Browns vs. Steelers: Full Cleveland Game Preview

There just isn’t much of a rivalry feel when the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers meet on Sundays. It seems more forced than anything by the team's’ divisional grouping. That connection is stronger than anything matriculating from the meaningfulness or competitiveness of the actual games.

The last significant game these two teams played was a 2003 playoff shootout, one that Pittsburgh won in come-from-behind fashion, 36-33. It was a great start to rekindling the two franchises’ storied rivalry after Cleveland returned to the league in 1999. But the Browns have only won four games in the series since that loss. That's just four wins—only once in Pittsburgh in 2003—in their last 24 meetings.

None of this should be surprising, because the team, frankly, hasn’t been good. They haven’t even reached the postseason since that 2003 loss to the Steelers, either.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin seems indifferent about the inbound Browns.

“It is a game that we face this week, to be honest with you. It is important from that standpoint,” Tomlin said during a conference call this week. “We need to stack winning performance on top of winning performance. That is where I am at with it.”

If fanning the flame of this fading rivalry or providing the Browns any bulletin board material were things you were looking for, Tomlin delivered the opposite.

The future is forged in the games played today, though. Cleveland might be 2-7, but it has a chance to put a wrench in Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes.

And if the Steelers are without Ben Roethlisberger, anything is possible, even for the Browns while on the road in Pittsburgh.

Viewing Info

Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh

Date: Sunday, November 15

Time: 1 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Week 9 Results and Recap

Frank Victores/Associated Press

Although the Browns turned in another good first half last Thursday, the end result was familiar. The Cincinnati Bengals led at halftime, but Cleveland’s touchdown just before the break gave it a shot to contend. But offensive shortcomings in the second half, highlighted by a shockingly absent rush offense—just one attempt—drops, and Johnny Manziel’s inconsistency, led to a 31-10 Bengals blowout win.

Pittsburgh torched the Oakland Raiders for 38 points, but it took some last-minute heroics by Antonio Brown to set up the game-winning field goal in the closing moments.

The Baltimore Ravens had the week off, but it faces the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10 as it attempts to separate from the Browns in the cellar of the AFC North.

AFC North Division Standings

Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	Streak
Bengals	8	0	0	1.000	229	142	W8
Steelers	5	4	0	.500	206	182	W1
Ravens	2	6	0	.250	190	214	W1
Browns	2	7	0	.222	177	247	L4

News and Notes

Gary Landers/Associated Press

Browns Make Flurry of Roster Moves

The bottom few roster spots turned over for the Browns this week, as running back Glenn Winston and cornerback Charles Gaines were activated from reserve lists. That sent corner De’Ante Saunders and linebacker Jayson DiManche back to the practice squad.

Offensive lineman Darrian Miller was also promoted from their practice squad to their active roster, while former Seattle Seahawks running back Robert Turbin was waived to make room for him.

Turbin, Saunders and DiManche are victims of the numbers game. With Gaines and Winston returning to practice in Week 7, their three-week timer to be activated was getting close.

Cam Erving to Make First Start of Season

Browns fans will get their first extended look at offensive lineman Cam Erving, one of the team’s two 2015 first round picks, when he starts for injured left guard Joel Bitonio. Bitonio will not play due to an ankle injury he suffered last week against Cincinnati, head coach Mike Pettine said, according to Andrew Gribble of ClevelandBrowns.com.

Erving has a big opportunity to show he has made progress while working behind the team’s incumbent starters this season. He has had limited exposure in certain heavy packages involving more than five offensive lineman, but the results have been mixed. Last week, results weren’t encouraging after he filled in some for Bitonio.

We’ll wait to see how he fares after preparing for an entire week before rushing to judgement on where exactly he is in his development.

