Browns vs. Steelers: Pittsburgh Win Will Expose Team's Playoff Weaknesses

We know that the Pittsburgh Steelers have a good team. Their 9-3 record is the only proof you need of that. But you don't need to be a good team to win in the playoffs. No, you need to be a great team. More specifically, you need to run the ball well.

The Steelers do a lot of things well, but running is not one of them. That's going to show against the Browns.

Cleveland has a strong defense. Their offense is nowhere near good enough to do anything against the Steelers defense. Thursday's game isn't really in question. Still, even though they are going to win, it doesn't mean that holes in the Pittsburgh game won't be exposed. 

When you look at the other 9-3 teams in the NFL, Pittsburgh's record is awful. Yes, they beat the Patriots, but lost twice to the Ravens and once to a healthy Texans team. 

While injuries have squashed the Texans' chances at winning a Super Bowl, the Patriots are a much better team now than they were when the two teams played earlier in the year. Also, as Baltimore swept the Steelers, Pittsburgh's likely route to the Super Bowl is as a wild-card team. That means that a playoff rematch would be in New England.

The fact of the matter is that the Steelers just don't have the running attack to play with the AFC's best teams. They certainly won't win three games in a row to get to the Super Bowl. 

The passing attack and defense are strong, but it's too hard to pass that much in the playoffs and they're not the only team with a good defense. 

Playoff games aren't won by the teams that go out and make tons of big plays. They are won by controlling the line of scrimmage, freezing the defense and then making the occasional big play. 

Pittsburgh just doesn't have that ability. We'll see that tonight. Although they are going to win the game, the Steelers' flaws will be exposed against a team with a good defense.

When they face playoff teams that have Cleveland's defense matched with a competent offense, the Steelers will be done.

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