PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It took until mid-October but finally some division football for the Steelers. What the players are saying about hosting the Browns Sunday with a few new to the rivalry.
“This is a big week for us, first game of divisional play,” said tackle Broderick Jones. “We got to go out there and make a statement. We got to go out and play our A-game. A-players got to play.”
The all-time series is lopsided (82-64-1 Steelers), mostly because of what has happened in most of our lifetimes. And while for most of the time the Steelers have had the better team, Cleveland has won two of the last three and the teams have split the last 10 meetings.
“Physical, you can throw records out the window for games like this, it’s very physical,” said Steelers TJ Watt. “Home field advantage is huge in games like these. We know them. They know us. Like Mike T. says, a lot of guys are brought here for these types of matchups. Guys get drafted, guys get brought in free agency for the AFC North matchups and specifically these types of games.”
Typically, they are low scoring, in those last 10 matchups, only one has seen a team score over 30 points and that was the Browns decisive playoff win at Acrisure Stadium 48-37. The previous time the Browns won in Pittsburgh was 2003.
“The rivalry itself, it’s one of those games it doesn’t matter who is out there it’s going to be a close battle,” said Joey Porter, Junior. You could imagine the stories he’s heard from his father about these games.
They will all tell you every game is important, and they are. But these games are different.
“Definitely with Coach T, it’s big for him, divisional games,” Jones said. “You can just tell when it’s a divisional week, he comes in with a different mindset, different fire about him. The grit it takes to get through one of those games because they are so physical. You just got to continue to grind it out. Playing those little, big brothers in your division.”
“You’d be lying if you said it wasn’t, you treat every game like it’s a big game,” said outside linebacker Nick Herbig. “Obviously, division games matter more.”
It’s a new experience for a couple of key pieces on the Steelers lines. They’ve played big games in college and now get a first Browns matchup.
“I’m super-excited. It’s my first game in the AFC North,” said offensive tackle Troy Fautanu. “We’ve been talking about it all week and last week as well. I grew up watching these rivalries. Just excited to finally get out there and show them what I can do.”
“Very competitive, teams are going to try and run that ball in this conference,” said rookie defensive lineman Derrick Harmon. “This D-line got to stand up and stop that run, which we are going to do.”
It’s also the first AFC North game for Aaron Rodgers, who said he compared it to Green Bay rivalries with Minnesota and Chicago. Rodgers is 18-12-1 against the Vikings and 24-5 in his career against the Bears. He talked with linebacker Patrick Queen about it because he has the perspective of not only playing for the Steelers, but the Ravens as well.
“It seems like with this the rivalry is with the Browns and the hatred goes both ways between Steelers-Bengals and Steelers-Ravens,” Rodgers said.
However you want to describe it, likely the best words come from DK Metcalf also in his first Steelers-Browns game.
“This is where real football is played.”