STADIUM: Acrisure Stadium
REFEREE: Ron Torbert
DATE: Monday, September 18, 2023 GAME TIME: 8:15 PM ET
ABC: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters
Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) CLE: 158 or 229 PIT: 85 or 228 National: 88
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: PIT leads series, 78-61-1 (won 3 of past 4)
POSTSEASON: PIT leads series, 2-1
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 1/8/23: CLE 14 at PIT 28
POSTSEASON: 1/10/21 AFC-WC: CLE 48 at PIT 37
HEAD COACHES NOTES:
Kevin Stefanski vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 3-4 Reg. Season: 27-24 (.529) Postseason: 1-1 (.500)
Mike Tomlin vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 25-7-1 Reg. Season: 163-94-2 (.633) Postseason: 8-9 (.471)
CLEVELAND BROWNS NOTES:
- BROWNS can begin season 2-0 for 1st time since 1993.
- QB DESHAUN WATSON had 199 total yards (154 pass, 45 rush) & 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) vs. INT last week. Has 225+ pass yards & 2 TD passes in each of 2 career starts vs. Pit. Had 274 total yards (230 pass, 44 rush) in last meeting.
- RB NICK CHUBB led team with 127 scrimmage yards (106 rush, 21 rec.) in Week 1, his 20th-career game with 125+ scrimmage yards, tied 3rd-most in NFL since 2018. Had 100+ scrimmage yards & TD in both games vs. Pit. last season. Has 95+ scrimmage yards in 6 of his past 7 vs. division.
- WR AMARI COOPER had 37 rec. yards last week. Has 50+ rec. yards in each of 4 career games vs. Pit.
- WR ELIJAH MOORE led team with 43 rec. yards in Week 1. Had 53 rec. yards in only career game vs. Pit. (10/2/22 w/ NYJ).
- TE DAVID NJOKU aims for his 4th in row vs. Pit. with rec. TD. Had TD catch in 2 of final 3 road games last season.
- TE HARRISON BRYANT had 8th-career TD catch last week.
- DE MYLES GARRETT had sack last week & now has 75.5 career sacks, becoming 5th-fastest player (85 games) since 1982 to reach 75 sacks. Aims for his 7th in row vs. division & 4th in row overall with sack. Had 2 TFL & sack in last meeting.
- DE ZA’DARIUS SMITH had PD in Cle. debut last week. Has 2 sacks in 3 career games at Pit.
- DE OGBO OKORONKWO had sack last week in Cle. debut.
- CB DENZEL WARD had 4 tackles & PD in Week 1. Had PD in both games vs. Pit. in 2022. Aims for 6th in row vs. division with PD.
- CB GREG NEWSOME had PD last week. Had 2 PD in last meeting.
- S GRANT DELPIT led team with 8 tackles & had TFL & PD last week. Has 5+ tackles in 3 of 4 career games vs. Pit.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS NOTES:
- QB KENNY PICKETT completed 31 of 46 atts. (67.4 pct.) for 232 yards, 3rd-most completions among all QBs in Week 1. Passed for 195 yards with TD vs. 0 INTs in last meeting. Has 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs in 4 career starts vs. division. Is 3-1 as starter in primetime, with 65+ comp. pct. in 3 of 4 games.
- RB NAJEE HARRIS has 477 scrimmage yards (119.3 per game) in 4 career games vs. Cle., with rush TD in each game. Aims for his 7th in row vs. division with TD. Has 323 scrimmage yards (107.7 per game) in 3 career games on MNF with rush TD in each game.
- WR GEORGE PICKENS had 5 catches in Week 1. Had 72 rec. yards & TD catch in last meeting. Has 70+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4 vs. division. Has TD catch in 2 of his past 3 at home.
- WR ALLEN ROBINSON had 5 catches for team-high 64 yards last week in Pit. debut. Has 60+ rec. yards in 4 of 6 career games on MNF.
- WR CALVIN AUSTIN led team with 6 catches in NFL debut last week.
- TE PAT FREIERMUTH had 10th-career TD catch in Week 1. Has 5 catches in 2 of 3 career games on MNF.
- LB T.J. WATT had 3 sacks, 2 FFs, FR & PD last week, his 6th-career game with 3+ sacks, most in NFL since 2017. Was 1 of 2 in NFL (Montez Sweat) with 2 FFs in Week 1. Has 80.5 sacks in 88 career games, surpassing brother J.J. Watt (92 games) as 2ndfastest player to reach 80 sacks since 1982 (HOFer Reggie White – 71 games). Has 6 sacks in his past 3 vs. Cle. Aims for his 9th in row vs. division with 0.5+ sacks. Has 8 sacks in his past 4 on MNF.
- LB ALEX HIGHSMITH had 7 tackles & TFL last week. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Cle. with 1.5+ sacks. Aims for his 3rd in row on MNF with sack.
- S MINKAH FITZPATRICK had 10 tackles in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row in primetime with INT.
