Week Eight of the National Football League brings us a battle for first place in the AFC North between the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here’s everything you need to know about the game!
What: Cleveland Browns 5-2 at Pittsburgh Steelers 5-2
Where: Acrisure Stadium Pittsburgh, PA
When: Sunday November 1st 2026 1pmET
Weather: Partly Sunny and 67 degrees
Surface: Natural Grass
Wagering Information: -3.5 O/U 39.5
Last Week: Cleveland defeated the Titans in Tennessee 27-24 while the Steelers traveled to Paris to knock off the Saints 16-10.
TV: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Trent Green (analysis), Melanie Collins (field reporter)
TV Coverage in Your Area (courtesy 506sports.com): BLUE
Radio: Steelers Audio Network Rob King (play-by-play), Max Starks (analysis), Missi Matthews (field reporter)
Head Official: Alex Kemp. A graduate of Central Michigan University, Kemp is an insurance agent during the week. Now in his ninth season as a head official, Kemp last oversaw a Steelers’ game in November of last year which was a 26-7 loss to the Bills. Kemp’s crew this year has thrown 34 flags on home teams while away teams have had 44 thrown on them. They’ve called 19 holding penalties
Game Status (courtesy steelers.com) PIT: No. 15 WR Ben Skowronek (Calf) – Questionable, No. 26 CB Brandin Echols (Hamstring) – Out,
No. 40 DB Doneiko Slaughter (Hamstring) – Out CLE: No. 24 S Daniel Thomas (Ankle) – Questionable, No. 26 CB Myles Harden (Hamstring) – Questionable, No. 71 OT Tytus Howard (Concussion) – Questionable
Injury Notes: Keep an eye on Alex Highsmith. He was limited most of the week with a groin issue. Soft tissue problems have cost him several games over his career… I’ll be stunned if Skowronek isn’t active.
2026 NFL Ranks:
Total Offense: PIT 20th, CLE 24th
Passing Offense: PIT 20th, CLE 24th
Rushing Offense: PIT 20th, CLE 19th
Total Defense: PIT 6th, CLE 12th
Passing Defense: PIT 11th, CLE 7th
Rushing Defense: PIT 7th, CLE 20th
AFC North Standings:
Cleveland 5-2
Pittsburgh 6-2
Cincinnati 4-2
Baltimore 4-3
This Week in the AFC North: Tennessee at Cincinnati 1pmET, Baltimore at Buffalo 1pmET
What You Need to Know: The Steelers are 22-13 in games played before their BYE week… At home in such games they are 13-6… Pittsburgh is now 5-1 in day games this season… The Steelers are 4-1 in games in which they lose the coin toss… The Steelers are 58-20 all-time in AFC North games played at home… Teams coming off a game in Europe are 0-8 in games the following week.
McCarthy Minute: Coach is now seven wins away from tying Chuck Knox for 13th in all-time wins by a head coach… He has a career home winning percentage of .707…
Cleveland Browns Names to Know: QB Deshaun Watson, WR Denzel Boston, TE Harold Fannin, KC Concepcion, CB Denzel Ward, S Grant Delpit, DE Jared Verse, LB Carson Schwesinger, DT Mason Graham, K Andre Szmyt
What’s at Stake: First place. One could argue the game is more important for the Steelers because a loss would mean a season sweep for the Browns and a huge tie-breaker advantage.
All-Time Series: Steelers lead 81-65-1 and lead 52-21 in Pittsburgh.
Last Meeting: October 1st in Cleveland. Browns 27 Steelers 24
Postseason History: Steelers lead 2-1
Steelers Regular Season Game Highs vs CLE:
PASSING: 417 yards Ben Roethlisberger 10/18/2019
RUSHING: 223 yards Willie Parker 12/07/2006
RECEIVING: 187 yards Antonio Brown 01/03/2016
SACKS: 4.0 T.J. Watt 01/03/2022
INTERCEPTIONS: 3 Darren Perry 09/11/1994, Richard Shelton 12/22/1991, Donnie Shell 11/22/1981
Check out the latest SCB Steelers Podcast presented by DEK Roofing Inc for more on the Steelers.
Three Things We Need to See for a Steelers’ Victory:
–Protect. In Cleveland earlier this season Aaron Rodgers was sacked five times and threw two interceptions. You aren’t winning many games with a formula such as this. The Browns will once again play tight man coverage forcing the Steelers’ OL to protect so that Rodgers can let his receivers get open. The easiest answer to this issue is of course running the ball successfully with Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle but that’s easier said than done.
–My Dear Mr. Watson. Deshaun Watson has been playing good football this year especially late in games but he has an Achilles’ heel. He tends to hold the ball away from his body a lot especially on dropbacks or when he starts to scramble. No one swats the ball away from opposing QBs better than T.J. Watt but the rest of his teammates need to do the same. Watson will make some plays Sunday but the Steelers need to take advantage of his carelessness and turn him over.
–It’s Time to Be Special. There are three phases to football; offense, defense and special teams. So far in 2026, the latter has been rather suspect. I would argue that the kick coverage team gets closer and closer each week to letting a guy go the distance. Danny Crossman’s charges need to flip the script. It’s past time to lock down with the coverage units and at the same time create a big play or two. A huge play on STs can flip momentum quicker than literally any other type of play and it’s time the Steelers have one of those.
The ‘X’ Factor: Each week I will select a player from each team who I believe will need to play above and beyond in order for his team to win.
X-Factor Steelers: The Interior. A month ago, the Steelers had a sack each from T.J. Watt and Payton Wilson but that was the extent of their pressure. The one knock I have on this defense – consistently anyway – is the inability to push the pocket. While we should definitely expect that Watt and his fellow EDGE rushers get pressure there are times when they don’t. That’s where Cam Heyward, Keannu Benton and have to get pressure on Deshaun Watson up the middle. If he routinely steps up in the pocket to deliver throws then the defense is cooked.
X-Factor Browns: Jared Verse. I’ve been impressed with Verse since he came into the league and while he isn’t Myles Garrett, I expected him to be a significant force on this defense. Despite the Browns winning a month ago, Verse had very little impact on the game. Now he’s putting his mouth out there and that brings up the very old saying… “If you’re gonna talk the talk then you better walk the walk.”
Prediction: There are some serious trends that go in completely different directions which makes it difficult for the oddsmakers. I can’t ignore the fact the Browns have gained confidence and feel like they’re destined to win this game. I’m of the opinion however that this is a defining game for Mike McCarthy’s Steelers. They have a chance to enter the BYE at 6-2 and atop the division. If a member of the Black and Gold can’t get up for this then I honestly don’t know what to think. The Browns will blitz and they will play tight man coverage which has flustered the Steelers’ offense all year. That said, I expect the Steelers to ride some emotion and win this game.
Steelers 27 Browns 17
Season Prediction Record: 5-2
