On Sunday at Pittsburgh, Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel will make his second career start. History will be squarely against him.
Beyond the fact the Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has compiled a record of 14-4 after a bye week, including eight wins in a row, Tomlin’s performance against rookie quarterbacks is beyond impressive.
Overall, Tomlin has built a 27-6 record against first-year quarterbacks, including playoffs. At home, it’s nearly unblemished at 14-1, also including playoffs.
The only rookie quarterback to beat Tomlin’s Steelers in Pittsburgh was Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, in 2016.
The Steelers have had a great two weeks. Since beating the Vikings 13 days ago in London, their three division rivals have collectively gone 0-6. And there’s a good chance that, on Sunday, the Steelers will pick up another win — and the Browns, Bengals (at Packers), and Ravens (vs. Rams) will lose again.