5 Browns players who need to step up against the Steelers

The Browns need these five players to step up against the Steelers

Good news, Cleveland. Kansas City hasn’t clinched home-field advantage just yet. That means they’re going to need to play their best game against the Bengals on Sunday. The Ravens are without Lamar Jackson and even when he’s healthy their offense has looked anything but. They have the Ravens and the Steelers in subsequent weeks. So if Kansas City wins, the Browns just have to win out and let nature take its course.

Then, playoffs. Now, some shenanigans have to happen to get to that point, sure, but the odds seem to be in the Browns’ favor at the moment. Just win is the only thing that will get Cleveland into the playoffs and it’s the only thing that the Browns can control as well.

To win, however, these five players need to step up against the Steelers.

Five players who need to step up against the Steelers.

Baker Mayfield

I’m not over Baker Mayfield. I still think he’s a good quarterback because I’ve seen it. Too many people are ignoring his shoulder injury for the sake of winning an argument with themselves. It’s opportunistic and disingenuous to pretend like we’re getting an honest look at the quarterback this year. Mayfield isn’t going anywhere, we know we can win with him at quarterback. He’s done it before, he just needs to play within the system until he can get his shoulder back up to snuff. If he flames out in year five, then we’ll talk.

Jedrick Wills

The Browns may be smart leaving Joel Bitonio at left tackle and starting Michael Dunn at left guard for the rest of the season. Wills is fine in pass blocking but he does get beat quite a bit but his run blocking is horrid. This isn’t new, it’s two straight seasons of poor play. With the Steelers and Bengals having great pass rushes, he has to play better than ever to give the Browns a chance to win.

Anthony Schwartz

We saw glimpses of his big-play ability earlier this year against Kansas City, and then nothing until Green Bay. Well, the Browns need someone to step up and Schwartz is as good as a candidate as any of them. His speed brings something unique to this offense that no one else has, and it changes the way the game is played. He has to be used more but more importantly, he has to prove he’s worth using more.

Myles Garrett

People aren’t going after Myles Garrett the way they go after other injured players and that’s not right. Garrett is getting paid too much money to make zero impact on a game. Luckily Porter Gustin has played fine against the run so far this year but no one, not even Jadeveon Clowney and the ghost of Olivier Vernon will be able to replace Garrett. If that means only using Garrett on passing downs then so be it. The Browns can’t afford to have their generational defensive play on the field and doing nothing to help win.

Jadeveon Clowney

The Steelers need a healthy dose of steady brutality and if Garrett can’t bring it, then Jadeveon Clowney will have to. Prove to the league why you were a Pro Bowl alternate.