There are two obstacles in the way of the Cleveland Browns and the kind of run at legitimacy and contention the Browns organization hasn't made since 2007.
The defense. And, relatedly, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ben Roethlisberger is 18-1 in his career vs. the Browns. Though history means nothing between the lines come Sunday afternoon, Roethlisberger is the elephant in the room the Browns haven't tackled.
Like, ever.
These Browns are 2-2, with one of those losses coming to the Steelers in especially gut-wrenching fashion in Week One. The Browns no-showed the first half then dominated the first 27 minutes or so of the second half only to see Roethlisberger do what he's done and the Steelers win on a field goal as time expired.
Four Browns games have been decided by a total of eight points. Twice, they've come back from deficits of 24 or more. They lost arguably the most complete game they played against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 21, blowing a late lead amidst a Joe Flacco drive and a series of special teams errors.
The Browns haven't tackled or covered but have still shown to be an improved team. A dangerous team? At times, sure. Confidence is building.
Maybe something real -- something that will last -- is building, too.
Only if the Browns can win Sunday. Only, only, only if the Browns can beat the Steelers.
At 0-2 in the division, this is it. Yes, there are 12 games and three months left. But a win against the Steelers is something those same old bad Browns teams rarely got.
If these Browns are new and improved and ready for the bright lights, they'll win Sunday. The Steelers fancy themselves as contenders and have a bunch of good players, but their last eight quarters don't inspire a bunch of confidence. Their defense is vulnerable and banged up. If there's ever a time for the Browns to win one in this series, it might be Sunday.
History over the last eight, 10, 12 seasons has not been kind to the Browns in this series. In fact, it's been ugly. Laughable. Almost indescribable.
Three wins since 2003 over a team you play twice a year is, well, it's what's happened.
The Browns rallied and survived Tennessee last week. It was a rare road win. It featured great quarterback play and timely plays all around. This is a bottom-line business, and the bottom line is the Browns found a way to get to 2-2.
In the ever-changing NFL, every win counts. If anyone knows that, the Browns would. But at this moment, before opinions and assumptions and directions change this weekend, the Titans stink. So do the Jaguars, the Raiders and the Bucs.
The Browns next three opponents? The Jaguars, the Raiders, the Bucs.
The hurdle in front of Brian Hoyer, Mike Pettine, Ray Farmer and everybody inside the Browns organization?
The Steelers.
They visit Sunday. Maybe fortunes will change. Maybe momentum will be created. Almost certainly, the Browns haven't played in a bigger game since 2007.
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