The Cleveland Browns had a chance to sweep the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. The Steelers shut that door by blowing out the Browns 27-6 in Week 8. The AFC North rivals split the season series, with each team winning at home.

Cleveland trailed 20-6 at halftime, and the offense never found a rhythm. Two turnovers and almost no rushing production meant the Browns couldn’t get anything going on that side of the ball. Pittsburgh never gave them a real chance to win as a result. 

Steelers do the damage on the ground against the Browns

The Browns’ defense had no answer for the Steelers’ rushing attack. Pittsburgh ran for 200 yards, and that was the difference.

Aaron Rodgers threw for only 161 yards, so the Steelers didn’t need much from the passing game. Running back Jaylen Warren carried the load instead, rushing for 143 yards on 17 carries. He was a problem for Cleveland all game.

When an opponent runs the ball that effectively and your offense keeps giving it away, a 14-point halftime deficit feels a lot bigger. The Browns couldn’t keep pace on the scoreboard and couldn’t slow Pittsburgh down long enough to climb back into it.

Todd Monken doesn’t sugarcoat the loss

Browns head coach Todd Monken told it like it is after the game. 

“We certainly earned that,” Monken said of the loss. “We earned that one and we’ve earned being 5-3. We are certainly capable of a hell of a lot better than that. It’s a good learning lesson for this young team that it’s week-to-week and the bottom line is in this league is you speak with your play.”

Monken is spot on that the NFL is a week-to-week league. Cleveland was riding high after back-to-back wins over the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. Now the Browns are on the wrong side of a blowout, and it’s the worst they’ve had to feel since their Week 1 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Browns are a young team, and they’re going to take their lumps this season. Sunday’s loss in Pittsburgh was a clear example of that. Monken’s message makes it clear he expects more, and he’s framing the setback as something this roster can learn from.

Browns head to New Orleans in Week 9

Cleveland stays on the road in Week 9 with a trip to face the New Orleans Saints. It’s a step down in competition from the Steelers. The Saints are 2-5, and they present an opportunity for the Browns to pick up their sixth win.

Additionally, it’s a chance for the Browns to show that the Pittsburgh game was a one-week hiccup rather than a trend. Improving the run defense and protecting the football will be at the top of the list after what happened against the Steelers.

The question now is whether Cleveland can rebound and get back in the win column, or whether this loss kicks off a string of defeats that changes the story of what began as a 5-2 start.