Primetime slots are one of the clearest signs of how the NFL views a team. The league wants its biggest stages to feature the most compelling matchups, and flexible scheduling gives it a way to suddenly move games that carry more weight than expected. For most of the last decade, the Browns were rarely part of those conversations. That changed this week.
Rob Tornoe of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Browns’ Week 8 visit to Pittsburgh was heavily considered for Sunday Night Football.
“The NFL decided not to reschedule Tuesday’s Bird Week 8 matchup with the Washington Chiefs (1-4-1) on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. However, the NFL is strongly considering rescheduling the AFC North matchup between the Cleveland Browns (4-2) at Pittsburgh and CBS,” Tornoe wrote.
It’s easy to see why the league is being tested. The Philadelphia Eagles have lost 4 straight games and Washington is 1-4-1, while the Browns-Steelers are tied for 1st place in the most competitive division in football.
The Browns remained in the window for the afternoon, but just being part of the discussion speaks volumes. When the schedule came out, their Week 4 Thursday night game against Pittsburgh was the only primetime appearance on the schedule, reflecting how little the league expected of them.
The match itself has multiple storylines. The Browns won the opener 27-24 on Andre Szmyt’s 56-yard field goal, and Jared Verse made it clear afterward that he was looking forward to seeing the Steelers again after calling for double teams and extra activity after the whistle.
Stakes are also important. Cleveland, Pittsburgh and the Baltimore Ravens are all 4-2, and the Browns hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over both. A win at Acrisure Stadium would complete a season sweep of the Steelers and strengthen Cleveland’s grip on the division.
History will work against them. The Browns haven’t won a regular season game in Pittsburgh since 2003, though they won a Wild Card game there after the 2020 season.
After rallying from 13 points down to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in overtime on Sunday, the Steelers have their momentum. Aaron Rodgers threw for 299 yards in the opener against Cleveland, and Pittsburgh will look to even the series.
Before that, the Browns have to take care of the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Keeping pace in this division leaves no room to look ahead.
The league may have postponed this Sunday night rematch, but it will not go unnoticed. If both teams get their act together in Week 7, the game between the top 2 teams in the AFC North could be one of the most important games of the week no matter when it starts.
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