How do the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers match up statistically heading into Thursday night’s game at FirstEnergy Stadium?
Here are some significant points from the tale of the tape between the two AFC North rivals.
Offense
The Steelers hold the edge in scoring average, 21.4 per game to the Browns’ 19.0.
Perhaps the biggest advantage the Browns have is in running the ball. Nick Chubb and the Cleveland rushing attack ranks 2nd in yards per carry at 5.2. Pittsburgh ranks 28th at just 3.5. In yards per game, the Browns average 123.9 (13th) to the Steelers and their 83.2 (27th).
Neither team is good in the red zone or on third downs. The Browns convert just 31.2 percent of third downs, just below Pittsburgh’s 36.1. Cleveland is better in the red zone, believe it or not, with a 46.7 TD rate to the Steelers’ 39.1 on the season.
Turnovers
One big area where the Steelers hold an advantage is turnovers. Pittsburgh is second in the NFL with 26 forced takeaways. Their overall plus-13 turnover ratio is also second-best (to New England in both categories).
Cleveland sits near the bottom at minus-8 overall. The team has gone two weeks in a row without a giveaway, but a lack of forced turnovers from the defense — just nine on the season, or averaging one per game — hasn’t helped the ratio rise up very high.
Defense
The Browns rank 21st in PPG allowed at 24.6, well below the Steelers at No. 10 in allowing 20.1 points per game.
In pass defense, the Steelers also crack the top 10 with a QB Rating allowed of just 82.8 (6th). Cleveland’s 99.4 QB Rating allowed ranks 22nd. The interceptions for both teams factors in here.
The gap is narrower in yards per pass attempt, where the Steelers still have the advantage, 6.4 to 7.0. Both teams are in the middle of the NFL pack with those figures. Cleveland allows a lower completion percentage, 63.6 to Pittsburgh’s 64.7.
The two teams diverge in run defense. Pittsburgh is a full yard per carry better than the Browns, 3.9 to 4.9.
