1. The winless Browns are trying to avoid opening the season 0-11. Each passing week, an 0-16 season becomes more possible for a young team struggling to find its way. The losses continue to pile up for a franchise once considered one of the NFL’s best. The 0-10 start to 2016 has brought the Browns’ all-time overall regular-season record to 508-465-13 since it was founded in 1946. The franchise was 47-4-3 in AAFC regular-season games and 5-0 in playoff games between 1946-1949, and then joined the NFL in 1950. Last week’s 28-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens dropped the Browns to 461-461-10 in NFL regular-season games — the first time the franchise has been .500 in the NFL. The Browns are 11-20 in NFL playoff games.
2. Rookie quarterback Cody Kessler is set to return to the starting lineup after he was pulled in the loss to the Ravens. Browns coach Hue Jackson played rookie Kevin Hogan and veteran Josh McCown in the game, and in the second half went with McCown, who made several costly mistakes. Kessler has completed 119-of-178 passes for 1,241 yards, six touchdowns and one interception in seven games (all starts). McCown has completed 51-of-95 passes for 660 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions in three games.
3. Considering the Pittsburgh Steelers have dominated the series since 1999, is this still a rivalry? The Steelers lead the all-time series 68-58-0 in the regular season and 2-0 in the playoffs. Those numbers don’t mean much though on Sunday because both teams stink right now. The Steelers are in the midst of a four-game losing streak and the Browns are in the midst of their worst season.
4. Let it snow to begin the homestretch. The weather forecast for Sunday calls for cool temperatures and some white flakes from the sky just two days after unusually warm temperatures for November. Browns fans will get to see their squad at home the next few weeks with the Steelers on Sunday, the New York Giants on Nov. 27 and the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 11. The Browns have a bye on Dec. 4.
5. Notable connections: Browns defensive coordinator Ray Horton was a Steelers assistant coach from 2004-2006 and 2007-2010, helping the Steelers rank in the top 10 in the NFL in total defense each season, including leading the NFL three times (2004, 2007-2008). He also helped the Steelers to wins in Super Bowls XL and XLIII. ... Browns running backs coach/run game coordinator Kirby Wilson was the Steelers running backs coach from 2007-2013. ... Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler, wide receivers coach Richard Mann and John Mitchell are former Browns assistants. ... Steelers defensive back Justin Gilbert was drafted by the Browns in the first round (eighth overall) in 2014. He appeared in 23 games with three starts before being traded to the Steelers on Sept. 3, 2016. ... Steelers linebacker James Harrison (Kent State), defensive ends Cameron Heyward (Ohio State) and Ricardo Mathews (Cincinnati), safety Mike Mitchell (Ohio), fullback Roosevelt Nix (Kent State), quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (Miami) and linebacker Ryan Shazier (Ohio State) each played collegiately in Ohio. Harrison attended high school at Archbishop Hoban and Coventry.