Five reasons the Cleveland Browns will stun the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With the Cleveland Browns staring down a Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steerers, those pesky statistics are popping up and they’re ugly.
You know the ones I’m talking about. The Browns finally have a quarterback in Baker Mayfield who has as many wins at FirstEnergy Stadium as Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben is 11-2-1 at the Factory of Sadness, while Mayfield is now 11-6.
The other glaring stat is the Browns’ 17-year losing streak at Heinz Field. While the Browns look drastically improved from last season, they’re not going to be taken seriously until they start doing things such as beat rivals on the road–especially in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers are undefeated and playing their fourth home game in a row, which is because of the team taking an early bye. Their schedule game against the Titans in Nashville had to rescheduled for late October as a result of Tennessee’s issues with COVID-19.
Pittsburgh is a four-point favorite at the one Vegas site I looked at, and I think that goes to show to the respect the Browns are starting to get nationally.
Normally, it seems the Browns are at least a touchdown underdogs in Heinz Field.
The times, they are a changing, though, and the Browns are right in the thick of the toughest conference in football. Here’s five reasons they’ll stun the Steelers in Week 6.
1. The Browns can score
The Browns go to Pittsburgh and while the fan base has been disappointed over and over again, this time is different.
These Browns can score. A lot. Kevin Stefanski’s crew has totaled 30 or more points in each of the team’s last four contests. It’s a mark unknown to the franchise since 1968.
It’s for this reason that this contest should be viewed as a winnable game.
DeShone Kizer and Colt McCoy aren’t leading the charge behind a coach who’s way in over his head. The Browns have an offensive identity and it’s led to consistency on the scoreboard. How ’bout that? And it only took 20 years.
It also helps that’s Pittsburgh’s offense top the 30-point mark for the first time in 23 games by hanging up 39 on the Eagles. Yes, Ben Roethlisberger was missing for 16 of those contests, but it took the dumpster-fire Eagles for Pittsburgh to hit the mark this season.
Between Cleveland’s rushing attack and the effectiveness of the team’s play-action passing, the Browns should finally be able to hang with the Steelers in the unfriendly confines of Heinz Field.
2. Myles vs the Steelers
What really happened between Myles Garrett and Mason Rudolph on that fateful November night in Cleveland last season that led to the pass rusher to swing his helmet at the Steelers backup quarterback?
If your a conspiracy theorist, the answer lies somewhere in an audio file buried deep inside the vault at NFL Films.
And yes, the replay will be shown–hopefully not too much, because Garrett going up against the Steelers is going to be THE storyline of the game.
And truthfully, Garrett’s highlights from the 2020 seasons should get more airtime than the incident from a season ago, as he’s done an excellent job rehabilitating his image.
The Browns have also done a stellar job of supporting their former No. 1 overall pick through the ordeal.
Since being suspended for the final six games of 2019, Garrett pocketed a new multi-year extension, is on pace to set the franchise’s single-season record for sacks and is being mentioned in the conversation for the league’s defensive player of the year award.
He’s the straw that stirs the drink on the defensive side of the ball and the Browns defense without him would be unwatchable.
With Garrett hunting down Big Ben, the Browns have more than a fighting chance in this one.
3. More valuable as a backup
Wyatt Teller was cruising toward All-Pro status this season, but unfortunately, a calf injury will likely keep him out of the Browns’ first contest against Pittsburgh.
Fortunately, the Browns have Chris Hubbard to fill in.
Hubbard was the team’s regular starter at right tackle last season, and the veteran often drew criticism for his play.
The Browns recognized Hubbard’s talent though, and rather than releasing him after signing free agent Jack Conklin, the organization re-worked his deal to keep him around at a cheaper price.
It’s a move that’s paying off, as Hubbard is proving to be more valuable as a sixth man than he was a starter. He’s already filled in for Conklin, and then last week, replaced Tellar at right guard, while drawing rave reviews.
Cleveland will be without its newly discovered stud lineman in Week 6, but Hubbard’s presence will allow the unit to stay effective.
4. Browns finally have a coach
The Browns haven’t won at Heinz Field in 17 years. Why’s this time going to be different? Having a good coach helps.
Hue Jackson, Pat Shurmur, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini…these men were at one time, regarded to be at the top of their field as assistants. But when they came to Cleveland, the Factory of Sadness ate them up and spit them out like it has so many quarterbacks over the years.
As previously mentioned, Stefanski has the offense on a scoring roll. His Browns have scored at least 30 points in four straight games. The 1968 Browns did it in seven games.
And then there’s penalties, which were a calling card of one-and-done coach Freddie Kitchens. But under Stefanski, the Browns look much more disciplined, as infractions are going down by the week.
Eight yellow flags were thrown Cleveland’s way in Weeks 1 and 2. Since then, it’s six, five and then just two penalties against the Colts. To be a good team, and to beat a good team, you can’t shoot yourself in the foot.
So far, these Browns aren’t giving away yards, especially on offense, which undoubtedly has helped the offense run smoothly.
5. Stop that run
The Browns limited rookie Jonathan Taylor to 3.8 yards per carry last week, and that was without Larry Ogunjobi.
Against the Steelers, the Browns should be able to slow Pittsburgh’s rushing attack, which is led by James Conner. Conner is a really good player, but he’s not exactly in the elite class of NFL backs. That said, he gets a lot of his talent, so the Browns will have to limit his successes
Ideally, Ogunjobi returns (abdomen) returns for this game, because he’s basically been a brick wall against the rush. Olivier Vernon also drew praise against the Colts for being Cleveland’s best defense against the run last week.
Ogunjobi has paired well with Sheldon Richardson on the interior, as the veteran totaled three quarterback pressures and four tackles last week.
Shutting down the run means more chances for Big Ben to hurt the defense, but with Myles Garrett on the prowl, I like the Browns’ chances.