Aaron Rodgers throws for 2 TDs as Steelers continue home dominance of Browns in 23-9 win

PITTSBURGH — Aaron Rodgers knows the Pittsburgh Steelers are hardly a finished product five games into the season.

Yet the parts are starting to come together, and they were on full display over four bruising quarters in a 23-9 victory over Cleveland that made up for in thoroughness what it lacked in aesthetics.

Rodgers threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns without being sacked by Myles Garrett or anyone else. The defense pummeled Cleveland rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, and the Steelers asserted themselves as the class of the injury-ravaged — well, injury-ravaged everywhere but Pittsburgh — AFC North by beating the Browns at home for the 22nd straight time in the regular season.

The playoffs are a long way off. Yet what was once a distant vision has become closer to reality for a team that is starting to look like a contender in what is starting to look like a wide-open AFC.

“That’s where we want to be, and we've put ourselves in the position to start entering the conversation,” Rodgers said before cautioning, “a lot can happen.”

A lot already has. Just not to the Steelers. Pittsburgh, at full strength on defense for the first time since the opener, overwhelmed the Browns while producing six sacks and hitting Gabriel 16 times.

After three wins that weren't decided until the final moments, the Steelers cruised. Pittsburgh never trailed and kept Cleveland out of the end zone while Rodgers threw second-half touchdown passes to Connor Heyward and DK Metcalf as the Steelers turned a rock fight into a bit of a blowout.

“We just had to bow up, and we did," inside linebacker Patrick Queen said. “In AFC North football, nothing is ever guaranteed.”

Well, almost nothing.

Woe and 22

Cleveland, with the exception of a playoff stunner in 2020, remained winless in Pittsburgh since 2003.

Gabriel, a third-round pick who took over for since-traded Joe Flacco last week, didn't turn the ball over but failed to ignite an offense that failed to reach 17 points for the 11th straight time.

Still, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski kept Gabriel in until the end, declining to give rookie Shedeur Sanders — elevated to backup after Flacco was shipped to Cincinnati — a look.

“We know (Gabriel) is tough, he's going to keep fighting,” Stefanski said. “We've just, around him, got to make some plays.”

Gabriel passed for 221 yards but needed 52 attempts to reach that total in the face of a pass rush that seems to be getting better with each week. The Steelers benefited from the return of outside linebacker Alex Highsmith from an ankle injury and defensive back Jalen Ramsey gutting through a hamstring issue that limited him in practice all week.

“Why is it starting to look the way that we desire? We got a full complement of talent,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “When we put this band together, we feel like we can do the things you saw today.”

Efficiency over explosiveness

Pittsburgh didn't exactly tear through the NFL's second-ranked defense. Then again, it didn't have to.

Rodgers kept the chains moving by spreading his 21 completions among eight players. He threw a 12-yard TD pass to Heyward in the third quarter and found Metcalf on a pretty lob to the right corner of the end zone for a 25-yard score early in the fourth that put the game out of reach.

Garrett, Cleveland's star defensive end, will have to wait until the teams meet again the weekend after Christmas to add Rodgers to the list of quarterbacks he's sacked. Steelers left tackle Broderick Jones, making his first start protecting Rodgers' blind side with Garrett lining up across from him, held his own.

“Broderick was drafted to block guys like Myles,” Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth said of Jones, a first-round selection in 2023. “He balled out today.”

Jones and the rest of Pittsburgh's line prevented the Browns from taking Rodgers down even once, as the NFL's oldest active player deftly maneuvered in the pocket and rarely held the ball long enough to put his 41-year-old body in harm's way.

“The game plan going in is we wanted to keep Aaron upright,” center Zach Frazier said. “We know that when we do that, he does great things.”

Rodgers might not move like he used to, and while the deep passing game remains largely nonexistent — on the one downfield shot Rodgers took, the ball fluttered to the ground after falling short of a sprinting Metcalf — it hardly seems to matter.

“When we take care of the football and don’t turn it over, we’re going to have a chance in any game,” Rodgers said.

Especially against Cleveland.

Injuries

Browns: Defensive end Joe Tryon-Shoyinka left with a hip injury and did not return. Tackle Jack Conklin left with a concussion. Wide receiver Gage Larvadain exited in the fourth quarter after taking a shot to the head from Steelers safety DeShon Elliott.

Steelers: Safety and special teams ace Miles Killebrew exited with a knee injury in the first half. Defensive back Darius Slay left with a shoulder injury in the third quarter.

Up next

Browns: Host Miami next Sunday.

Steelers: Visit Cincinnati on Thursday.