Welcome to the AFC North, Aaron Rodgers. While Rodgers has played the division before in his 21-year NFL career, it’s his first time being part of the Steelers-Browns rivalry that has been closer than you might think in recent years. Splitting the regular-season series each of the last three years, the Browns’ tough defense won’t make life easy on Rodgers this weekend. Cam Newton believes it’s the first true test of evaluating Rodgers’ game.
“Your Pittsburgh Steelers have their real first matchup of the year that we are really excited about,” Newton told noted Steelers fan Stephen A. Smith Friday morning on ESPN’s First Take. “And we’re gonna see if they’re fit for it.”
Smith took umbrage with Newton’s point, pointing to Rodgers already facing and beating Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings and Aaron Glenn and the New York Jets this season. It’s also worth mentioning the Steelers’ matchup against Mike Vrabel’s New England Patriots, a team that knocked off the Buffalo Bills last weekend.
Whether or not it’s fair to call this Rodgers’ “real first matchup” of the season isn’t the point. What matters is Cleveland has a strong defense with talent at every level. A tremendous pass rush led by Myles Garrett but now featuring more complementary rushers. Defensive tackle Maliek Collins has 3.5 sacks while first-rounder Mason Graham has clogged the middle. A linebacker in Carson Schwesinger leading all rookies in tackles. A top-flight corner in Denzel Ward and new addition Tyson Campbell, acquired from Jacksonville days ago.
Cleveland ranks *just* 22nd in points allowed but held Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals to 17, Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers to 10, and nearly beat the Minnesota Vikings before relenting on a final touchdown drive in London. Cleveland’s run defense is No. 1 in the league, which could put pressure on Rodgers to make plays.
“Let’s see what they’re gonna do,” Newton said. “Versus a real competitor on defense that Cleveland Browns poses for them.”
For his career, Rodgers is 8-3 against the AFC North (Cincinnati, Cleveland, Baltimore) and a perfect 3-0 versus the Browns. But he’s also only played Cleveland once in the last decade, a 24-22 win in 2021 while a member of the Green Bay Packers. A close game that didn’t see a lot of points. That figures to be how Sunday’s game will go down, hopefully with the same result of a victory to push the Steelers to 4-1.
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