Browns-Steelers Preview

[BernietheKid]

Browns-Steelers Preview
		By Don Delco OBR Browns Reporter Posted Dec 31, 2011 And then there was one. The merciful end to the ’11 season is upon us as the Browns play host to the playoff-bound Pittsburgh Steelers. 2 Comments
Admit it. When the Cleveland Browns fell behind the Baltimore Ravens 17-0 in the second quarter on Christmas Eve, you either wanted to or did turn off the TV. Some of you didn’t even turn it on. But the Browns rallied and made it close before losing their 11th game of the season 20-14. One game remains for the Browns at 4:15 p.m. at home on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Will the Browns make it a game? Will it be a blow out? Will you even watch? This is the second consecutive season the Browns end the season at home against the Steelers. On Jan. 2, 2011, Pittsburgh won 41-9, as the game was over almost as soon as it started. Less than a month ago, these two teams played on a Thursday night in Pittsburgh. The Steelers won 14-3, but the game’s outcome was in doubt for most of the evening. While it was a closer contest, the outcome remained the same, as it has 15 of the last 16 meetings. “I think our defense found a way to minimize their scoring and that’s what you want to do on defense so we need to keep fighting to get points on the board,” Browns coach Pat Shurmur said on Thursday. The Browns were able to minimize the Steelers’ scoring on Dec. 8 thanks, in part, to Ben Roethlisberger’s second-quarter ankle injury. On Sunday, Roethlisberger is expected to play 25-30 snaps after sitting out the Steelers’ Christmas Eve game in which Pittsburgh beat the St. Louis Rams 27-0. Pittsburgh, at 11-5, is still playing for high stakes. A win over Cleveland and a loss by Baltimore to Cincinnati would give the Steelers the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs and, more importantly, a first-round bye. Whether a hobbled Roethlisberger is under center or Charlie Batch, the Browns’ defense will be keyed on stopping running back Rashard Mendenhall and wide receivers Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace. Against the Browns on Dec. 8, Mendenhall finished with 76 yards rushing on 18 carries while Brown and Wallace combined for nine catches for 208 yards. Through 15 games, Brown has 63 catches for 1,018 yards and Wallace has 71 catches for 1,182 yards. Now, the Browns are tied for second in the NFL allowing 184.0 yards passing yards per game, but it is only because they are 30th in rushing yards allowed per game (146.5). “(Brown and Wallace) are awfully fast,” Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said. “They get on you really quickly and they have a terrific scheme, too.” Although the Browns’ defense has allowed some big plays this season, teams are averaging less than 20 points per game. The problem is the Browns’ offense is averaging less than 14 points per game. And now it appears the Browns will go with their backup quarterback for the third consecutive game. Colt McCoy suffered a concussion in the first meeting against Pittsburgh and he was ruled out for Sunday’s game. “He’s anxious to get back out there and play, but he realizes there’s a process he has to go through,” Shurmur said. “He’s really like any player that wants to compete.” Seneca Wallace has started the last two games, but his presence has not dramatically helped the offense improve. The Browns have yet to put together four good quarters of offensive football. There is hope entering the final game. Browns running back Peyton Hillis has regained his 2010 form and rushed for 211 yards on 50 carries the last two games. The Browns’ best defense could be a ball-controlled offense. Yet, for a majority of Browns fans, hope was lost on this season well before Halloween. Some fans want the Browns to lose out to improve their draft positioning. With one game remaining, the Rams and Indianapolis Colts are tied for the league’s worst record at 2-13 followed by the Minnesota Vikings at 3-12 and the Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 4-11. But this game is against the Steelers. A win over Pittsburgh would force the Steelers to play in the Wildcard round and prevent Roethlsiberger from getting a week’s rest. So, is a higher draft pick really worth seeing the Steelers make another deep playoff run? http://cle.scout.com/2/1143927.html

[Thaid_Up]

Expect them to play hard but the only possible chance to win this game is if someone takes a blatant shot at harrisbitch. End this debacle of a season on a mean note. If this is year 1 or 2 or 3 of any kind of rebuild you better start showing pissburgh and ballessmore that the days of being smacked around with no payback are over. And to all you Barking Hard members

[Tobalaz]

I vote for a surprise visit from Dr Phil to get Shurmur to grow a pair and get more aggressive.
"OK Pat, I've got this battery wired to your more personal parts if you get my drift, and every time you puss out and play safe, or don't retaliate when you or your guys on the field start getting pushed around, I'm going to press this big red button and hold it till you do do something to redeem yourself."

