Infinitive Splitter

Since the Cleveland Browns rejoined the NFL in 1999 (after a three-season interruption caused by the original team’s move to Baltimore), the Pittsburgh Steelers have beaten them in 11 of 14 regular-season games and a 2002 playoff contest.

Last season’s 41-0 Christmas Eve rout was particularly enjoyable. Among the highlights of the game was James Harrison’s sideline body-slam of a (presumably, understandably, and likely regretfully) intoxicated Browns fan. It certainly put me in the holiday spirit, but its familiar lopsidedness also struck a damaging blow to what for many people was becoming a “rivalry” of vanishing significance.

That’s why it’s so encouraging to see the advances toward parity the teams have made this season.

As they head into their game on Sunday, both are 3-6, at the bottom of their division and just behind Tennesee and Oakland in the race for Worst Record in the AFC. (Oakland, as you might know, earned one of its two wins against the Steelers on October 29; the Browns beat the Raiders on October 1.)

May the less-bad team win!