Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns: Complete Week 6 Preview for Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a nice, relaxing week.
How can the Steelers relax as they prepare for Sunday's game at Cleveland (1 p.m., CBS) against their biggest traditional rival?
Because they're not favored to win this game.
The Steelers (3-2) and Browns (2-2) were even money as of Thursday, according to Odds Shark. The Steelers have been heavy favorites in their last two games and have struggled under that burden.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' only win came at Pittsburgh in Week 4, and the Steelers could only muster a 17-9 win last week over an 0-5 Jacksonville team that had lost its first four games by an average of 23.5 points.
Cleveland has momentum and motivation on its side.
In Week 1, the Browns roared back from a 27-3 halftime deficit without their top receiver and running back and tied the game before the Steelers escaped with a 30-27 win at Heinz Field.
Last week, the Browns came back from an even bigger deficit on the road and finished the job. They trailed the Tennessee Titans 28-3 in the second quarter and came back to win 29-28. It was the biggest margin overcome by a road team in NFL history, according to ESPN.com.
A game against a 2-2 team that flicks away three-touchdown deficits like pesky insects isn't the best matchup for the Steelers, who have had a hard time putting away good teams.
The Browns annually circle both games against Pittsburgh as soon as the schedule is released in April. After Cleveland came so tantalizingly close to an epic comeback victory at Pittsburgh, Week 6 became that much more magnified for a franchise that is trying to become a factor in the AFC North.
Steelers Week 5 Recap
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The Steelers gave themselves a little something to build on last week, beating the winless Jacksonville Jaguars 17-9 at EverBank Field.
It was the first time the Steelers beat a team they were really supposed to beat on the road since, well, their season finale at Cleveland in 2011.
The Steelers did not come out of their victory over the Jaguars without worries, however.
Their offense could only scrape together 10 points against the league's worst-ranked defense. The Steelers average 404 yards per game, fourth in the NFL, but they're 26th in red-zone touchdown percentage, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Pittsburgh entered the red zone four times at Jacksonville. Those trips resulted in a field goal, a touchdown, a sack-fumble and the victory formation.
Little-used tight end Michael Palmer scored the touchdown on a one-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger, giving the Steelers a 10-3 lead in the second quarter.
That lead was down to 10-9 when the Steelers made it to the Jaguars' 13 early in the fourth quarter. The lead seemed even thinner when Roethlisberger lost the ball after being sacked by Abry Jones.
This is another problem that's not going away. Roethlisberger was sacked four times by the Jaguars. He's been sacked 15 times this season. Only Matthew Stafford (17) and Chad Henne (16) have been sacked more.
The Steelers didn't have to pay for their lone turnover at Jacksonville because on the second play of the Jags' ensuing possession, Brice McCain made his first interception as a Steeler and returned it 22 yards to give the Steelers a full possession lead at 17-9. Rookie quarterback Blake Bortles couldn't move the Jaguars past their own 40 after that.
Dick LeBeau's record against rookie quarterbacks improved to 18-2 with Sunday's win. It's highly unlikely he'll get a chance to add to that record Sunday. Brian Hoyer has been keeping Johnny Manziel in a baseball cap.
Hoyer's 97.7 passer rating is ninth among quarterbacks who have attempted at least 100 passes this season. He's thrown for six touchdowns and one interception and has been helped by a rushing attack that has gone for 143.2 yards per game this season, for fourth in the NFL.
The Steelers allowed 191 rushing yards to the Browns in Week 1 and then another 157 four days later at Baltimore. Since then, they've given up 161 yards on the ground in three games. If they can continue that trend and boost their own red-zone efficiency, they can be two games over .500 for the first time since they won at Baltimore on Shaun Suisham's last-second field goal in 2012. That made them 7-5.
News and Notes
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Debate Over Brown's Streak
With the Jaguars out of timeouts Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger dumped a short pass to Antonio Brown right after the two-minute warning to keep alive the receiver's streak of 21 straight games with at least five catches and 50 yards. Brown had only four receptions to that point.
Opinions have varied about whether the Steelers should have thrown a pass in that situation just to keep Brown's streak going.
Dejan Kovacevic of DK on Pittsburgh Sports didn't have a problem with it. Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote that Mike Tomlin should have nixed the idea when Roethlisberger asked him about it.
Here's a thought: If the Steelers had attacked the league's worst passing defense by throwing the ball downfield more often early in the game, none of this would have been an issue.
