CLEVELAND — Three weeks into the season, the Browns and Steelers find themselves in almost exactly the same place.

Both enter Thursday night at 2-1. Both are coming off wins. And both have an opportunity to take control of the AFC North, at least for the moment, with a victory at Huntington Bank Field.

Cleveland has won two straight after opening the season with a loss at Jacksonville, while Pittsburgh bounced back from a Week 2 loss to New England by beating Cincinnati 30-27 on Sunday. Aaron Rodgers threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns in that win, reminding everyone that even at 42 years old, he remains capable of taking over a game when given time.

That is where this matchup gets interesting.

Pittsburgh still has one of the most dangerous defensive fronts in football, led by T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Cameron Heyward, and Derrick Harmon. Watt has 3.5 sacks through three games, while Highsmith has three, and the Browns will be facing that group without starting center Elgton Jenkins or right guard Teven Jenkins.

Meanwhile, Cleveland’s own defensive front has shown flashes of becoming the strength of the team. Mason Graham has four sacks through three games, while Jared Verse and the rest of the front have consistently created pressure.

Thursday night may come down to which line controls the game.  In other words, it'll be AFC North football.

Players to Watch

• The Offensive Line — This is about as difficult a matchup as an offensive line can draw on a short week. Watt and Highsmith can wreck a game off the edges, Heyward remains one of the league’s premier interior defenders, and Harmon has already shown an ability to make plays. Cleveland will also be without Elgton Jenkins at center and Teven Jenkins at guard, meaning Luke Wypler is expected to start in the middle. The Browns will not completely neutralize Pittsburgh’s pass rush, but they cannot allow Watson to spend the evening running for his life. If the line can keep the pocket reasonably clean and create enough room for Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland should have opportunities offensively.

• The Defensive Line — The priority has to begin with stopping the run. Jaylen Warren has rushed for 216 yards through three games while averaging 4.7 yards per carry, and Pittsburgh was way more effective on the ground against Cincinnati than it had been during the first two weeks. If Cleveland can handle the running game without committing extra bodies, it can turn its attention toward Rodgers. That is where Graham, Verse, and the rest of the front become critical. Rodgers still has one of the quickest releases in football, so pressure needs to arrive quickly and consistently. The Browns cannot allow him to stand comfortably in the pocket and pick apart the secondary.

• Deshaun Watson — Watson does not need to be spectacular Thursday night. He needs to be clean. He has thrown multiple touchdowns without a turnover in each of Cleveland’s last two victories, and that formula is exactly what the Browns need against Pittsburgh. The other part of his game that could matter is his legs. Watson rushed 11 times for 45 yards against Carolina and showed that he can still punish defenses when lanes open. Against a Pittsburgh front that will be aggressive getting after him, using his legs on scrambles and designed movement could keep the Steelers honest and extend drives. Protect the football, take the yards that are available, and make Pittsburgh defend sideline-to-sideline.

Game Information

Notes

• Cleveland and Pittsburgh both enter Thursday night at 2-1.
• The Browns have won four straight home games against Pittsburgh and six of the last seven meetings in Cleveland.
• Watson is coming off a 16-of-30 performance for 144 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina, along with 45 rushing yards.
• Rodgers has thrown for 700 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions through three games.
• Watt has 3.5 sacks this season, while Highsmith has three.
• Center Elgton Jenkins and guard Teven Jenkins are out for Cleveland. Luke Wypler is expected to start at center.
• Pittsburgh running back Rico Dowdle is out, while cornerback Jalen Ramsey is questionable with a wrist injury.

Prediction

This feels like exactly what a Browns-Steelers game usually becomes.

Ugly. Physical. Close.

Pittsburgh’s front is dangerous enough to create problems for a Cleveland offensive line that is already shorthanded, and Rodgers showed against Cincinnati that he can still make a defense pay when given time.

The Browns’ road to victory is pretty straightforward here: Protect Watson well enough to keep the offense functional, avoid the turnovers that can hand Pittsburgh easy points, and let Cleveland’s defensive front control the other side of the game. If Graham and company can slow Warren early, they should get opportunities to pressure Rodgers in obvious passing situations.

Watson also needs to continue using his legs. He does not have to become a running quarterback, but five or six productive scrambles can change how aggressively Pittsburgh attacks him.  And maybe just as important, use his legs to evade a sack here and there and keep Cleveland ahead of the sticks.

Cleveland has played cleaner football over the last two weeks, and at home, in a rivalry game, that is enough to make the difference.

Final Score: Browns 20, Steelers 17