Pittsburgh Steelers trying to wrap up AFC North against Cleveland Browns
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CLEVELAND -- Aaron Rodgers doesn't plan on changing his sleep schedule Saturday night, even though his Pittsburgh Steelers could wrap up a division title without playing.
If the Green Bay Packers -- Rodgers' former team -- beat the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers (9-6) would secure their first AFC North title since 2020, making Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns (3-12) essentially meaningless.
Rodgers said he won't change his approach, even if the Steelers have a playoff spot wrapped up before kickoff.
"I'm preparing to play and excited about playing," he said.
Pittsburgh, which has won three straight to wrap up its 19th straight winning season, is likely to finish as the AFC's fourth seed. The Steelers would need to beat Cleveland and Baltimore next week along with Jacksonville and Houston losing out to have a chance of improving their position.
If Pittsburgh wins the AFC North, it would be Rodgers' ninth division title as a starting quarterback. That would tie him with Joe Montana for third most. Tom Brady leads with 19 and Peyton Manning had 12.
One thing the Browns have to play for is Myles Garrett's pursuit of the single-season NFL sack record. Garrett has 22 and needs one to surpass Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt's mark of 22¢.
Watt, the Steelers' star pass rusher, will miss a third straight game as he recovers from surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung.
Garrett has faced Rodgers twice and has not sacked him. Breaking the record and making Rodgers the 52nd player Garrett has sacked would be special for the All-Pro pass rusher.
"He's legendary himself and it's a legendary record. I'm here to chase him. That would be a great one to put a picture on the wall with," Garrett said. "He's going to make it difficult, but I feel like I am very capable of fighting through everything and have some teammates who can free me up."
Rodgers has been pressured on a league-low 21.9% of his dropbacks. He has the league's quickest release, averaging just 2.63 seconds to throw.
"You're not going to fool a player of that caliber who has seen so much defense," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. "You feel at times watching the tape that he's one step ahead of the defense. He's able to see things so quickly."
Steelers missing suspended Metcalf
The Steelers will be without top wide receiver DK Metcalf, who has been suspended for Pittsburgh's final two games following an altercation with a fan at Detroit last week.
Metcalf will finish the season with a career-low 850 yards receiving, and his 59 catches are his fewest since his rookie year with Seattle in 2019. But his presence on the field creates opportunities for teammates.
Now those teammates, including recently signed veterans Adam Thielen and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, will have a chance to prove Pittsburgh's passing attack is more than a one-man show. It helps that Rodgers spreads the ball around. Eleven Steelers have touchdown catches this season, tied for most in the league.
"I think there's a lot of guys on this offense that can make plays," Thielen said. "Whether it's the tight end room, I think there's a lot of versatility there. Running back room … and then in the receiver room, just a lot of guys that can do a lot of different things."
More injury woes for Browns
Cleveland rookie QB Shedeur Sanders was already going into the game short-handed after running back Quinshon Judkins suffering a season-ending leg injury last week against Buffalo. Now, he might be without his leading receiver.
Tight end Harold Fannin suffered a groin injury during Friday's practice. Fannin had touchdowns rushing and receiving last week. He leads NFL rookies in catches (70), is tied for third in touchdown receptions (five) and is fourth in receiving yards (701).
Stefanski said Fannin is likely to be a game-time decision.
Dillon Gabriel suffered a shoulder injury on Friday, meaning Bailey Zappe could be called up from the practice squad to back up Sanders.
Steelers' Warren and Gainwell support each other
Pittsburgh's running back tandem of Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell has become one of the best duos in the league, combining for 15 touchdowns and more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage.
While the Steelers gave Warren a modest contract extension just before the start of the season, there really is no definitive first-string running back, which is just the way offensive coordinator Arthur Smith likes it.
"There's a lot of trust in those players," Smith said.
Warren and Gainwell -- who signed a one-year deal last spring after spending four seasons in Philadelphia -- are quick to celebrate each other's accomplishments, and their team-first attitude has permeated an offense that might be the most democratic in the league. Eight players have at least 150 yards from scrimmage for Pittsburgh this season.
