\n\t\t\t\t\t\t Aaron Rodgers is no stranger to rivalries. The four-time MVP spent nearly two decades in Green Bay, where he led the Packers past the Chicago Bears so often he once famously \u2014 or notoriously, depending on your perspective \u2014 proclaimed part ownership of one of the league\u2019s original franchises.So yeah, Rodgers kind of knows what he\u2019s getting into when the longstanding feud between Pittsburgh and Cleveland renews on Sunday as the Steelers (3-1) host the Browns (1-4) with a chance to take firm control of the AFC North.As it was when the Packers and Bears faced off, Rodgers has come to learn that when it comes to Pittsburgh and the Browns, \u201cthe hatred goes both ways.\u201dEven if the results in Pittsburgh do not.The Steelers have won every regular-season meeting with Cleveland at Acrisure Stadium since 2004 \u2014 with the notable exception of Cleveland\u2019s first-round playoff stunner in 2020 \u2014 a streak so long it predates the 41-year-old Rodgers\u2019 arrival in the NFL.Not that Pittsburgh is taking anything for granted, even with the Steelers emerging as the early front-runner in the injury-ravaged AFC North. Pittsburgh put some distance between itself and the rest of the division without even taking a snap last week when Cleveland, Cincinnati and Baltimore all lost.All the good vibes, however, can be ruined by a misstep on Sunday, even if coach Mike Tomlin\u2019s next regular-season home loss to the Browns will be his first. It\u2019s why he brushed aside any talk about \u201cmomentum.\u201d\u201cI\u2019m just worried about getting better,\u201d Tomlin said. \u201cI think that\u2019s the spirit with which we should move. At the early stages of the year, it\u2019s about getting better week in and week out. Momentum is secondary.\u201dMaybe, but the Steelers have managed to survive without playing close to their best. The defense has been opportunistic but also uncharacteristically leaky. Rodgers and the offense have shown flashes but have plenty of work to do.For Tomlin, it\u2019s the best of both worlds. His team is winning while not always playing like a winner. It\u2019s enough to keep the Steelers\u2019 attention against an opponent whose colors are familiar but whose quarterback keeps changing.Dillon Gabriel will make the second start of his career for the now Joe Flacco-less Browns. The rookie was solid if unspectacular last week in his debut, a loss to Minnesota in London. Now he finds himself going against one of the most experienced defenses in the NFL in a place where the Browns have won just once since he was a toddler.While Browns coach Kevin Stefanski \u2014 who notably was home dealing with COVID-19 when Cleveland beat Pittsburgh in the first round of the 2020 playoffs \u2014 understands the weight of that history, he also knows it\u2019s not Gabriel\u2019s to carry.\u201cIt\u2019s the past,\u201d Stefanski said. \u201cDoesn\u2019t really matter. What\u2019s in front is what matters.\u201dEdge of 17 Gabriel avoided major mistakes against the Vikings while completing 19 of 33 for 190 yards and two scores. He received a boost from rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, who ran for 110 yards and added 18 yards receiving.As promising as it all was, however, Cleveland still managed just 17 points, the 10th straight game in which the Browns have scored 17 or fewer.While Cleveland might have the league\u2019s second-ranked defense, it\u2019s going to need a little help if the Browns want to make progress during what is threatening to be a repeat of 2024, when they trudged to a 3-14 mark.\u201cIt is hard to score points, of course, but you know, that\u2019s our job,\u201d Gabriel said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to find ways to do that and do it at a higher clip.\u201dAnother QB for GarrettCleveland defensive end Myles Garrett has sacked 46 quarterbacks in his nine NFL seasons. He will be looking to add Rodgers to the list on Sunday.While the perennial All-Pro has 13 sacks in 15 games against the Steelers, he\u2019s faced Rodgers just once, when Rodgers was with Green Bay in 2021.Rodgers has seen enough of Garrett to call him a \u201cHall of Famer,\u201d and understands the best thing he can do to keep Garrett at bay is get the ball out of his hands quickly.