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NFL·ANALYSIS·October 28, 2026 07:55 AM ET

Browns carry 5-2 record to Pittsburgh seeking first road win over Steelers since 2003

Cleveland also places DT Kalia Davis on season-ending IR.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 47m2 min read
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What happened: The Cleveland Browns head into Sunday's AFC North road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on a two-game winning streak after defeating the Tennessee Titans 27-24 on Oct. 25. First-round wide receiver Kc Concepcion earned one of four NFL Rookie of the Week nominations following the Week 7 victory, which also featured a rushing boost from running back Dylan Sampson against 1-6 Tennessee. In midweek roster moves, Cleveland signed defensive end Nadame Tucker to the practice squad while defensive tackle Kalia Davis remained on injured reserve for the rest of the 2026 season after his 21-day practice window expired Tuesday.

Why it matters: Sunday's matchup pits the AFC's No. 3 seed against the No. 6 seed, with Pittsburgh holding an identical 5-2 record and a three-game winning streak following a 16-10 win on Oct. 25. Cleveland's 23-season regular-season road drought in Pittsburgh surpasses the franchise's 16-game skid at Three Rivers Stadium that lasted from 1970 until an Oct. 5, 1986 victory. Losing Davis (quadriceps) for the remainder of the year leaves Cleveland with an open 53-man roster spot along the defensive front entering divisional play.

By the numbers: Cleveland (5-2, W2, AFC No. 3 seed) and Pittsburgh (5-2, W3, AFC No. 6 seed) meet after Week 7 victories of 27-24 over the Tennessee Titans (1-6, L1, AFC No. 15 seed) and 16-10, respectively. Prior to its current 23-season road skid in Pittsburgh since 2003, Cleveland went 0-16 at Three Rivers Stadium from 1970 through 1985—including one-point (1985), three-point (1979, 1980, 1984), and four-point (1974, 1977) losses—before winning on Oct. 5, 1986. Concepcion was selected 24th overall by the Browns in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Sampson (drafted 126th overall in the fourth round in 2025) recorded 65 carries for 175 yards in 15 games in 2025, and Davis (placed on IR on Oct. 6, 2026, after being drafted 220th overall in the sixth round in 2022) tallied 28 tackles and 0.5 sacks across 17 games in 2025.

What to watch: Cleveland visits Pittsburgh on Sunday with an open active-roster spot to fill before the 5-2 divisional rivals meet.

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NFLAnalysisCleveland BrownsPittsburgh SteelersTennessee TitansDylan SampsonKalia Davis
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