PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing their best football in 2026 and it's putting them on track towards postseason success.

The Steelers dominated the Cleveland Browns 27-6 at Acrisure Stadium in Week 8 and have taken the lead of the AFC North at 6-2.

Cleveland previously held the tiebreaker, after beating Pittsburgh 27-24 in Week 4 at Huntington Bank Field, but this win gives Pittsburgh a game advantage, 6-2 compared to 5-3.

It's a big victory for the Steelers, who have won four in a row since that defeat and head into their bye week as one of the best teams in the NFL.

Looking at the AFC North After Week 8

The Steelers are in the second-most competitive division in football in the AFC North, with only the NFC North having a better combined record.

Perhaps the next team that is most competitive in this division, aside from the Browns, is the Cincinnati Bengals, who are playing some good football too.

Cincinnati has won three straight games, 31-24 over the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Week 5, 35-13 over the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 7 and then a 43-36 victory in overtime against the Tennessee Titans at Paycor Stadium in Week 8.

The Bengals fended off a late comeback from the Dolphins, scored 35 unanswered points in the second half against the Ravens and erased two fourth-quarter deficits against the Titans to win it in overtime.

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati face one more time in 2026, including the first game out of the bye week at Paycor Stadium in Week 10, with Pittsburgh winning the first matchup, 30-27 at Acrisure Stadium in Week 3.

The Browns have lost two of their last four games, and all five of their wins have come within one possession.

Baltimore is in the worst position of all these teams, as they have lost their last three games, including 36-10 to the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Week 8.

The Ravens may also have lost quarterback Lamar Jackson for the rest of the season with a thumb injury, which he sustained on the first play from scrimmage in the loss to the Bills.

Steelers Schedule After the Bye Week

The remaining nine games for the Steelers in 2026 feature some tough opponents and a few poorer ones as well.

Pittsburgh facing the Bengals out of the bye week on the road will be tough, as well as their matchups with the Denver Broncos at home in Week 12 and the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars on the road in Week 14.

The Steelers also face the Ravens twice in Week 15 and Week 18, the Philadelphia Eagles without Jalen Hurts in Week 11, the struggling Houston Texans at home in Week 13, the inconsistent Carolina Panthers in Week 16 and the terrible Tennessee Titans in Week 17.

It's a combined record of 31-35, so not the easiest of stretches for the Steelers, but certainly not the hardest.

Six wins from these nine games shouldn't be too surprising from the Steelers, barring serious injuries, and it should spark them to back-to-back AFC North Titles out of the bye week.