Berea, OH (92.3 The Fan) – Throughout the course of a limited 16-game season, every game is important.
But Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh figures to weigh a little more heavily on the minds of the Cleveland Browns.
“I think they understand what is at stake,” head coach Hue Jackson said. “You guys put it out there pretty clearly. We have not won on the road. We have not won in Pittsburgh. They hear it all. It is no question.”
The Browns road losing streak is at 24.
The Browns losing streak at Heinz Field is 14 and the last time they left Pittsburgh victorious, Tim Couch was the quarterback in a 33-13 victory on Oct. 5, 2003.
“You could not write this story any better,” safety Jabrill Peppers said. “Coming off of a tough loss – three tough losses. Two of those, I think, we should have had, but that is the way the ball rolls sometimes. They are top of the division. We tied them at our place the first game of the season. Now, we get a chance to go up to their place.
“It is set up perfectly. Get this bad taste out of our mouths and start this run.”
Jackson enters the game 3-35-1 as head coach in Cleveland and the team is 2-4-1 this season as rumblings about his job security grow louder and the seat gets hotter.
To say that Sunday’s game could be the pivotal point and make or break the season would not be an understatement. Not by any stretch.
“For our season and our momentum,” defensive end Myles Garrett, who created 2 fourth quarter turnovers in the 21-21 Week 1 tie, said. “We have to come back and punch them in the mouth. Things will change before the bye week so go into it with our head up. It is definitely a big game for us as it is for them – all division games are. We have to be on our P’s and Q’s.”
The Browns have played 4 overtime games in 7 weeks and lost 3 games this season by 3 points each.
They’ve been close, just not close enough, but a victory over the Steelers would keep them unbeaten within the division and still in contention entering November.
A loss and it’s all over with the 6-1 Chiefs set to visit the following week.
“We understand that we are in this race,” Jackson said. “You go win this game, you are way in this race. It is a huge game. It is a tremendous opportunity for us, and it is a huge stage so let’s go conquer this. Let’s go to Pittsburgh and play the best football game we have played all year and go win the game.”
