Dissecting Most Crucial Matchups in Steelers' Week 6 Contest Against Browns
For the second time in six weeks, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns will take the field for an AFC North showdown.
The Steelers have dominated the series since the Browns returned to the NFL. Since 2000, Pittsburgh has won 25 of 29 games, including 18 of 19 in which Ben Roethlisberger has started. However, the last one was not easy, as Cleveland nearly came back from a 24-point halftime deficit before losing 30-27 in the season opener.
The Week 6 matchup between these two rivals has important implications in a tight AFC North race. The Cincinnati Bengals lead the division with a 3-1 record, but the Steelers and Browns are hot on their heels with a 3-2 and 2-2 record respectively.
Cleveland has remained competitive behind strong offensive line play and running attack. Terrance West and Ben Tate have combined for nearly 400 yards, and Brian Hoyer has been effective with six touchdowns to only one interception while getting sacked just five times. The Browns offense will provide a stiff challenge for a Pittsburgh defense which allows 21.6 points per game.
Meanwhile, the Steelers offense must get it in gear after only scoring 10 points against one of the worst defenses in the entire league last week. The team will have to rely on its top offensive stars—Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown—and good offensive line play to move the ball against a talented but underachieving Browns defense.
The Steelers will have to win these key matchups if they want to leave Cleveland with a victory and remain in early contention for the AFC North.
Antonio Brown vs. Joe Haden/Justin Gilbert
Prior to his first game against Pittsburgh this year, Joe Haden let everyone know how good Antonio Brown really is, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com:
"He's one of the (best receivers I've covered)," said Haden. "He's in my top (few). Calvin Johnson, A.J. Green, Josh Gordon, Dez Bryant. He's in that company. He's really good after the catch. He knows how to make people miss."
It should be no surprise that Haden has such high praise for Brown. Over their last two games against each other, Brown has 11 receptions for 208 yards and two touchdowns, including a 35-yard score against him in the season opener.
However, Cleveland may be without its best cornerback.
That has not swayed Mike Tomlin from believing that Haden will be matched up against Brown once again.
Whether it is Haden or Gilbert, the Steelers have to like their chances to exploit this matchup. Brown has been terrific against Haden, and the opportunity to play against a rookie cornerback would give the Steelers an even greater edge.
Brown’s combination of speed and quickness when running his routes and after the catch makes it difficult for any defensive back to defend. It is why he ranks in the top five of virtually every receiving statistical category. He will only add to those stats this weekend, especially if Haden is on the sidelines.
Lawrence Timmons/Sean Spence vs. Ben Tate/Terrance West
The Cleveland Browns boast the fourth-ranked rushing offense in the league with an average of 143.3 yards per game. It is one of the major reasons why they have been competitive in each of their games.
One of the keys to Cleveland’s ground attack was the return of Ben Tate to the lineup last week. In limited action this season, Tate has carried the ball 28 times for 164 yards and an average of 5.9 yards per carry. He is second on the team in rushing behind Terrance West, who has 235 yards on 54 carries.
These two backs had a tremendous amount of success against the Steelers in their first matchup. Tate had six carries for 41 yards, while West had an impressive 100 yards on only 16 carries. Their combined production is better than any other individual back or team has performed against the Steelers this year.
In fact, Pittsburgh’s rush defense has significantly improved since Week 2 of the season. No team has rushed for more than 63 yards over the past three weeks, but the Browns will certainly test that figure.
Cleveland should not worry about the Pittsburgh’s resurgence. With an excellent offensive line and a scheme that will take advantage of an aggressive, undisciplined Steelers defense, the Browns could put up huge numbers.
As Matt Fitzgerald of Bleacher Report wrote, “[Kyle] Shanahan's system is ideal for a one-cut, decisive runner like Tate to keep piling up yardage.”
The Steelers have traditionally struggled against these types of runners, meaning that Lawrence Timmons and Sean Spence must maintain their gaps and play a disciplined style of football.
West is another back who has the ability to make a cut and turn it into a big gain. In Week 1, Timmons and Ryan Shazier stayed inside, and West bounced his run to the outside. Once there, he was able to gain eight yards and a first down.
His success on the ground also opened up the play-action pass for the Browns. On this particular play, both inside linebackers bit on the fake, leaving Brian Hoyer with plenty of time to make a touchdown pass in the back corner of the end zone.
Pittsburgh’s defense was successful for so many years because it could make teams one-dimensional by taking away the run. No longer is there a dominant front seven against the ground attack, but the Steelers are moving in the right direction and will look to stop the Browns’ duo and force Hoyer to win the game with his arm.
Kelvin Beachum vs. Jabaal Sheard
A major key for the Steelers each week is to keep Ben Roethlisberger off the ground. That has not been the case this year, as he has been sacked 15 times, including nine times over the past two weeks.
One of the major culprits for the offensive line is Kelvin Beachum.
Though he has performed well as a run-blocker, Beachum has not been able to hold his own in pass protection. Through five games, he is credited with four sacks against, per The Washington Post. By comparison, he allowed seven in 12 starts and 15 games played last season.
Built more as a guard at 6’3” and 303 pounds, Beachum can sometimes be overmatched at left tackle. This leads him to being pushed into the backfield, which either leads to a sack or a quarterback hurry. He has had trouble with penalties as well, with three called against him, per The Washington Post.
Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, an illegal hands to the face penalty wiped out a 17-yard reception by Antonio Brown. Plays like these have plagued the Steelers offense all season and is one of the reasons it has had trouble scoring.
On Sunday, Beachum will face Jabaal Sheard and must perform better than he did against Jacksonville for the Steelers offense to run smoothly.
Sheard is not the most talented linebacker or defensive end Beachum will be matched up against this season, but he has the ability to disrupt as a run defender and pass-rusher. He has two sacks on the season, including one against the Steelers.
This particular matchup is less about what Sheard can do and more about what Beachum has failed to do. He cannot afford to continually get beat around the edge or else he will put his quarterback and the passing attack in danger.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com and all roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.
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