CLEVELAND — The Browns moved into first place in the AFC North with a 27-14 Thursday night win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, extending their streak to three games after an opening-week rout had put the season on an uneasy track.
Deshaun Watson powered Cleveland’s early surge, then steadied the offense late enough to set up the deciding field goal after Pittsburgh had cut into a 14-point first-half deficit. The Browns are 3-1, and the response inside the locker room reflected a team that believes it has changed its identity.
Quick facts
- Cleveland beat Pittsburgh 27-14 on Thursday night to claim the AFC North lead at 3-1.
- Watson completed 14 of 17 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown before halftime.
- He added 87 yards on 10-of-16 passing after intermission, with one interception and one fumble.
- Watson has directed a winning drive in each of Cleveland’s past three games, a personal best.
- Brian Sipe is the only other Browns quarterback to produce three straight game-winning drives, doing so in Weeks 1-3 of 1979.
Defensive end Jared Verse said the Browns’ physical approach against their division rival represented something Cleveland fans have not regularly seen.
“This isn’t the old Browns,” Verse said. “There’s a new confidence here. We’re playing more aggressively and attacking more. It’s different, and we’re going to get the whole city going.”
Watson was particularly sharp during a first half in which Cleveland built a 21-10 advantage. He made plays from the pocket and with his legs, offering the kind of performance the franchise expected when it acquired him in 2022.
His Cleveland tenure had previously been interrupted by an 11-game suspension in his first season following allegations of sexual misconduct, as well as multiple injuries. An Achilles tear sidelined Watson for the entire 2025 season.
The second half was less clean. Watson threw an interception, lost a fumble and completed 10 of 16 attempts, but escaped pressure for a key first down and delivered timely throws on the final scoring march.
That finish came more than a month after Watson heard boos from Cleveland fans during a preseason game and responded angrily afterward. This time, the home crowd celebrated as the Browns closed out a major divisional result under the lights.
“It was electric,” Watson said. “You could feel it from pregame introductions all the way through. The crowd brought energy, and we fed off it. Winning a primetime division game is what you put in all that offseason and training-camp work for.”
Coach Todd Monken said Cleveland’s recovery from the Week 1 loss has been driven by the players’ willingness to stay with the process rather than panic.
“Opening day was rough in nearly every phase,” Monken said. “Our guys got hit with it, but they answered. Seeing that locker room celebrate afterward was special. It was a huge division win.”
Watson’s current streak puts him alongside Sipe in a narrow piece of team history. Sipe’s three consecutive winning drives came during a 1979 season that ended with him third in MVP voting.
Cleveland has reached the playoffs only three times since returning to the NFL in 1999. Baker Mayfield helped end the franchise’s postseason drought in 2020, while Joe Flacco guided the Browns back to the playoffs in 2023.
This roster has a younger core around Verse and a defense that has played with stinginess and edge. Wide receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion, along with resurgent running back Quinshon Judkins, have added to the sense that this club may have more staying power than previous brief rises.
Monken, however, stressed that Cleveland has only three wins and plenty to correct. With a favorable remaining schedule, the Browns could remain a factor in the AFC if Watson continues to deliver in late-game situations.
“It is only three wins,” Monken said. “There are still areas where we need to improve, and we will because these players are humble and hungry. The next game matters, and that is where we want to be — playing meaningful games for our fans every week.”
