Power rankings react quickly to statement games. A big win can launch a team up the list, while a lopsided loss can undo weeks of goodwill in a single afternoon. That is especially true when 2 division rivals meet with 1st place on the line. The Browns found themselves on the wrong end of that swing this week.
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports dropped the Browns 3 spots, from 14th to 17th, in his Week 9 power rankings after their 27-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“The early success went bye-bye in the loss to the Steelers. They were dominated on both sides of the ball, which is not a good look,” Prisco wrote.
The Steelers went the other way. Prisco moved Pittsburgh up 5 spots to 10th and made the win the centerpiece of his rankings, writing that the Steelers did what they always do when they are good: run the ball and sack the quarterback. They ran for 200 yards and sacked Deshaun Watson 8 times, with 7 different players contributing and T.J. Watt leading the way with 2.
That pass rush is a problem for the rest of the division. The Steelers lead the NFL with 26 sacks and rank 4th in scoring defense at 18.0 points per game. Prisco noted that Aaron Rodgers did not have to do much, throwing for 172 yards with an interception, because the running game did the work.
Where the Browns landed is just as telling. They sit behind the 3-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the 4-4 Los Angeles Rams, even though Cleveland beat Tampa Bay in Week 2. They also trail the Cincinnati Bengals, who rose to 5-2 with an overtime win over the Tennessee Titans and now sit ahead of the Browns in the AFC North standings.
Two weeks ago, Prisco predicted the Browns would beat the Titans on a late field goal, and he was right. That formula needs a close game, though, and the Browns trailed by 14 at halftime in Pittsburgh.
At 5-3, Cleveland is still in the playoff race, and these rankings will change quickly. The Steelers have a bye this week before visiting the Bengals, giving the Browns a chance to gain ground with a win in New Orleans on Sunday. A strong response would push them back up the list. Another flat showing would suggest the doubters were right.
NEXT: Browns Legend Calls Out Players After Loss To Steelers
