Steelers/Browns 'rivalry' discussion

[74_75_78_79_]

It's only a rivalry if both teams actually take turns beating one another (especially on the road) on an almost-yearly basis. It actually has hardly been the case historically for the two franchises. Of course in the beginning - '50s & '60s - Cleveland owned the 'Burgh. The same applies to the second half of the '80s - the 'grand finale'/peak of it all being...51-0! Other than that, the Steelers have pretty much had their way with the Browns for the most part. Even in both '94 and also '02 when both teams made the playoffs (a rare occurrence, it seems), the result was the 'Burgh threeping Cleveland each time!

Steelers got themselves a brand-new 'instant'-rivalry with the Jags as the Browns were on their brief hiatus. And then as the Browns (in name, at least) re-entered, and as the Jags were on their way out of the division, the Ravens (the same exact...'DNA' as the old Browns) clearly became the Steelers' main-rival and pretty much has been ever since. Heck, if only Modell would have never left at all, the Steelers/Browns would have very well been that very true-blue rivalry these past twenty years that they always should have been!

Of course there were some moments of both teams being good at the same time other than what I mentioned first paragraph ('94, '02). Hardly anything comes to mind pre-Noll ('63?). I did also mention '51-0' in that first paragraph, and of course the 'Burgh got their revenge, at Cleveland, five weeks later, 17-7. Both, of course, made the playoffs and almost squared-off in a rubber-band AFCC showdown which clearly would have gone down as a notably historic matchup between both! In 1980, though the Browns finally made the playoffs again whereas the 'Burgh did not, there was enough division-race suspense renewed when the Steelers at home in Week #11 won their third-straight by avenging their loss to them weeks earlier.

I think of '76 as well. I only recently knew that Forrest Gregg was actually the Browns' HC that year (one who, sure enough, would assist in reminding us all that the Steel Dynasty was now over in each of his first two years at Cincy's helm)! Both teams got off to bad, 1-3, starts that year; and then had to play each other in Week #5 with Gregg's gang toppling the two-time-defending-Champs, avenging Week #2's loss to them! Now, granted, a Browns win in the finale at KC would still not have qualified them for the playoffs. Still, as the Steelers embarked on their 9-0 Monster rally/finish, the Browns (who did lose at Cincy in Week #8; both with same record again) kept up with the 'Burgh toe-to-toe, week-by-week until that very finale! An underrated notable, to me, in this overall series.

4-1 Browns at 4-0 Steelers, this Sunday (it didn't even occur to me that since first following the game in 1980, that it's the Steelers' first 4-0 start since... ...I would have assumed it happened maybe two or three times within the past forty years)! Nice if their next affair, the season finale, may have some implications!


Thoughts? Further commentary?

[BD Sullivan]

From 1986-89, the Browns were 4-0 in Pittsburgh. For every other year since 1970, the Steelers have a record of 43-2 in the series when playing in Pittsburgh. Probably the most ironic thing about that latter record is that one of those wins for the Browns was the "new" version's first win in 1999--when the Browns were in the same category as the 76 Bucs. The Browns only win at Heinz was in 2002.

[nicefellow31]

This is from an old Monday Night Countdown on ESPN talking about the The Three Rivers Jinx

https://youtu.be/YNCP4i4QK1M?t=135

[sluggermatt15]

From 1986-89, the Browns were 4-0 in Pittsburgh. For every other year since 1970, the Steelers have a record of 43-2 in the series when playing in Pittsburgh. Probably the most ironic thing about that latter record is that one of those wins for the Browns was the "new" version's first win in 1999--when the Browns were in the same category as the 76 Bucs. The Browns only win at Heinz was in 2002.

It was in 2003 when the Steelers went 6-10.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... 050pit.htm