Trending in the right direction: The Steelers will enjoy a much-needed break as they have their bye this week.
And there is no better way to head into the bye than on a four-game winning streak, including a win on Sunday against the Browns that has them at 6-2 and in first place in the AFC North.
"Definitely you've got to say 'trending' winning four in a row," said Coach Mike McCarthy. "I think we're exactly what our record says we are. We've really focused on improving in certain areas. We're doing that. Our run defense has really set the bar really high these last two weeks. I just thought the way they started the game was really impressive.
"We wanted to run the ball. It was a focal point today. I feel like we accomplished that.
"We still have things to work on. The complementary formula football style that we're playing is what we're looking for.
"We improved today as a football team. Ultimately, you want to win and improve. We definitely took the step today.
"The guys, really coming back from France, you could see midweek, not even midweek, probably later in the week, they're still a little run down. They did a hell of a job getting ready to go and kept the game about winning football.
"We understood it was a division game. Didn't pay no mind to anything else but just getting ready to play. Our men did a really nice job with that."
As McCarthy said, the team wanted to run the ball against the Browns and did just that amassing 200 yards as a team, with Jaylen Warren accounting for 143 yards and Rico Dowdle going for 56 yards.
"It starts up front obviously," said McCarthy. "We've got two dynamic backs. Jaylen is on fire. You can't get him the ball enough. Rico, he's playing well, too.
"I think those two are hitting their stride. That's important for those two men to touch the ball each and every week."
Controlling things up front: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers loves to give credit where credit is due, and following the Steelers win over Browns at Acrisure Stadium, a lot of that credit went to his offensive line.
The Steelers rushed for 200 yards on Sunday, with Jaylen Warren putting up 143 yards and Rico Dowdle adding 56 yards.
It was the play of the offensive line that Rodgers gave a shout out to, a unit that continues to gel and excel as the season progresses.
"The guys up front," said Rodgers of why the ground game worked. "I thought we controlled the line of scrimmage. When we played in Cleveland, we had a bunch of sacks. We didn't run it super efficiently.
"But I feel like from the first go we had a good mindset, we protected well, we opened up some holes. Jaylen and Rico ran well."
The line is a group that plays with attitude, not afraid to impose their will and never a group to back down.
"A lot of attitude. A lot of trash talking," said Rodgers when asked about the attitude the guards bring. "Good trash talking. Love being out there with those guys.
"Thought they played really well. Felt like both the tackles played well. (Zach) Frazier always seems to play well.
"Definitely love those boys up front. They dominated the line of scrimmage.
"They are playing well. Playing really well. I think we had good balance today running and throwing. But I felt like they controlled the line of scrimmage well. There was a lot of movement on defense. But I felt like we got their doubles, got up on the second level, then the receivers blocked well on the edge. The line is playing with a lot of confidence."
And having someone like Warren running behind them, well it sure doesn't hurt.
"He's put himself in all the conversations," said Rodgers. "He's playing incredible. To be able to call a trap on third and 20, get a first down, is pretty wild. Didn't expect that. I couldn't remember the last time that happened when I was out there.
"Love having him on our team. Fantastic teammate. He's making a lot of plays."
Keeping his legs moving: Running back Jaylen Warren might have said it best when he was asked about the Steelers 'lopsided' win over the Browns on Sunday, a 27-6 win at Acrisure Stadium that has them sitting in first place in the AFC North at 6-2.
"Yeah, it was nice," said a smiling Warren. "I know my parents and my grandparents didn't have as much of a heart attack as they told me."
The fact that it was lopsided can be credited to all aspects of the game, but there is no doubt Warren's impact was massive.
He rushed for 143 yards on 17 carries, including a 51-yard run, and one touchdown as he continues to be the go-to guy for the offense.
"Just keep your legs moving," said Warren. "That's pretty much it."
Warren isn't one to give himself credit when he finds success. It's never about what he does. It's about what the team is doing.
"Just playing with the boys I play with," said Warren. "I wouldn't want to be part of any other team. We all built that camaraderie during camp. We've all been with each other. We see eye-to-eye every week. Isn't like I'm just out there playing football. I'm playing football with my brothers."
Warren's 51-yard run came on third-and-13 from the Steelers 24-yard line, when the offense ran a trap play.
The result, nothing short of spectacular.
"When I got in open space, I like to pick the guy closest to me, I like to hit the sideline," said Warren. "I did that.
"I was hitting the sideline, was seeing his momentum, pushing him that way. I don't know what receiver it was over there. I saw him changing direction, so I just cut up, made the safety miss.
"I was running out of gas. I was finding the next dude to try to make cuts. I try to make cuts into my blockers so I can get a blocker on the way down. That's basically what it is."
Getting after them: With two sacks on Sunday, linebacker T.J. Watt now has 20.5 career sacks against the Browns, the most of any player in NFL history against the Browns.
When asked about the accomplishment, Watt laughed
"Means I've been playing a long time," quipped Watt.
Whether he laughed or not, Watt's sacks were two of eight sacks the Steelers managed against Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.
"We always have a lot of good packages, a lot of good schematics," said Watt. "I think it just comes down to execution.
"Anytime you can make them one dimensional, as we had to make them today, you stop the screens, there's really not much else for them to do.
"We were able to pin our ears back and get after them."
The defense kept the Browns out of the end zone, allowing just two field goals on the day. They shut down the run, with the Browns managing only 34 yards.
But for Watt, there is still work to be done.
"I like that we've won games many different ways," said Watt. "We've come from behind. We've been able to hold leads. We've played games (where) we haven't looked great. We've played games (where) we've looked great.
"We just need to continue to grow and build off this performance. I think this bye week comes at a great time for us.
"I just say there's more work to be done. You want to continue to play great football. We have so many great guys that can make plays, as you saw today. I mean, the distribution of the splashes is going about the whole defense. I think we need to continue to play good.
"Obviously, we're playing good. We're having a lot of fun. We can't take the foot off the gas for one second here. Get our bodies back from bye week, come back blazing.
"We need to continue to go. Our identity is still being formed as the season goes on. A lot of football left."
Contributions from all over: The Steelers sit alone in first place in the AFC North at the bye week, a place defensive tackle Cameron Heyward feels good about at the break.
"6-2, taking care of the run," said Heyward. "Taking care of the ball for the most part. I think we're just growing each week.
"Every week it's something different. We're building on what we've done the previous week, whether it's pressure, sacks, running the ball on offense.
"It's not just one person. It's a group of individuals doing the job for the team."
The team mentality was in full effect against the Browns, with offense, defense and special teams combining for a complete game.
Heyward said it was the most complete game of the season for the group.
"For the season, I would say yes," said Heyward. "I thought we controlled both lines of scrimmage. Especially when you get 200 yards when you're rushing. Then on defense you hold them to, what, 30-something yards. That's something we preach around here. That's something we always want to do. When we do that, it's going to lead to a win most of the time."
On defense, the Steelers got contributions from all over. T.J. Watt had two sacks. Heyward and Patrick Queen each had a sack and a half. Nick Herbig and Kevin Jobity Jr. each had one sack, with Jobity recording his first career sack. And Jamel Dean and Alex Highsmith added half a sack each.
In addition, Queen and rookie Daylen Everette each forced a fumble, while Everette also had a fumble recovery.
"It says that we can execute at a high level," said Heyward. "Obviously, there are going to be broken plays. When multiple guys can add to the party, it leads to, this can be sustainable, this is something that multiple guys can be a part of.
"We've got to continue to keep doing it from here on out."
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