Latest Injury News

Gary Landers/Associated Press

Player	Position	Injury
Andrew Hawkins	WR	Concussion
Brian Hartline	WR	Concussion
Donte Whitner	DB	Concussion
Joel Bitonio	OL	Ankle
Joe Haden	DB	Concussion
Johnny Manziel	QB	Right Elbow
Ibraheim Campbell	DB	Hamstring
Josh McCown	QB	Ribs
Jordan Poyer	DB	Shoulder

With Bitonio already out, Joe Haden and Donte Whitner—both still going trough the NFL concussion protocol—were the only other hopefuls who did not practice on Wednesday.

Ibraheim Campbell, Josh McCown and Jordan Poyer did get on the practice field, albeit in limited repetitions.

McCown is the biggest question mark this week. After the quick turnaround for last week’s Thursday night game, the veteran quarterback will have had two weeks of recovery time when the Browns travel to Pittsburgh this weekend.

He hasn’t been able to turn the corner, but he has been showing signs that he could be ready to go. Pettine said he’s day-to-day, but that he thinks he’ll be able to make a decision by Thursday morning given his limited return to practice on Wednesday.

All injury information courtesy of Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Key Matchups

Don Wright/Associated Press

Which QBs Will Play?

We don't know if Ben Roethlisberger will play or not this week, but the Steelers are clicking offensively despite losing running back Le'Veon Bell for the season. If Big Ben does miss this week, it does even the playing field some for the Browns, but not completely. They have their own quarterback issues they're working out this week.

Manziel and McCown obviously provide different problems for the Steelers, but McCown is clearly the more polished of the two. If he starts this week, it's hard to argue he doesn't give the Browns the best chance to win in a hostile road environment in Pittsburgh. His rapport with Gary Barnidge and some of the other Browns players has been evident when he exploded during the beginning half of the 2015 season.

Manziel and Landry Jones might not scare either of these defenses, but the young quarterbacks have a lot to prove and could put on a show if thrust into action.

Steelers RBs vs. Browns Defense

Throwing the ball probably won’t be very important for a Steelers team that has adapted to its lost quarterback by pounding the ball on the ground this season. Pittsburgh’s 1,201 yards rushing and its 5.1 yards per carry are both NFL bests through nine weeks.

And it’s no longer a mystery that the Browns can’t stop the run. Last week, Cincinnati became their seventh of nine opponents to rush for 150 or more yards against them this season.

DeAngelo Williams, who is dealing with swelling in his foot, has played exceptionally in limited action while standing in for Bell this season. He totaled 225 yards and had two touchdowns on the ground last week against Oakland.

X-Factor

Jason Miller/Getty Images

Browns X-Factor of the Week: TE Gary Barnidge

The Browns are getting one of the most surprising seasons from a tight end that we have seen. Barnidge's six touchdowns, 42 catches and 602 yards are all career highs, and he still has seven games left.

But his effectiveness may depend on McCown's availability. Manziel and the tight end continued to struggle together last week, connecting only twice in seven tries for 35 yards.

But tight ends have had good luck finding open room against the Steelers. In nine games, Pittsburgh has given up 53 catches for 553 yards and seven touchdowns to the position, according to ESPN.com.

It's clear that Barnidge has to be heavily involved in Cleveland's game plan, no matter who is under center.

Prediction: Steelers 27, Browns 23

Frank Victores/Associated Press

It's tough to predict a game without knowing who will be starting for either team at quarterback. With a mix of Michael Vick and Jones, the Steelers are 2-2 without Roethlisberger. Cleveland is 1-1 with Manziel as its starter.

Manziel has shown flashes, but has also been hesitant in the pocket and has been reckless with the football, turning it over five times this season. Whether it's a strip, or a missed read leading to an interception, those types of plays are more likely with the younger quarterbacks in the game.

Because of that, this should be a close game.

Williams and whoever else is running the ball will find space, though, and the Browns won’t be able to stop them. Pittsburgh’s defense is 27th in total yards allowed, but is eighth in points allowed per game.

That unit's trend of bending, but not breaking, will likely continue this week.

Final Prediction: Steelers 27, Browns 23

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via Pro-Football-Reference.com, and all quotes via e-mailed team press release by Browns communications manager Dan Murphy.