Steelers at Browns
Records: Steelers (9-6); Browns (3-12)
TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
BetMGM NFL odds: Steelers by 3
Against the spread: Steelers 8-6-1; Browns 6-9
Series record: Steelers lead 83-64-1
Last meeting: Steelers won 23-9 on Oct. 12 at Pittsburgh
Last week: Steelers beat Lions 29-24; Browns lost to Bills 23-20
Steelers offense: overall (27), rush (26), pass (21), scoring (11)
Steelers defense: overall (28), rush (15), pass (30), scoring (17)
Browns offense: overall (30), rush (28), pass (30), scoring (31)
Browns defense: overall (2), rush (14), pass (1), scoring (20)
Turnover differential: Steelers plus-9; Browns minus-6
Steelers player to watch: RB Kenny Gainwell. "Kenny G" is hitting all the right notes during Pittsburgh's three-game winning streak. The versatile five-year veteran is averaging nearly 100 yards from scrimmage during the Steelers' late-season surge. Gainwell's 62 receptions also lead the team, and they're not just checkdowns. Just look at his diving one-armed grab on a 45-yard touchdown late in the first half last week against Detroit as proof.
Browns player to watch: DE Myles Garrett. With 22 sacks, the All-Pro pass rusher needs one to pass the single-season record held by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan (2001 with the New York Giants) and Pittsburgh's TJ Watt (2021). Garrett, who also leads the league with 32 tackles for a loss, has never sacked Aaron Rodgers in two meetings.
Key matchup: Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers vs. Garrett. Rodgers has been pressured on a league-low 21.9% of his drop-backs this season. He's averages 2.63 seconds to throw, the fastest in the league. Garrett has not sacked Rodgers the two times he has faced him and has had only four quarterback pressures.
Key injuries: Steelers: LB T.J. Watt will miss a third straight game as he recovers from surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung. … WR Calvin Austin III (groin), LG Isaac Seumalo (triceps), CB Brandin Echols (groin) and CB James Pierre (calf) have also been ruled out. … LB Nick Herbig (hamstring) could return after missing the win over Detroit Browns: RB Quinshon Judkins (leg) was placed on injured reserve after undergoing surgery on Tuesday. … TE Harold Fannin Jr. (groin) and QB Dillon Gabriel (shoulder) were injured in practice on Friday and are likely to be game-time decisions. … TE David Njoku (knee) has not practiced this week and will miss his third straight game. … CB Denzel Ward (calf) is expected to return to the lineup after missing the past two weeks. … RB Dylan Sampson's (hand) status is uncertain.
Series notes: The Steelers have dominated the Browns since Cleveland's return to the NFL in 1999, but Pittsburgh has found the going a little rough on the road lately when playing its oldest rival. Cleveland has won 5 of 6 at Huntington Bank Field against Pittsburgh, including three straight. … The Browns are 4-1 against the Steelers in December. Pittsburgh's last visit to Cleveland in December came in 2009, a 13-6 Browns victory. … Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers is 4-0 all time against the Browns, throwing for 11 touchdowns without a pick.
Stats and stuff: Pittsburgh has won three straight to take control of the AFC North with two weeks to go. The Steelers can clinch their first AFC North title since 2020 this weekend with a win or a Ravens loss to Green Bay. … Pittsburgh will have to do it without star receiver DK Metcalf, who has been suspended for the team's final two games following an in-game altercation with a fan in Detroit. … Pittsburgh is 6-2 all time in division-clinching games under Mike Tomlin. … Tomlin is one win shy of tying Hall of Famer Chuck Noll for the most regular-season victories in franchise history. Noll's 193 regular-season wins rank ninth all time. Seven of the eight men ahead of Tomlin and Noll on the list are either in the Hall of Fame or will be (Andy Reid, Bill Belichick). … Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers has bounced back strong after a dismal performance against Buffalo on Nov. 30. The 42-year-old has completed 73 of 102 passes for 774 yards with five touchdowns and no picks during Pittsburgh's three-game winning streak. … Eleven different players have caught touchdown passes this season for the Steelers, tied with Tampa Bay for the most in the league. … The Steelers are 52-15 when facing rookie quarterbacks since 1970, including a victory over Cleveland on Oct. 12 when Dillion Gabriel started for the Browns. Cleveland QB Shedeur Sanders will be the third different rookie to face Pittsburgh in the past five meetings between the longtime division rivals. … QB Sanders is 1-4 as the Browns' starting QB. He has six touchdown passes and eight interceptions on the season.