Browns: No excuses, with Ben Roethlisberger out, Cleveland should roll

The Steelers have announced that Ben Roethlisberger will sit for the final regular-season game of the year against the Browns on Sunday.

The most obvious thing since the word obvious was created has finally happened; the Steelers will sit Ben Roethlisberger for their game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. This isn’t unexpected as the Steelers are already NFC Champions and clinched a home-game to open the playoffs. This was a foregone conclusion unless there was a battle for the division. Now that there’s not, Roethlisberger will sit. Some thought, wrongly I might add, that the Steelers would absolutely come into this game looking to win, that way they can get a potential second home-game but that was a foolish idea. The Steelers wouldn’t risk their stars for a game they may not even get.

It’s with this announcement that it’s now safe to say that the Browns should roll on Sunday. You might think, “Well, Mason Rudolph isn’t terrible and maybe the Steelers want to win the rivalry game.” Fair, but Rudolph isn’t the only backup who’s going to be starting, more than likely. While Steeler head coach Mike Tomlin hasn’t said for sure, he did leave the door open for more players to sit. More than likely their secondary and star defensive player T.J. Watt.

If guys like Roethlisberger, Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Joe Haden, and others sit, then the Browns won’t have much opposition at all. Especially if the Browns are back to full strength with the offensive line. Since Nick Harris’ insertion, the team has not been able to run off the right side. Things were made worse when Kendall Lamm started in place for Jedrick Wills, and the offensive line fell apart in Week 16 against the New York Jets because of the new additions. If Wyatt Teller and Jedrick Wills are in fact back for this final game of the regular season, the running game should return to form.

If they’re out, the running game will suffer. Harris has proven all on his own how little he belongs on the field, and if the Browns are forced to start him, the running game will likely fall off for the third straight week. Assuming the line is healthy, and the receivers are cleared to return to the field, the Browns should win this game handily.

The problem will come after this week when the Browns will walk into the playoffs as (more than likely) the seventh seed to face off with (more than likely) the second-seed Steelers. That’s when things will get truly interesting.