For the first time in over two decades the Steelers and Browns will square off with both teams at least three games over .500. Since making a return to the NFL in 1999 the once fierce rivalry between Pittsburgh and Cleveland has been one sided.
Now, with the teams a half-game apart in the AFC North, Sunday marks their first big matchup in quite some time. A matchup that Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski says his group will be locked in for.
"It's not real hard," Stefanski said when addressing members of the Pittsburgh media on Wednesday afternoon. "We come to work, keep our heads down and focus at the task at hand."
The task at hand for Stefanski and the Browns is defeating a 4-0 Steelers team that is led by a quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who has yet to lose to Cleveland at Heinz field. Despite the continued struggles on the North Shore, Stefanski recognizes the significance a win in Pittsburgh would have for Browns fans.
"I know it's important to our fans obviously and the fans of Pittsburgh," Stefanski said of the rivalry. "Its a big game. You've got two really good teams playing so I get all of that and we're excited for that. But at the end of the day, we're really focused on playing a good football team and playing our best."
• For the second straight week, the Browns' offense will be without arguably its best player in Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb. While Stefanski acknowledged Chubb's ability to change a game, he says the Browns success in the run game has been a collective effort.
"Nick is a great player so it's never going to be one man that replaces him," Stefanski said. "We feel good about that running back room and understand that it's never a one man show."
• The Browns offense found notable success last week despite going up against the NFL's top ranked defense in the Colts. Stefanski was vocal about this week being no easier task for his offense, speaking highly of the Steelers front seven.
"In terms of the run game versus this front, it's a very stout defensive front. They've got great players across the front seven. They've got safeties that can fill, corners that will tackle and they present a schematic challenge in terms of that 3-4 look.
"They can play great out of their sub four down stuff that they do, they vary their different movements but just with the players they have along front it's going to be a very physical match up."
• Cleveland's success on offense can be largely attributed to the consistently reliable performance up front by its offensive line. Stefanski was reluctant to highlight any individual success by the unit because he claims their united effort as a whole, both on the interior and on the outside has helped his team win four straight.
• One of the main storylines for Sunday can be found on the Browns defense, in All Pro defensive end Myles Garrett. Garrett was of course infamously involved in an altercation with multiple Steelers players in their Nov. 14 contest last season in Cleveland that ended with him being suspended for the remainder of the regular season.
Stefanski, who was was with the Vikings last year during the time of the incident, says both Garrett and the Browns as a whole have moved on from the incident and are just focusing on winning Sunday's game.
"That was something that we addressed really way back when, when I was hired," Stefanski said. "We've moved on. I'll tell you that Myles Garrett has grown as a person. Obviously everybody knows the production that he's providing in the games but he's also providing a ton of leadership for the team and he's doing a nice job."
• While the Browns enter this week with their best record since 1994, they're also a bit banged up.
Safeties Ronnie Harrison (concussion) and Karl Joseph (hamstring) did not participate in Wednesday's practice. Linebacker Jacob Phillips (knee), wide receiver Jarvis Landry (hip/ribs) and guard Wyatt Teller (calf) were also inactive.
Numerous key players for Cleveland on both sides the ball were limited during Wednesday's practice. Quarterback Baker Mayfield (chest), running back Kareem Hunt (thigh) and center JC Tretter (knee) all had an easy day. Three members of the Browns' defensive line -- Sheldon Richardson (elbow), Oliver Vernon (groin), Larry Ogunjobi (abdomen) -- along with linebacker Tae Davis (elbow) were also limited. Defensive tackle Jordon Elliot, who was dealing with an ankle injury, was at full participation on Wednesday.