Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns delivered one of the biggest upset victories of the NFL season. Taking down Aaron Rodgers, Mike Tomlin, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dawg Pound made a statement. After the game, cornerback Denzel Ward made sure to remind his divisional opponents of a big lesson.
“I don’t know whose bright idea it was to try me for the game on three plays in a row,” Browns defensive back Denzel Ward stated postgame, via Cleveland.com reporter Ashley Bastock. “I’m always just prepared and ready for moments like that.”
With his postgame message, the star cornerback—recently named to his fifth career Pro Bowl—aimed straight at Tomlin, Rodgers, and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who dialed up plays in his direction with the game on the line and the AFC North at stake.
The end result? The Steelers turned the football over on downs, as Sanders, Ward, and the Browns improved to 4–12 on the season. Now, Pittsburgh is in for a do-or-die showdown in the regular-season finale.
Aaron Rodgers at Huntington Bank Field
Ravens at Steelers with a playoff ticket on the line
The NFL never fails to deliver. The Browns’ unexpected triumph over the Steelers has now set the table for a dramatic finish to the season. The AFC North champion will be decided in a winner-take-all matchup between Pittsburgh and Baltimore in Week 18.
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As if the drama wasn’t already at an all-time high, the winner will go on to host a home game in the Wild Card round, whereas the loser will be eliminated from playoff contention. It’s win or go home—which Rodgers, Tomlin, and company would’ve avoided with a win in Cleveland. Moreover, Tomlin confirmed Rodgers could lose a key teammate for the game against the Ravens.
The football gods have spoken. The AFC North is coming down to a grand ending. The NFL has confirmed the schedule for Week 18, with the Ravens and Steelers facing off on Sunday night. Primetime television between two organizations with the utmost hate for one another. It doesn’t get much better than this, and it’s all thanks to the heroic victory by Sanders and Cleveland in Week 17, which may allow Shedeur to win the Browns’ QB1 job in 2026.
