Pittsburgh-Cleveland: Hated Steelers 'Rivalry' in Week Six

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The Cleveland Browns face hated rival, and last season’s Super Bowl Champion, Pittsburgh Steelers this week at Pittsburgh.

The Steelers come into Week Six with back-to-back victories to sit at 3-2, but are still not playing championship-caliber football right now. Specifically, the Steelers are struggling to close out games and are suffering from a number of injuries to some key players.

Last week’s 28-21 victory over the Detroit Lions may have raised more questions than answers for the Steelers. Their defense allowed aging QB Daunte Culpepper, and the pedestrian Lions, to accumulate 335 yards and collect 11 fourth-quarter first downs.

Had the ferocious Steeler pass rush not sacked Culpepper seven times for 57 yards, there would have been a lot more focus placed on the poor play of their defensive backfield this week.

In a Week Four win, the Steelers allowed 21 fourth-quarter points to the San Diego Chargers. In a Week Three loss, they allowed the Bengals to score 14 fourth-quarter points. In a Week Two loss, they allowed the Bears to score 10 points in the last six minutes of the game.

Does anyone notice a pattern here?

The Pittsburgh defense may get a shot in the arm if All Pro safety Troy Polamalu can return this week against the Browns. Polamalu, who is largely regarded as the heart of Steelers' defense, has missed four games due to a torn knee ligament. He has been limited in practice so far.

But just as Polamalu is returning to health, they may be losing the services of DE Aaron Smith for an extended period of time with a shoulder ailment. Teammates call Smith the most underrated player on the defense.

Backup defensive ends Travis Kirschke, Nick Eason, and rookie Ziggy Hood are less than comparable replacements for Smith.

Nose tackle Casey Hampton is one of the best at his position. He clogs the middle in the run game and can collapse the pocket in the pass game.

Brett Keisel and Eason rotate at the right end spot. Neither is a playmaker, but both do their jobs keeping opposing offensive linemen off their exceptionally active linebackers.

LaMarr Woodley and Kent State product James Harrison are the best bookend outside linebackers in the game. They combined for an amazing 27.5 sacks in 2008. Harrison already has six sacks and four forced fumbles this year.

James Farrior and Lawrence Timmons start in the middle of the 3-4 defense. Farrior, now in his thirteenth season, is getting long in the tooth, but did have 133 tackles in ’08. Timmons is primed to break out entering his third year in the league.

While the front seven is one of the best, if not the best in football, the defensive backfield is less than stellar. Not having Polamalu cannot be used an excuse, since the big-hitting safety is more of a factor in the run game and pass rush than in coverage anyway.

Ike Taylor is the leader of the cornerback unit, but is not by any stretch of the imagination a shutdown corner. William Gay starts at the opposite side and has shown he can hit, but the third-year player still struggles as a pass defender.

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