 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. While star WR DK Metcalf has continued to struggle to get going, Rodgers was able to spread the ball around to a number of targets to put up almost 300 yards passing.
The big difference was in the running game, with Warren rushing for 127 yards on just 17 carries. The versatile back also caught three passes for 49 yards.
Pittsburgh’s defense did allow Cincinnati’s potent passing offense to be productive, with QB Joe Burrow throwing for 282 yards and three scores. They also forced the huge Burrow fumble late in the game, with the Bengals in field goal position to tie the score with less than a minute left.
Cincinnati helped the Steelers cause on special teams with Ke’Shawn Williams fumbling a punt that led to an easy field goal a few plays later.
In all, Pittsburgh has been helped greatly by their opponents in both of their victories, but the offense was far more explosive in Week 3, while the defense has figured out how to take away key parts of the opposing offense in those weeks.
The Week 2 loss to the now 1-2 New England Patriots was a team failure, including a poor performance by Rodgers and company.
While the Steelers are 2-1 and lead the AFC North due to tiebreakers, do you think they are any good? What do you think the Browns must do in Week 4 to take the division lead with a win?
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