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Steelers, Browns vie for first place in AFC North

Nov 11, 2007 - 11:51 AM Cleveland (5-3) at Pittsburgh (6-2) Sunday 1:00 pm EST

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- It may feel like old times Sunday, when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns clash at Heinz Field for first place in the AFC North.

The Browns, who have averaged 11 losses in the last four seasons, are playing an important November game for the first time since 2002, the last time they made the playoffs.

Riding its first three-game winning streak since 2001, Cleveland enters Sunday's contest one game behind the Steelers in the AFC North.

Second-year quarterback Derek Anderson has sparked life into a moribund franchise, and last week he rallied the Browns to a 33-30 overtime victory over the Seattle Seattle Seahawks. Cleveland trailed, 21-6, in the first half.

While the victory enabled the Browns to surpass last season's win total (4-12), Sunday will show how much progress they have made under coach Romeo Crennel.

The Steelers have been nearly invincible at Heinz Field this season while dominating the rivalry with Cleveland in recent years.

Pittsburgh has won its four home games by an average of 24 points, including a 38-7 rout of the Baltimore Ravens on Monday.

With a win on Sunday, the Steelers can take control of the division, opening what in effect will be a three-game lead. Pittsburgh would own a tiebreaker edge based on a season sweep of the Browns.

Pittsburgh opened the season with a 34-7 victory at Cleveland, but Charlie Frye was the starting quarterback for the Browns in that game.

It was the Steelers' eighth straight win over the Browns and the 14th in the last 15 meetings between the rivals.

"I think this team is a different team than the team that played on opening day," Crennel said. "We didn't know exactly where we were going to be offensively."

Anderson took over the next week, when Frye was traded to the Seattle Seahawks, and has led to Browns to a 5-2 record as the starter.

Boasting two of the league's top-10 receivers in Braylon Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow, the Browns rank fourth in scoring, averaging 27.8 points per game.

However, the Steelers feature the league's top defense, yielding only 237 yards per outing. They have given up only 26 points in their four home games.