Browns @ Steelers: Official Game Thread

In week 7, the Steelers were on their bye week. Now the Steelers stay at Heinz Field to host the Browns.

For the Steelers to win:
Ben Roethlisberger needs to play smart.
The Steelers offense needs to run the ball effectively.
The Steelers offensive line needs to play well.
The Steelers defense needs to stop the run.
The Steelers defense needs to pressure Baker Mayfield.
The Steelers need to win the turnover battle.


From Steelers Depot:
Steelers Versus Browns Week 8 Projected Inactive List

Mason Rudolph – Rudolph has been on the Steelers inactive list each of the first six games of the 2018 regular season and the rookie third-round draft pick out of Oklahoma State is expected to be on it again Sunday afternoon against the Browns. As has been the case in the first six games, Joshua Dobbs will likely serve as the backup to starter Ben Roethlisberger Sunday at Heinz Field against the Browns.

Marcus Gilbert – Gilbert ended the week listed as out on the Steelers official injury report after he failed to practice all week because of a knee injury and that was a bit surprising with the team coming off their bye week. With Gilbert sidelined on Sunday we should see backup offensive lineman Matt Feiler start in his place at right tackle just as he did several weeks ago against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Steelers have been dressing eight offensive linemen the last several weeks but even so, it really doesn’t make sense to do so this Sunday.

L.T. Walton – Walton has only dressed for one game so far this season and that was only because fellow Steelers defensive lineman Tyson Alualu missed a contest with a shoulder injury. Currently, there’s no reason to think that defensive tackle Daniel McCullers won’t continue to get a game day helmet and if that’s indeed the case again on Sunday at Heinz Field against the Browns, Walton will be inactive once again and that’s an easy guess to make coming off the team’s bye week.

Zach Banner – While the Steelers have dressed eight offensive linemen for the last several weeks, there’s no reason to expect that trend to continue Sunday against the Browns. Instead, expect Banner to be inactive along with Gilbert and for the Steelers to only dress seven offensive linemen in total.

Marcus Allen – Allen has yet to dress for a game this season and with veteran safety Morgan Burnett expected to return from his groin injury on Sunday, you can expect the rookie fifth-round draft pick out of Penn State to be inactive against the Browns Sunday afternoon. Burnett has been sidelined since Week 2 and thus had been on the inactive list with Allen every week since then.

Brian Allen – With veteran wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey likely to return from his ankle injury on Sunday, you can make a great case for fellow veteran wide receiver Justin Hunter to go back to the weekly inactive list. With that said, Roethlisberger sure has talked glowingly about how well Hunter played prior to the team’s bye week and how he expects him and rookie James Washington to continue seeing playing time. The only way for that to happen is for both Hunter and Washington to both be active and if indeed Heyward-Bey returns this week to help on special teams, Brian Allen might just be the odd man out on Sunday. If, however, Heyward-Bey is held out another game, both Hunter and Allen will obviously both get helmets. The Steelers haven’t dressed all six of their wide receivers since Week 1 against the Browns.

Matthew Thomas – The Steelers should also get inside linebacker L.J. Fort back from his ankle injury on Sunday and if indeed that’s what happens, Thomas, a rookie undrafted free agent inside linebacker, might wind up on the inactive list for the first time this season and especially if Heyward-Bey and Hunter both get helmets. This would mark the first time this season Thomas is on the inactive list should that ultimately be what happens.

 

Tunch Ilkin's 3 keys to the game:

Key # 1: Stop The Run
Key # 2: Make Mayfield Throw It
Key # 3: Block Myles Garrett

 

My prediction is the Browns do not win.

 

If they can avoid the turnovers, they should win. The Browns are improving but the Steelers are better and trending up a bit.

Hope they win in a laugher. Don't need a defibrillator type game.

 

This game is dedicated to the victims of yesterday’s shooting.

 

Why do we elect to start the game on defense? Our defense sucks.

 

ST isn’t that much better

Defense held to 3 but way too much time off the clock on that Clev drive

 

Dupree was very noticeable, in a good way this time, on defense

 

Just noticed its the throwback uniforms! Nice

 

Lots of penalties

 

How can we come flat? After yesterday’s events this team should just be ready to beat the crap out of the opposition.

 

nice return from Switzer

 

Offense looks like crap, team is undisciplined...only saving grace is they're playing the Browns

 

Now Ben is forcing the ball to JuJu?

 

I’m tired of the forcing of the ball to well covered WRs.

 

Bad Ben aka big dummy makes an early appearance.

 

Deja vu

Just throw it sideways against the Steelers and watch the missed tackles...if anyone's home

Feiler got beat clean on the INT

 

This is going to be a long game

 

I contemplated and thought hard about taking Pittsburgh in survivor pool but decided to go with Hou. After watching a almost a quarter now of this nonsense I’m glad I went with Houston.

 

Back to back 10+ yard runs