The Pittsburgh Steelers host the AFC North-leading Cleveland Browns on Sunday in a matchup that could have major implications for the division race. Pittsburgh lost to Cleveland 27-24 in Week 4 on Thursday Night Football, and a win this Sunday would put the Steelers back in first place, at least for the time being. With both teams sitting at 5-2, this game carries extra importance for Pittsburgh because of what lies ahead on its schedule.
Losing to the Browns for a second time would be a tough blow on its own, but with more divisional games still to come, another loss could put the Steelers in a hole that becomes difficult to climb out of. It might seem premature to call a game this early in the season a must-win, especially with plenty of football left to play, but falling to 5-3 would put Pittsburgh in a tougher position.
The Steelers have a more difficult schedule than the rest of the division, making Sunday's matchup even more important if they want to stay in control of their playoff hopes.
The Pittsburgh Steelers' schedule gets much tougher after the bye week
Even though the Steelers have traditionally had success against the Browns at home, this Cleveland team is no pushover. Pittsburgh needs to take care of business on Sunday and shut up the trash talk that's been going on between both teams this week. Before heading into its bye week, especially with a much tougher stretch of games waiting on the other side.
After the bye, the Steelers will face the Cincinnati Bengals for the second time this season in a Sunday night matchup in Cincinnati. The Bengals have been playing some of their best football recently, highlighted by their blowout win over the Ravens last Sunday. Things won't get any easier after that, as Pittsburgh heads to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles.
While Philadelphia has dealt with injuries and has struggled recently, the Steelers haven't won there since 1965. From there, Pittsburgh faces the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, a feisty Carolina Panthers team, and two more matchups against the Ravens.
If the Steelers can beat Cleveland and improve to 6-2, reaching 10 or 11 wins becomes a realistic goal, which could be enough to earn a playoff spot. However, with every team in the AFC North currently holding a winning record, Pittsburgh cannot afford to fall further behind in the division. Every divisional matchup carries extra weight, and dropping another game to Cleveland could come back to haunt the Steelers when the playoff picture takes shape.
That's what makes Sunday's game so important. If Pittsburgh ends up splitting its season series with both the Bengals and Ravens, another loss to Cleveland could leave the Steelers with a 2-4 divisional record. That would put them at a significant disadvantage in a tightly contested AFC North race, where divisional records could ultimately determine who makes the postseason and who gets left out.
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