Refs at Practice Again
The Steelers cut down on penalties last week at Jacksonville. They committed seven after being flagged 13 times in Week 4 against Tampa Bay. They're still the most penalized team in the NFL, however, with 51.
According to Dale Lolley of the Observer-Reporter in Washington, Pennsylvania, the Steelers brought officials into practice for the second straight week.
"#Steelers have officials here for practice again today
— Dale Lolley (@dlolleyor) October 8, 2014"
Spence Wins Team's Ed Block Courage Award
Steelers inside linebacker Sean Spence is the winner of the team's Ed Block Courage Award, according to Steelers.com.
Spence, the Steelers' third-round draft pick in 2012, suffered what appeared to be a career-ending knee injury in his fourth preseason game. But after two years of rehab, he made the team this year and had his first career start in Week 4 at Heinz Field.
He started again at Jacksonville and played all 57 of the Steelers' defensive snaps.
The University of Miami product has made nine tackles this season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He also has a quarterback hit and two quarterback hurries.
Browns Hurting on Defense
Browns defensive end Phil Taylor will miss Sunday's game after having knee surgery this week, according to ESPN.com.
The Steelers might see Browns cornerback Joe Haden, who injured his hip during the Browns' 29-28 win at Tennessee Sunday. He went through a limited practice Friday, according to ClevelandBrowns.com, and is listed as probable.
Even before his injury, Haden was having a disappointing season. He has no interceptions and just one pass breakup after intercepting four passes, defending 20 passes and earning a Pro Bowl berth last season.
If Haden can't go, struggling rookie Justin Gilbert is likely to take his place.
Browns linebacker Paul Kruger, who has two sacks this season, sat out practice Thursday and Friday and is questionable.
The Browns have allowed 421.8 yards of offense this season, 31st in the league. They're 28th with 269.2 passing yards allowed per game and 29th with 152.5 rushing yards allowed per game.
This Is a Big One
The Steelers are 27-5 against the Browns since the Browns moved back to Cleveland in 1999. Ben Roethlisberger is 8-1 at Cleveland in his career.
It's been a long time since the Steelers and Browns have met with so much at stake for both teams. The Steelers are 3-2, and the Browns are 2-2. No team in the AFC North is more than a game behind first-place Cincinnati (3-1).
This might be the most significant Steelers-Browns game since 2007. The Steelers were 6-2, and the Browns were 5-3 heading into that game. The Steelers came back from a 21-6 deficit in the second quarter and won 31-28. Both teams finished tied for first place in the AFC North at 10-6, but the Steelers won the division because they beat the Browns twice that year.
In 2008, the Steelers went to Cleveland in Week 2. The Browns were 0-1 but expecting a big season after narrowly missing the playoffs the year before. The Steelers won that game 10-6 and went on to win the Super Bowl. The Browns dropped to 4-12.
Browns Keeping It Close
The Browns' first four games have been decided by three points or less. The last time that happened was in 2005, when the Washington Redskins went 3-1 in their first four games, according to Athlon Sports.
Steelers Done With Browns Early This Year
The Steelers and Browns will be finished with their two games against each other while the leaves are still changing colors on trees. Both games are being played within the first six weeks of the season this year. This is the earliest scheduling of the two Steelers-Browns games since 1989.
Just like this year, the Steelers hosted the Browns in Week 1 that year, although they played in Three Rivers Stadium at the time, and went to Cleveland in Week 6. The Browns won the opener 51-0, but the Steelers avenged that humiliating defeat with a 17-7 win at Cleveland in Week 6 and eventually made the playoffs.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Ryan Shazier | ILB | Out (knee) |
| Ike Taylor | CB | Out (forearm) |
| Shamarko Thomas | S | Out (hamstring) |
Ryan Shazier took part in his first practice Thursday since injuring his knee at Carolina in Week 3. He also practiced on a limited basis Friday, but will not play Sunday.
Shamarko Thomas, who has played exclusively on special teams this season, was injured last week at Jacksonville and did not practice all week.
Ike Taylor, who broke his forearm at Carolina, won't be back until at least November, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports.
"Steelers DB Ike Taylor appeared to be lost for yr w broken forearm, had 2 plates & 15 screws inserted this wk told me he's back in 6 wks
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) September 28, 2014"
Outside linebacker Jarvis Jones is on injured reserve/designated to return with his wrist injury. He's not eligible to play until at least Week 13, but according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, his cast has been removed.
"Jarvis Jones had the cast removed from his surgically repaired right wrist.
