Browns @ Steelers: Official Game Thread

In week 12, the Steelers defeated the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Now the Steelers travel to back to Heinz Field to host the Browns.

For the Steelers to win:
The Steelers need to play a complete game (Offense, Defense, Special Teams for 60 min.).
The Steelers defense needs to pressure Baker Mayfield and not allow him to escape using his mobility.
The Steelers defense needs to stop Nick Chubb.
The Steelers need to run the ball effectively and often.
Devlin "Duck" Hodges needs to make quick, good decisions.
The Steelers need to score TDs when in the red zone (and when not).
The Steelers need to protect the ball. They need to win the turnover battle.
Alejandro Villanueva, Ramon Foster, B. J. Finney, David DeCastro, and Matt Feiler need to play well as a unit.


From Steelers Depot:
Steelers Versus Browns Week 13 Projected Inactive List

JuJu Smith-Schuster – While Smith-Schuster was fortunately removed from concussion protocol earlier this week by the team he still failed to practice any due to the left knee injury he’s been dealing with since suffering it in the road loss to the Browns in Week 11. Smith-Schuster was officially ruled out for the Steelers Sunday home game against the Browns on the team’s Friday injury report and thus he’ll be one of the seven inactive players ahead of that contest.

James Conner – Conner ended the week listed as doubtful on the Steelers Friday injury report and that’s not a bit surprising. Conner was only able to practice on a limited basis twice this past week so it’s very unlikely that he’ll be given a helmet Sunday against the Browns. Instead, look for the Steelers to use running backs Benny Snell Jr., Jaylen Samuels and Kerrith Whyte Jr. on Sunday against the Browns with Conner not in uniform on the sideline. This will likely mark the fourth game that Conner has missed this season due to a shoulder injury and the second in a row since aggravating it against the Browns in Week 11.

Paxton Lynch – The Steelers made a switch at starting quarterback this past week as Devlin Hodges is now taking over for Mason Rudolph on Sunday against the Browns. Rudolph, however, is still expected to backup Hodges on Sunday so that means Lynch should be inactive again with him remaining the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart. Lynch has only dressed for one game this season and that was in Week 6 when he backed up Hodges due to Rudolph being sidelined with a concussion.

Zach Gentry – Gentry hasn’t dressed for many games this season and he’s now not likely to be in uniform for the Sunday game against the Browns. With tight ends Vance McDonald and Nick Vannett both healthy, you can probably look for Gentry to once again be one of the team’s seven inactive players Sunday against the Browns. Gentry has only dressed for three games so far this season.

Chukwuma Okorafor – The Steelers will once again be without suspended center Maurkice Pouncey on Sunday so recently promoted practice squad center Patrick Morris should once again dress in his place. The Steelers normally only dress seven offensive linemen for games and if that’s the case again on Sunday then Okorafor will likely be the odd man out and thus be one of the team’s inactive players.

Tuzar Skipper – The Steelers signed the rookie outside linebacker off the practice squad of the New York Giants over a week ago and the Toledo product then spent his first game back with his original team as an inactive player last Sunday. With outside linebackers Anthony Chickillo and Olasunkanmi Adeniyi both expected to dress and serve as backups on Sunday against the Browns, look for Skipper to once again be one of the team’s seven inactive players.

Artie Burns – This last inactive player is the toughest one to predict due to Burns ending the week listed as questionable on the team’s Friday injury report. Burns started the week as a non-practice participant but ended it on Friday as being listed as a full participant. Will he dress and play Sunday against the Browns despite only practicing fully one day this week? It’s hard to say for sure. Rookie cornerback Justin Layne did play well on special teams last Sunday and maybe that’s enough for him to get the helmet Sunday against the Browns with Burns still not 100 percent. This one could go either way, but I’ll choose Burns to be inactive another Sunday.

 

Keys to the game:
Arthur Moats: Finish Your Rushes
Tunch Ilkin: Play Conservative On Offense
Missi Matthews: Keep Emotions In Check

 

Win

 

They have got to force turnovers and get the short field. Without JuJu and Conner, they have little hope of moving tbe ball on long drives.

They must protect the ball. Even with the bad loss in Cleveland, they were only down by a TD with the ball late in the game. An INT put the Browns in the redzone and led to an easy TD. That can't happen.

Benny Snell can go a long way in helping this team. Cleveland is 25th vs the run. Hopefully the Steelers can take advantage.

The Browns are trending upward and I don't have a great feeling about this one. Hopefully they get a win.

 

It’s a “hot button game”

 

Moats’ Key to the game (finish rushing the QB) will not matter if they can’t stop the run; 2 weeks ago Cleveland had 104 rushing yards (92 for Chubb), Steelers had 58. That needs to flip for our beloveds to have a chance to win. 2nd most important key is what beloved Dirk mentioned, the defense absolutely must get turnovers.

 

The has to chew up some clock. We gave the browns the ball too much the last game.

 

if the rushing yardage flips from last game that takes care of ToP

 

The ball moved

 

Fast first quarter

 

Looks like more Williams than Barron so far. About time...Offense has been very unimpressive so far...Hodges walked into a sack on 3rd down. And sure looks like Dupree is getting the Harrison treatment from the refs, no holding calls expected against the Browns OL. Dupree has been held a lot, on one of the Browns long passes he got tackled and no flag.

 

That was a bs false start...

 

Someone tell Duck to stop running into defenders...plenty of room to step up, but runs outside the pocket right into the path of a defender

 

Damn Dupree looks so much better this year. Ok Duck, tie this game at the end of the half...at least a FG, Steelers get the ball coming out of the half

 

Wow. Tied at 10

 

Why did that take so long to confirm??? That was about as clear as it gets! TD Ducky to Washington! Anyone still doubting that second round pick for him now? Definitely looking like a solid WR

 

We don’t have a number one WR. A bunch number twos

 

Minkah time?

 

Washington and Johnson keep making plays Juju will be that #1. Provided one of the QBs figures out how to consistently throw the ball well.

 

Mayfield hurt. This could be a game breaking play for the Steelers