The Cleveland Browns will be heading to Pittsburgh this weekend to try and pull off something they haven't done in nearly 40 years: A clean sweep of the Steelers. The Browns beat the Steelers back in Week 4, and if they on Sunday, that will give the Browns their first sweep of the Steelers since 1988. It has been 38 years since the Browns won both regular-season games against the Steelers.
The last sweep was so long ago that there's only one player on either team's roster who was even alive when it happened and that's Aaron Rodgers, who at age 42, is the oldest player in the NFL this year. The Browns finished the sweep with a win Nov. 20, 1988, which came just two weeks before Rodgers' fifth birthday. That was so long ago that the Browns and Steelers played in a division that no longer exists (AFC Central).
Since that sweep back in 1988, the Steelers have absolutely dominated the series. The two teams have played 69 times in the regular season since the sweep and the Steelers have gone 52-17 in those games. One reason why this series has been so lopsided is because the Browns can't figure out how to win in Pittsburgh, which is where this week's game will be played.
The Browns' last win at Acrisure Stadium/Heinz Field came all the way back in 2003 when Tim Couch was their starting quarterback. Since then, playing in Pittsburgh has been a never-ending nightmare for the Browns. During Cleveland's 22-game losing streak, there have only been six games that have been decided by seven points or less.
Every other game has essentially been a blowout. If the Browns can pull out a win, not only would they pick up their first sweep since 1988 and first win in Pittsburgh since 2003, but they would also improve to 6-2, something they haven't done this century. If you want to stump an NFL fan with some trivia this weekend, just ask them if they know the year of the last time the Browns started 6-2 Since the start of the Super Bowl era in 1966, the Browns have only started the season with a 6-2 record ONE time and that came in 1994 when Bill Belichick was still the head coach.
That gives the Browns the NFL record for fewest 6-2 starts since 1966. The Jaguars and Panthers have more 6-2 starts than the Browns, even though those two teams didn't exist until 1995, and the Texans have more 6-2 starts than the Browns, even though they didn't start playing until 2002. The Browns have gone 28 seasons without a 6-2 start, which is the longest active drought and the second-longest drought in NFL history (The Browns actually hold the record for longest drought, going from 1966 to 1993 without a 6-2 start).
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