Pittsburgh @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 7, 2014 ) Cleveland 27, Pittsburgh 30

The Cleveland Browns may be primed to reverse their fortunes against the Pittsburgh Steelers when the one-sided rivalry is renewed Sunday in the Buckeye State. The Steelers have won four straight meetings and 26 of the last 29, but faltered in the second half before hanging on to top Cleveland 30-27 at home on Sept. 7. Additionally, they will be facing a Browns team with loads of momentum after it posted the largest comeback win for a road team in NFL history in a 29-28 win at Tennessee last week.

Brian Hoyer further cemented himself as the right choice for Cleveland with three touchdown passes and 291 yards in the come-from-behind triumph, leaving him a surprising ninth in the NFL in quarterback rating (97.6). Sixth on that list is Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger, who is 18-1 in his career versus the Browns - the best mark of any quarterback against one team (with a minimum of 15 starts) since at least 1970. Roethlisberger threw for a season-high 365 yards in the Week 1 win over Cleveland, which has the 28th-ranked passing defense in the league.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Browns -2. O/U: 47

ABOUT THE STEELERS (3-2): While Roethlisberger was able to air it out with success against the Browns earlier this season, Pittsburgh will want to attack on the ground as well, as Cleveland is one of just four teams giving up at least five yards a carry. That bodes well for Le'Veon Bell, who ran for 109 yards and a score in the first meeting and leads the AFC in yards from scrimmage (688). He also torched the Browns for six catches and 88 yards on Sept. 7 and has reached 100 total yards in each of his five games this season.

ABOUT THE BROWNS (2-2): As it attempts to end a six-year stretch with at least 10 losses, Cleveland must be able to find some sort of consistency. The setback at Pittsburgh exemplified that need, as did last week's win at Tennessee - two games which saw late surges and left the Browns with an average of 16.8 second-half points, second in the league and a far cry from their first-half average of 9.0, which ranks 24th. "(Inconsistency is) occurring for us within games where we have our issues and we get them corrected, but that’s our biggest thing, especially on the defensive side is lack of consistency," coach Mike Pettine told reporters Monday.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Browns DE Phil Taylor (knee) is out after surgery on Wednesday while the status of Pro Bowl CB Joe Haden (hip) is in question after he missed practice on Thursday.

2. Steelers WR Antonio Brown has 21 straight games with at least five catches and 50 yards, the longest such streak in NFL history.

3. Roethlisberger needs three TDs to reach 10 for the 11th straight season to begin his career, which would tie him with Hall of Famer Jim Kelly for fourth on that list.

PREDICTION: Browns 31, Steelers 30