In recent years, the Cleveland Browns have found plenty of success when hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers. At this point, seeing the Browns beat their AFC North rivals shouldn't even be much of a surprise.
Divisional games are always complicated. The Steelers are clearly not the team they used to be, and while the Browns are far from perfect, they look like a team on the rise that's trending in the opposite direction as Mike McCarthy's group.
However, it looks like losing to Todd Monken's team has sent the Steelers into a spiral of despair.
McCarthy told reporters that the team was taking a day of self-reflection on Tuesday rather than beginning their team prep for the Colts. Yes, you read that right.
"We need to clean our own house," McCarthy said. "Our house is not clean right now."
Losing to the Browns may have pushed the Steelers closer to their breaking point
This isn't necessarily unprecedented, but let's take a closer look. We're talking about a team already taking days off of practice to take a deep look in the mirror, and we're not even midway through the season.
T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward were both shown venting frustration on the sideline during the Thursday Night Football broadcast. Aaron Rodgers then belittled his head coach on national TV.
Aaron Rodgers to Mike McCarthy: "What the f***? CALL IT."
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 2, 2026
Mike McCarthy: "Fu**ing as*hole." pic.twitter.com/QeMjHrnVWq
For a Browns fan, it doesn't get any sweeter than that.
Perhaps they can't fathom losing to the Browns. Maybe they just can't accept that they're done. They can't grasp the reality that pairing Rodgers with McCarthy was a terrible idea. Or perhaps they can't admit that their once-great defense is now just average.
Maybe it's a combination of all of those things.
For Browns fans, this was as predictable as it was hilarious. Who would've guessed that things would get tense between McCarthy and Rodgers again?
The Steelers are their own worst enemy, and they have no one to blame but themselves for the state of their team. But if losing to the new-look Browns was what they needed to realize that they're not going anywhere and must get back to the drawing board, the Dawg Pound will gladly take the credit.
The black and yellow will soon have to come to terms with a new reality: The Browns are the best team in the division. That's how things are trending in the AFC North at least, with the Browns' young core just getting better and better with each passing week.
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