\u201c(Garrett) is one of the few players in the league, over my 21 years, that you game-plan for,\u201d Rodgers said. \u201cMyles is a special talent. Has been since his first year in the league, and he\u2019s a game-wrecker.\u201dGarrett will likely spend most of the day lined up against Steelers left tackle Broderick Jones. The former first-round pick is off to a rocky start after moving to the left side, and will likely get help from tight end Darnell Washington and reserve lineman Spencer Anderson, who saw plenty of time in a \u201cjumbo\u201d package against the Vikings.\u201cHe\u2019s a freak of nature,\u201d Jones said of Garrett. \u201cSo you got to do everything you can to slow him down. He\u2019s trying to keep a lid on him. I guess that\u2019s the right way to say it.\u201d\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\tPITTSBURGH \u2014 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Aaron Rodgers<\/a> is no stranger to rivalries. The four-time MVP spent nearly two decades in Green Bay, where he led the Packers past the Chicago Bears so often he once famously \u2014 or notoriously, depending on your perspective \u2014 proclaimed part ownership<\/a> of one of the league\u2019s original franchises.<\/p>\n So yeah, Rodgers kind of knows what he\u2019s getting into when the longstanding feud between Pittsburgh and Cleveland renews on Sunday as the Steelers<\/a> (3-1) host the Browns (1-4)<\/a> with a chance to take firm control of the AFC North.<\/p>\n As it was when the Packers and Bears faced off, Rodgers has come to learn that when it comes to Pittsburgh and the Browns, \u201cthe hatred goes both ways.\u201d<\/p>\n Even if the results in Pittsburgh do not.<\/p>\n The Steelers have won every regular-season meeting with Cleveland at Acrisure Stadium since 2004 \u2014 with the notable exception of Cleveland\u2019s first-round playoff stunner<\/a> in 2020 \u2014 a streak so long it predates the 41-year-old Rodgers\u2019 arrival in the NFL.<\/p>\n Not that Pittsburgh is taking anything for granted, even with the Steelers emerging as the early front-runner in the injury-ravaged AFC North. Pittsburgh put some distance between itself and the rest of the division without even taking a snap last week when Cleveland, Cincinnati and Baltimore all lost.<\/p>\n All the good vibes, however, can be ruined by a misstep on Sunday, even if coach Mike Tomlin\u2019s next regular-season home loss to the Browns will be his first. It\u2019s why he brushed aside any talk about \u201cmomentum.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just worried about getting better,\u201d Tomlin said. \u201cI think that\u2019s the spirit with which we should move. At the early stages of the year, it\u2019s about getting better week in and week out. Momentum is secondary.\u201d<\/p>\n Maybe, but the Steelers have managed to survive without playing close to their best<\/a>. The defense has been opportunistic but also uncharacteristically leaky. Rodgers and the offense have shown flashes but have plenty of work to do.<\/p>\n For Tomlin, it\u2019s the best of both worlds. His team is winning while not always playing like a winner. It\u2019s enough to keep the Steelers\u2019 attention against an opponent whose colors are familiar but whose quarterback keeps changing.<\/p>\n Dillon Gabriel will make the second start of his career for the now Joe Flacco-less Browns<\/a>. The rookie was solid if unspectacular last week in his debut, a loss to Minnesota in London. Now he finds himself going against one of the most experienced defenses in the NFL in a place where the Browns have won just once since he was a toddler.<\/p>\n While Browns coach Kevin Stefanski \u2014 who notably was home dealing with COVID-19 when Cleveland beat Pittsburgh in the first round of the 2020 playoffs \u2014 understands the weight of that history, he also knows it\u2019s not Gabriel\u2019s to carry.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the past,\u201d Stefanski said. \u201cDoesn\u2019t really matter. What\u2019s in front is what matters.\u201d<\/p>\n Edge of 17 <\/p>\n