Browns get upper hand over Steelers for first time in decades
The year was 1989. It began with the Browns going to Pittsburgh and splattering the Steelers, 51-0. It ended with the Browns at 9-6-1, and the Steelers at 9-7.
That was the last year the Browns finished ahead of the Steelers in the AFC Central/North standings. As noted by Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, last night's win by the Browns over the Jets clinches that the Browns will finish higher in the AFC North than the standings.
The Browns will be no worse than 11-6. The Steelers will be no better than 10-7.
In 1989, the Steelers made it to the playoffs as one of two wild cards, the final year before the NFL expanded the playoff field from 10 teams to 12. The Steelers beat the Oilers in Houston before narrowly losing to the Broncos in the divisional round, 24-23. If the Steelers had won that game, it would have been Steelers at Browns in the AFC Championship.
That's far less likely to happen this year, since the Steelers face a steep uphill climb to get to the postseason. For starters, they need to win at Seattle and at Baltimore — and they need plenty of help.