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly_Trib) October 8, 2014"
Information from Steelers.com was used in this report.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Antonio Brown vs. Browns Secondary
This is a mystery matchup because it's unclear whether Antonio Brown will go up against Pro Bowler Joe Haden, raw rookie Justin Gilbert or fifth-year veteran Buster Skrine and his two career interceptions.
Pro Football Focus ranks Haden 163rd out of 167 cornerbacks in the NFL this season. Gilbert ranks 153rd, and Skrine ranks 159th. They all rank ahead of Steelers cornerback Cortez Allen (165th).
Brown caught five passes for 116 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers' season-opening win over the Browns. He beat Haden for two of those receptions for 53 yards, including the touchdown, according to PFF.
Even if Haden is healthy enough to play, Brown should be able to exploit Cleveland's 28th-ranked passing defense and have a big day. The Steelers might not even have to throw him a cheap screen pass if they have the game wrapped up with two minutes left.
Mitchell Schwartz vs. Jason Worilds
After doing very little to scare opposing quarterbacks this season, Jason Worilds finally got loose at Jacksonville.
Worilds posted his second sack of the season and also had four hurries, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
"Ask Jason Worilds about being allowed to rush from outside almost exclusively against Jags. He just gave me a big smile. Had sack, 4 hurries
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly_Trib) October 9, 2014"
If Worilds rushes Brian Hoyer from his normal left outside linebacker position, he'll be greeted by Browns right tackle Mitchell Schwartz.
Worilds and company will have a difficult time finding their way to Hoyer Sunday. The Browns are tied for fourth in the NFL with five sacks allowed, according to ESPN.com. The only sack Schwartz allowed this season came against the Steelers.
All five Browns offensive linemen have played every snap this season. Pro Football Focus gives them all a positive grade. Schwartz has the lowest of those grades, but he's still well in the green. PFF also ranks the Browns O-line No. 1 in the NFL.
That doesn't bode well for the Steelers pass rush. Pittsburgh is tied for 20th with eight sacks this season.
Ben Roethlisberger vs. Karlos Dansby
Inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, whom the Browns signed as a free agent, has intercepted Ben Roethlisberger twice in his career. The first one came in Super Bowl XLIII as a member of the Arizona Cardinals. The other one came in Week 1, when Dansby cut in front of Le'Veon Bell in the flat.
Dansby leads the Browns this season with 31 combined tackles. The 32-year-old has 16 career interceptions and 39 career sacks. It would help Roethlisberger if he knew where Dansby was at all times.
Steelers' Improved Run Defense vs. Browns Running Backs
Since allowing 348 rushing yards in the first two games of the season, the Steelers have allowed 161 rushing yards over the past three games.
Their run-stopping ability will be put to the test Sunday.
The Browns gashed them for 191 yards in the season opener, and they were without Ben Tate in the second half. Tate is healthy again. He ran for 122 yards on 24 carries in his return last week at Tennessee, and the Browns are fourth in the NFL with 143.5 rushing yards per game.
Terrance West gained 100 yards on 16 carries, and Isaiah Crowell scored two touchdowns in Week 1.
According to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Steelers are dedicating more practice time to stopping the no-huddle offense the Browns employed in the second half of their Week 1 matchup.
Steelers X-Factor to Watch: Lawrence Timmons
The Steelers' down linemen deserve credit for the stout run defense since Week 3, but Lawrence Timmons is the team's leading tackler with 41 combined. The Steelers need him to shoot through the gaps and wrap up Tate, West and Crowell.
In the pictured play, Timmons is stopping the Jaguars' Denard Robinson for no gain on the first play of the second half. Timmons was blocked to the ground on the play but recovered in time to make the tackle.
Prediction
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The Browns overcame a 25-point deficit to win on the road last week, while the Steelers proved little in a one-touchdown win over an 0-5 team.
Despite their 3-2 record, the Steelers' only impressive performance this season came at Carolina in Week 3.
All the intangibles in this game seem to favor the Browns. Their 24-point comeback at Pittsburgh in Week 1 went unrewarded, and they don't want to come out of another clash with their bitter division rivals wondering what might have been.
The Browns' job will be easier this time because they won't have to climb out of such a huge hole.
The Browns beat the Steelers at Cleveland in 2009 and 2012. Those seasons started out promising for the Steelers, but losing to the Browns hastened their demise, and they missed the playoffs both years.
That doesn't have to be the case this time. The Browns aren't pushovers anymore, and as bitter as this loss would be, it doesn't have to doom the Steelers' season. They'll be .500 with three straight home games coming up.
Prediction: Browns 23, Steelers 16
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