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Browns: Evaluating the opponents for the 2021 NFL Season

By Chad Porto

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 17: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns drops back to pass against the defense of the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 17, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 17: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns drops back to pass against the defense of the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 17, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 10: Sione Takitaki #44 of the Cleveland Browns is pursued by Alejandro Villanueva #78 of the Pittsburgh Steelers while returning an interception during the second half of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Heinz Field on January 10, 2021, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 10: Sione Takitaki #44 of the Cleveland Browns is pursued by Alejandro Villanueva #78 of the Pittsburgh Steelers while returning an interception during the second half of the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Heinz Field on January 10, 2021, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /

Week 8 & 17 – Steelers (Home/Away)

The Steelers are going to be looking very new in 2021 but it may not be a better look. The offense in Pittsburgh has officially hit the wall and they’re no longer able to just keep plugging in players left and right and getting success. James Conner ended up not being the next great Steeler back and JuJu Smith-Schuster is far from an elite wide receiver. Ben Roethlisberger has fallen off and no longer has the arm strength to compete against better teams consistently.

Defensively, they’re still good, with Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Minkah Fitzpatrick leading the way but as the Steelers proved last year, all the talent in the world can’t compensate for an offense that can’t stay on the field for longer than a three-and-out.

The Steelers were the weakest 12 win team in the last decade, and the Browns beat them twice in a row, ending whatever physiological hold they had on Cleveland. Mike Tomlin’s crew isn’t what it once was and a full rebuild may be coming soon. If it does happen, it’ll be after what should be an expected down year.

Expectations: Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it burned down in nine. The fall of the Steel Curtain is upon us, expect the Steelers to be wildly disappointing in 2021. Roethlisberger is on his last legs, the offensive weapons aren’t what they once were and there are a lot of people leaning on the idea that the only first-round running back taken in the 2021 NFL Draft is going to be the correcting force. Chase Claypool is a possible breakout star but then again, that’s what people said about JuJu Smith-Schuster and he’s been anything but. Don’t worry Steeler Nation, “the Browns is the Browns.”

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