It was likely just a matter of time before the Cleveland Browns’ offensive line would face a challenge it just could not handle. It had been holding its own as it continued to build chemistry as a brand-new unit with some moving parts, but with the Pittsburgh Steelers hell-bent on revenge in Week 8, it was too much to overcome in a discouraging 27-6 loss on Sunday.
The Steelers’ usually formidable defensive line had been struggling itself, ranking near the bottom of the league in pass-rushing metrics. But the Browns were not able to keep them down any longer.
The stats show how the Browns struggled in the trenches against the Steelers, allowing quick pressure on quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was sacked eight times.
“From ESPN Analytics/NFL Next Gen Stats: The Steelers recorded their best pass rush win rate of the season against the Browns, defeating their blocks within 2.5 seconds 69% of the time. Over the first seven weeks of the season, Pittsburgh’s 43% pass rush win rate was the third worst in the NFL,” Daniel Oyefusi posted.
From ESPN Analytics/NFL Next Gen Stats: The Steelers recorded their best pass rush win rate of the season against the Browns, defeating their blocks within 2.5 seconds 69% of the time.
Â
Over the first seven weeks of the season, Pittsburgh's 43% pass rush win rate was the third…— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) November 2, 2026
This was the second eight-sack game allowed by Cleveland this season, equaling the number it gave up to the New York Jets in a 17-12 loss in Week 5. Both of those games were on the road, and they are the Browns’ only two losses in their past seven outings.
The left side of the line particularly struggled, with guard Zion Johnson allowing five pressures and two sacks, and rookie tackle Spencer Fano giving up eight pressures and one sack in what was the worst game of his brief NFL career. It was particularly glaring after he fared very well against Pittsburgh pass rushers in Cleveland’s 27-24 win in Week 4.
Rookie right guard Austin Barber also gave up three pressures. Fano had three penalties, with right tackle Tytus Howard and center Elgton Jenkins committing one each, with four holding penalties among them.
On top of that, the Browns managed to gain just 34 yards on the ground after they looked to turn the corner in that area in their 27-24 Week 7 win against the Tennessee Titans. Lead back Quinshon Judkins was held to 2.3 yards per carry on 11 attempts and ceded snaps to Dylan Sampson.
While it would be a good idea to just chalk this game up as a very bad day, the Browns need to closely examine what went wrong up front and fix it before going back on the road to play the New Orleans Saints in Week 9.
NEXT: Browns’ Backfield Usage Took A Surprising Turn In Pittsburgh
