The Cleveland Browns are in a very different place after four weeks. Following their win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football, Cleveland moved to 3-1 and took the top spot in the AFC North, at least for now.

That is a big change for a team that struggled badly in its season opener. Browns defensive end Jared Verse believes the team is already showing a different side of itself.

“That was a complete, maybe disaster is a little bit strong, but that's a tough opening game in every phase, other than maybe kickoff return, maybe other than that,” Monken said, according to CBS Sports. “But the guys trusted the process. We got stung a little bit, and our guys responded to that.”

Cleveland's start to the season was anything but easy. The Browns were beaten badly by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, and it looked like another difficult year could be ahead.

“This ain't the old Browns,” Verse said, according to CBS Sports. “We've got new swag. We're a lot more aggressive, a lot more, you know, getting after it. This is something different here. We're going to make this whole city rock.”

The Browns have responded with three straight wins, including Thursday night's divisional victory over Pittsburgh. Their last three wins, however, have all been close. Cleveland has won those games by a combined 10 points, with each victory needing a game-winning drive in the final five minutes.

“It's still only three [wins],” Monken said. “And there's a lot of things we can continue to get better at, and we will, because our guys are humble and they're still hungry.”

The Browns also have some unusual numbers behind their 3-1 record. They still have a negative point differential, and Thursday was the first game this season in which they finished with more yards than their opponent. Cleveland had just 11 more yards than Pittsburgh.

According to Stats Perform, the Browns are the only team in NFL history to have fewer touchdowns, made field goals, rushing yards and net passing yards than their opponents, while also having more turnovers and penalties, and still have a winning record through four games.

The next few weeks will give Cleveland another test. Four of its next five games are on the road. The Browns travel to face the New York Jets next week before hosting the Baltimore Ravens.

They then visit the Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints before returning home to play the Houston Texans ahead of their Week 11 bye.

For now, though, Cleveland is 3-1 and sitting at the top of the AFC North. Verse clearly believes this team is different, and the Browns will have plenty of chances to show it over the next few weeks.

Amid the Browns' turnaround, Verse also found himself in a heated battle with Pittsburgh.

What has Jared Verse saying he can't wait to see the Steelers again?

Jared Verse picked up an unnecessary roughness penalty during the Browns' win over the Steelers, but the Cleveland defensive end didn't think Pittsburgh was exactly playing clean either.

Verse said there was plenty of trash talk between him and the Steelers throughout Thursday night's game. He admitted he was giving it back, but felt Pittsburgh took things too far at times.

“I was talking crazy to them. I don't have any respect for anybody that plays too dirty and does too much extra shit after the game, excuse my French. So, I can't wait to see them again. It's going to be a good time when I see them again,” Verse said, according to PFT.

The two teams will get another shot at each other in Week 9, when Cleveland travels to Pittsburgh. That means Verse and the Steelers' offensive linemen won't have to wait long for their next meeting.

After everything that happened in the first matchup, there should be plenty more to talk about when the Browns return to Pittsburgh.

Written by

Debanjali Rakshit