I'd pay for sideline seats to see that one!

[Neo]

Eric Mangini beat the Steelers with about the same team, maybe less, there is no reason to think we can't get a win tomorrow. It all starts with Shurmur, if the team comes out flat with no aggression, I say shoot Shurm in the nuts with a rubber bullet, then throw him out on his ass because he clearly does not deserve to be a head coach.

[Legendary]

is it a home game ? Let hope 2 men tackle James Harrison from first down and put him out of action for this and next season.

[TheBestPlayersPlay]

Well, if you guys haven't heard ...Wallace is out to prove he's a starting QB in this league this week.

Fair is fair, I think we really won't know what we have in Wallace until we surround him with talent. Maybe he's our franchise Quarterback.

[Thaid_Up]

Originally Posted by TheBestPlayersPlay

Well, if you guys haven't heard ...Wallace is out to prove he's a starting QB in this league this week.

Fair is fair, I think we really won't know what we have in Wallace until we surround him with talent. Maybe he's our franchise Quarterback.

Like the attitude but will he get the chance to show anything? Shumur hasn't let this team open it up all year. We've had this WCO driven down our throats all season so maybe--just maybe we'll get to play with a little reckless abandon. Last game. Play with some fire and pride and let 'er rip

[Flugel]

This rivalry starts at the top and I'm afraid only 1 front office has understood it since 1999.

[Sez.EJ]

I wonder who Harrison is going to punk with a helmet hit today? Steelers 24, Browns 10.
Draft offense around the QB position if we want to win in the future!

[hiwaygal]

On the pick 'em we are favored and there is no spread.

I was shocked I tell you, shocked.

Must be some kind of sick joke.

edit: I would love to see one of two things (or both) - Harrison and/or Pig Ben ON THE GROUND and OUT OF THE GAME.

[Flugel]

As usual, the offense that CAN score TDs wins this one. No surprises whatsover. I DID love the effort on the defense.

And, btw, when a FREAKIN Safety that weighs 100 pounds less than Lauvao walks up to his Guard-Center gap and doesn't even get TOUCHED while Pollyneedsahaircut stops us for a loss of 8 yards, I ca say with a tremendous amount of confidence Lauvao SUCKS. IF RGIII was watching that game somewhere in America, he's gotta be thinking Law School looks really cozy right about now.

I'll end on a positive though, the place I feel Heckert is doing a very nice job is on bringing us the following productive players the last 2 years: Paxson, Taylor and Sheard. The one pay raise commitment I totally agree with is Rubin. I know there's a recent bandwagon against DQJ - but I think he does a nice job where MLBers are supposed to patrol. This was the best I've ever seen him at tackling guys near the line of scrimmage. In the previous scheme he was tackling everyone where you want your Safeties tackling people. I really ENJOYED watchign what our DT's enabled him to do. If there's a place ALL our LBers need to get better at is 1st step diagnosis of pass because all 3 of our LBers are usually 1 step too slow. SOME of that can be attributed to coaching AND some of it is attributed to how much space/zone each guy is responsible in comparison to when there 4 LBers cover 2 outside flat zones and 2 inside hook zones. In a 4-3 you MLB has to split both hook zones which can be VERY confusing when there's a crossing patterns coming from both sides. I don't think I saw Gocong or Maiava defend a pass all season so get that one Ray Rice play out of your heads. The reason it was Jackson way out splitting the zone transition of flats to outside hook zone on that route is because Jauron had ZERO confidence in Gocong or Maiava to defend a wheel route. IMO, OLBer is an enormous need except when we're in goal line defense.

[mohican]

Originally Posted by Flugel

This rivalry starts at the top and I'm afraid only 1 front office has understood it since 1999.

the first one, right?

Touchdown Timmy split the series the first two years

I think mangini got it also. At least Mangini Season one pulled out all the stops in the last game versus steelers.

This last thing was a lifeless thing to watch. Why be more aggressive versus the Cards and then pull back into a shell. Shermur must wanna be the steelers bitch.