In 2020, the rivalry is back for the Browns and Steelers
The historic rivalry between the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers is back on in 2020.
The Cleveland Browns have not been a worthy opponent for the Pittsburgh Steelers since returning to the NFL in 1999. The Steelers went 16-3-1 last decade after a mark of 18-3 in the 2000s.
Yet the Browns did pick up a win over Pittsburgh last season in a game infamous for Myles Garrett slamming a helmet on Mason Rudolph’s head. That spoiled the victory and summed up a disappointing season in Cleveland. A win over a rival couldn’t even be done properly.
That win came without Ben Roethlisberger under center, so it was tainted in that way as well. Big Ben in back in 2020 at a time when the Browns have assembled what appears to be the team’s best roster in decades. The rivalry is officially back on without any asterisks.
It's been over 20 years since the Browns returned to Cleveland and Ben Roethlisberger is still the winningest QB on their field. https://t.co/3cTLkNBYKQ
— J B (@JBninesix) July 2, 2020
The Browns are looking to copy the Steelers’ success.
The Steelers have basically been able to chalk up two automatic wins against the Browns each season since 1999. That is why last year’s victory for the Browns was so special, before all the fighting at the end of the game.
Browns’ fans have seen the Steelers model work to perfection and it appears a great plan is in place. Baker Mayfield is a competent quarterback who is already ninth in passing yards in team history. A full season should get him into sixth place behind Tim Couch, another player who was tortured by the Steelers.
There is the elite running back in Nick Chubb as well. His success makes it easy to forget that Kareem Hunt is his backup. Hunt should see time at receiver this season after being terribly misused by Freddie Kitchens in 2019.
And then there are the star receivers in Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. Both players were also negatively impacted by Kitchens’ offense in 2019 and are looking to rebound under first-year head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Mike Tomlin takes his fair share of criticism from Steelers fans, but he still hasn’t had one losing season since taking the job in 2007. His worst record of 8-8 sounds great to Browns’ fans after so much losing.
Stefanski coming in and going 8-8 in his first season would be quite the turnaround for the franchise. Even getting a win over the Steelers would make him an instant hero in town.
The Steelers are approaching a transition.
The Browns are finally getting good, on paper, when the Steelers are nearing the end of an era. Roethlisberger has two years left on his deal and both James Conner and Juju Smith-Schuster may not be retained beyond this season.
Pittsburgh may be approaching a rebuilding phase of its own with the difference being there is a better front office structure in place to avoid a total collapse.
But for now, the Steelers remain playoff contenders and the Browns finally appear to have some structure in place. It is only fitting the two teams may only be on the same level for a year or two. Steelers fans may not foresee a scenario in which the Browns are the dominant of the two.
Next. 5 reasons Browns can win with Baker Mayfield in 2020. dark
That may end up being the reality if the team can finally turn things around after two terrible decades.