The Pittsburgh Steelers avenged their previous loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, winning 27-6.
The Steelers' defensive line barraged Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson , sacking him eight times. The running game with Jaylen Warren was once again excellent, and Darnell Washington made more plays on the receiving end.
The Steelers enter their Week 9 bye at 6-2, sitting atop the AFC North ahead of their rivals: the Cincinnati Bengals.
They have already beaten the Cincinnati Bengals once this year and will play them in Week 10 after the Bengals' trip to Spain.
The Browns, whom they have split the season series with, stand at 5-3. The Baltimore Ravens are 4-4 and suffering major injuries in their quarterback room, including Lamar Jackson.
After an offseason filled with both excitement and uncertainty, Pittsburgh has positioned themselves nicely in the AFC playoff race. Given what has worked for them so far, the Steelers could reach further than they have in this decade.
Pittsburgh had a rocky start to the season. They split their first four games, beating the Atlanta Falcons and Bengals while losing to the New England Patriots and Browns.
Throughout these games, the team had zero balance. The Steelers offense scored 16 total points in the first two weeks, then averaged 27 points per game in the next two.
The defense, which beat Atlanta with a T.J. Watt pick-six , only allowed 13 points in each of the first two games, but gave up 27 points in each of the next two.
The Thursday Night Football loss to the Browns saw month-long frustrations boil over. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy were loudly arguing about play calls mid-game, even leading to some wasted timeouts over miscommunication.
Watt also screamed at defensive coordinator Patrick Graham over the headset around the second quarter when the defense had allowed three touchdowns.
Cleveland was the team's last loss. The Steelers would go on a four-game winning streak, taking down the Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints in Paris, and the Browns in their rematch.
Pittsburgh finally committed to its strengths as a run-first offense that takes advantage of its size at the line. The defense is clicking on all cylinders, culminating in eight sacks on Sunday.
Jaylen Warren is responsible for most of the Steelers' success this season. The 2022 undrafted running back from Oklahoma State has emerged this season as one of the league's best running backs, providing excellent contact balance and big-play ability off receptions.
Warren leads all backs in receiving yards after the catch, totaling more than 350 yards and averaging almost 12 yards per reception. Part of this success is the Steelers' great blocking execution from both their offensive line and big-bodied pass catchers. Still, Warren sheds plenty of tackles through shiftiness and physicality.
Watt called Warren a " bowling ball with teeth " after Sunday's game, which perfectly sums up the type of back needed for the successful "bully ball" offense the team has embraced.
Pittsburgh's defensive front has stepped up big in their first year under Graham. Watt is tied for the league lead in sacks at seven and a half, while Cameron Heyward has not slowed down at his age. Keeanu Benton has had a great year stopping the run after his contract extension in the offseason. Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig have continued their great performance while rotating with Watt.
The run defense has particularly shown up during their four-win stretch. In consecutive games, they held Jonathan Taylor and Bucky Irving to 3.0 and 2.4 yards per carry, respectively.
The Saints' leading rusher was quarterback Tyler Shough with seven yards, and the Steelers kept Quinshon Judkins to 2.3 yards per carry this Sunday.
Heyward referred to their win versus Cleveland as their most complete game of the season. Heyward believes that the number of players sacking the quarterback on Sunday proves they can execute at a high level.
"When multiple guys can add to the party, it leads to 'this can be sustainable," he said after the game . (at the 1:08 mark)
The Steelers' next two months are the more daunting side of their schedule. They kick it off with a Sunday night rematch against the Bengals on the road, followed by games against the Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, the Ravens twice, the Tennessee Titans, and the Carolina Panthers.
Looking at this slate in September brought back memories of previous Steelers seasons that collapsed in November and December. With how the Steelers have played as of late, though, none of the teams seem unbeatable.
The Bengals already lost to Pittsburgh and will be the fifth team to play a team coming off a bye after an international game; all those previous teams are 0-5.
The latest example happened this year, with the Eagles losing to the Panthers 25-14 after their London game versus the Jags. The historical precedent is small, but it favors the Steelers for a chance to sweep their competition.
Speaking of the Eagles, Pittsburgh has not won at Philadelphia since 1965, losing 11 straight road games versus the Birds. Even with the team spiraling down after a number of injuries, the Steelers do not perform well across the state.
Pittsburgh will also play three straight primetime games between Nov. 27th and Dec. 14th. The Broncos' defense is stellar, but Bo Nix is a clear weak link. Heyward and company should bat down many passes at the line, which defenses keep doing against Nix.
The Texans, currently 2-5, have dominated Pittsburgh in their previous two matchups with Demeco Ryans at the helm.
The Jags are currently their toughest matchup, with Trevor Lawrence having a productive first half of the season. He leads among passers in EPA (expected points added) per play at +0.24, according to SumerSports .
After Jacksonville, though, the Ravens could potentially be without Lamar Jackson due to a thumb injury suffered this week. Even with Jackson, the Steelers have won 10 of 13 matchups against Baltimore since 2020.
The Steelers have given themselves a good cushion heading into the tougher slate of their year.
Consecutive wins that showed improvements in both play-calling and execution at both ends show Pittsburgh's formula isn't a fluke. With how future opponents have staggered, the Steelers can take advantage and contend for the AFC North crown, with a 12-win season very possible.
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