Browns @ Steelers - A Rematch - Pregame Thoughts
Here we go, again.
The Steelers didn't have to wait long for an opportunity to get their lick back against the Cleveland Browns, drawing them for the second time in a 17-day span. In my opinion, that bodes well for the Pittsburgh Steelers, as the loss to the Browns is still fresh, and they’re probably going to come out with some intensity because of it.
This time, the Browns are in Pittsburgh, where they have lost 20 straight games to the Steelers. Also, the Browns haven’t swept the Steelers in a season series since 1988, and given the trajectory of this Steelers team, I am inclined to believe that we are going to win this game.
It hasn’t been very long since I did my little ‘pregame thoughts’ study guide on the Browns, and a lot of what I said then still rings true. So, instead of regurgitating the same bullshit as I did a couple weeks ago, I’d rather talk about what went wrong in the last game, and why I think that will be different today.
Via NFL Pro.
Obviously, the first thing that I remember about that last game against the Browns was the field conditions. As we got into the second half of that game, the snow was coming down pretty hard, and it made things messy, particularly for our DBs. I was harsh, specifically, on Donte Jackson and Minkah Fitzpatrick following the loss a couple weeks ago. I thought Donte Jackson had a tough time in coverage throughout the game, which is becoming the norm for him unfortunately, even though he seems to get these gift wrapped INTs fairly often. Then, there was a 15+-yard completion to Jerry Jeudy late in the last game, on third down, that set the Browns up for a game-winning touchdown. When I broke that play down, I pointed out that a high-caliber player like Minkah should’ve been able to break that play up, or pick off the pass, but he just doesn’t seem to have the speed to break on the ball in time. On that play in particular, the field conditions are the only reason I can think of that Minkah wasn’t able to get to the ball. Asking our DBs to cover the likes of Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, and David Njoku is a tall task for anyone, let alone in slippery, snowy conditions, but I fully expect less separation for these guys today in a sunny, albeit windy, game in Pittsburgh.
The next thing that comes to mind in the previous game against the Browns was the matchup between Myles Garrett and Dan Moore Jr. I’m not going to go back and look at the stats, but I recall at least 3 sacks and a ton of pressures for Garrett, specifically in the first half of that game. Dan Moore Jr. has had a really good year, for the most part, so I’m not going to drag him for having a rough outing against the reigning DPOY. In my opinion, Arthur Smith needs to find ways to scheme some extra help to that side of the offensive line in this game so that Garrett doesn’t get a chance to wreck it like last time. And, YES, I do think that falls more on Arthur Smith than it does Dan Moore Jr. Help that man.
Then, looking at the opposite side of the ball, Jack Conklin held T.J. Watt to just one pressure and no sacks when those two were matched up against each other in the previous matchup. Our defense has gotten healthier since then, and will welcome back Alex Highsmith in this game. Between Highsmith, Nick Herbig, T.J. Watt, and Preston Smith, I don’t care who’s making the plays…but someone needs to do it. Herbig made some plays in the last matchup, and it wasn’t quite enough. I know someone from that LB room is going to make a significant play in this game; it’s just a matter of where and when. The Browns’ offensive line played well in the last game, but this is a unit that doesn’t have a lot of continuity yet as they have battled attrition all season long, and they can get beat.
We’re essentially running back the same game, this time in Pittsburgh with sunny weather. Combine that with the bulletin board material that the Browns players have given us since that game a couple weeks ago, and I think it could be a long day for Browns fans. The Steelers opened this game up as -6.5 point favorites, and I fully expect them to cover that spread. If they don’t, we should be disappointed.
UPDATE: George Pickens has been ruled out for today’s game with a hamstring injury. That’s why I always wait so long to do these, because every once in a while an unexpected game-time decision doesn’t go the way you think it will, then it completely changes the dynamic of the game. With that being said, I spoke after the win against the Bengals that the Steelers looked comfortable whether it was going to be a grind-it-out game in the trenches, or a quarterback shootout. This team has shown an ability to adjust to the flow of the game, and do what it takes to win regardless of what style of play they need to take on. No Pickens? We need to get the run game going, because I don’t trust the rest of our receivers to get open without some effective play-action stuff. As much as the Pickens injury hurts us, it’s a phenomenal opportunity for some other receivers that I’ve shown love to show up. How bout Ben Skowronek? Van Jefferson Jr.? Mike Williams? MUTH? Let’s get it done. Steelers by a touchdown.
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