CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns are alone atop the AFC North at 3-1 after a Thursday night victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, their first time in sole possession of first place in the division since November 9, 2014. Cleveland will hold that spot at least for another day, with Cincinnati facing Jacksonville and Baltimore facing Tennessee still to come. The fast start has left the Browns buzzing heading into a stress-free weekend.
The win came with a cost on defense. An update on Mason Graham's knee injury indicates the news is better than expected, but Cleveland will still be without its top defensive lineman for a while. The defense feasted Thursday night against Pittsburgh, a performance highlighted in postgame winners and losers reviews that also flagged ongoing penalty issues.
Special teams provided a clear bright spot. Andre Szmyt is being credited as the answer at kicker the Browns have sought since Phil Dawson, a notable turnaround after calls to cut Szmyt following one bad outing as a rookie in 2025. Dawson also endured a rough start to his tenure in Cleveland before establishing himself, a parallel noted in local coverage. The Browns are also winning with Deshaun Watson at quarterback during the 3-1 start.
The focus now turns to sustainability. Analysis around the team points to winning because of the "And" needed in football — players, not just plays, and playing as a team — while a second-quarter schedule lookahead suggests Cleveland likes its chances over the next four games. For now, the Browns can enjoy the position before the division picture clarifies.