Dawgs By Nature
This Sunday, the Cleveland Browns take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Below, we analyze a few advantages, disadvantages, or general thoughts about the two teams before getting to our predictions for the game.
This is the tipping point. Last week, Cleveland blew their margin for error when the offense failed to close out the game in London, and the defense couldn’t stop a game-winning drive.
Now, the Browns find themselves with a a 1-4 record. It’s not good, but when you consider the fact that the Bengals are going to find it tough to win games and the Ravens only have one win so far, that means the AFC North is still wide open. How much do we believe in this year’s Pittsburgh Steelers?
The Steelers are 3-1 to start the year, and they are feeling the mojo with Aaron Rodgers under center. But I also still look at them and am not convinced that they are more than an average team at best. Pittsburgh comes into this game ranked 30th offensively in yards, including 31st on the ground and 27th in the passing game. Even the Browns’ offense is better in all of those categories, although it’s pretty comparable. Pittsburgh is one of the worst teams in the NFL in time of possession. But they exceed Cleveland in the most important category: points per game. Pittsburgh averages 24.0 points per game, while Cleveland is stuck at 14.6.
It’s been rough defensively for Pittsburgh too. They are ranked 28th defensively overall, including 19th against the run and 30th against the pass. They are still near the top of the league in sacks per pass attempts. Cleveland still ranks near the top of the league in yards allowed.
If this game was just being judged on rankings, you’d say, “Oh, advantage Cleveland.” And maybe, just maybe, we’ll see that. The running game looked sharp last week with Jack Conklin back, but those penalties and the play of KT Leveston were unbearable. I expect veteran Cam Robinson to offer stability there this week. If Pittsburgh’s defense has been vulnerable to the pass, then maybe we see Cleveland’s offense break out and pull off the upset. Home-field advantage is such an overrated concept in today’s day of age that it’s crazy Cleveland hasn’t won in Pittsburgh (during the regular season) since 2003. The Browns need this game to get right back in the thick of things. Being 2-3, with Pittsburgh only one game ahead in the win column, brings confidence back as the schedule gets easier. But, falling to 1-5 and chasing a 4-1 team feels like the season is done for.
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz talked about who steps up with Greg Newsome traded away:
“Well, it would be, it would be Tyson (Campbell). He just put boots on the ground. Yeah, he’s a veteran player. We’ve got players ready in less time than that. We have our intricacies, and we...
