Can Aaron Rodgers break the Steelers’ Cleveland curse against Deshaun Watson on Thursday Night Football

Aaron Rodgers finally found some rhythm. Now comes the place where the Pittsburgh Steelers have repeatedly lost theirs.Rodgers threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns in Pittsburgh's Week 3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. On Thursday, he faces Deshaun Watson and a Cleveland Browns team carrying history firmly on its side. The Steelers have not won in Cleveland since 2021, and their Thursday record against the Browns is even worse.Why has Cleveland been such a problem for the Steelers on Thursday Night Football?Pittsburgh has lost all four of its Thursday games against Cleveland, according to an Oct. 1 report from Ryan Pawloski. The Steelers have also gone 3-6-1 across their last 10 games in Cleveland.The Browns have built the opposite reputation on Thursdays.Cleveland owns an 11-2 record in Thursday Night Football games and has won nine straight Thursday contests. That history creates a strange setup for a Pittsburgh team coming off one of its better offensive performances of the young season.There is one major variable the Steelers did not have during those previous trips: Mike McCarthy.Pawloski reported that McCarthy has gone 17-8 in Thursday games during his coaching career. His teams have also won each of their last six Thursday appearances.That does not erase Pittsburgh's problems in Cleveland, but it gives the Steelers a coach with a strong record on short weeks.McCarthy also enters the matchup after Pittsburgh's offense showed tangible improvement against Cincinnati. Rodgers moved the ball through the air, while the offensive line produced a stronger showing after two new players entered the lineup.The Steelers will need that progress to carry over quickly. Cleveland has given them little room for error in this setting.Can Aaron Rodgers beat the Browns’ pass rush if Cleveland forces him to play even faster?The Browns know Rodgers' quickest weapon might be the one that never appears in a box score: how fast he gets rid of the football.Browns defensive lineman Jared Verse addressed that problem before Thursday's game. Browns Wire's Andrew Harbaugh reported Verse's comments on Oct. 1."If he's having release time of 1.2, 1.3, 1.2, 1.1, couple of them were at 1.5, that's who he is as a player. So when you get those kind of releases, you can't let it frustrate you as a D-line. You just got to keep rushing," Verse said.That battle could decide how comfortable Rodgers remains after his Week 3 breakthrough.Pittsburgh has already allowed eight sacks of Rodgers this season. Cleveland's defense has recorded nine sacks, with Verse, Mason Graham and Isaiah McGuire among the players capable of creating pressure.Rodgers is not the only veteran quarterback entering Thursday with renewed momentum.The Mirror's Andrew Gamble reported that Watson has helped Cleveland to a winning start after difficult stretches involving injuries, suspension and inconsistent play. Against the Carolina Panthers, Watson threw two touchdowns, including a late scoring play to Harold Fannin Jr. that helped Cleveland secure the victory.That puts two quarterbacks with very different recent histories into the same divisional game.Rodgers is 42 and coming off his sharpest statistical performance of the season. Watson is trying to turn his own early success into something sustainable.For Pittsburgh, however, the challenge goes beyond Watson.The Steelers have spent years leaving Cleveland without a win. Rodgers and McCarthy now get their first chance together to change that.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.