Final thoughts on the Browns vs. Steelers and how Cleveland can win

Getting ready for Sunday night’s playoff game in Pittsburgh

I am sure I am not alone when I describe last night’s sleep as restless. While thinking through the shows I did this week and the countless press availabilities from both team’s key personnel, my mind began to race with thoughts on the game. I decided to put the coherent ones in writing, so here are a few game day thoughts.

  1. The most difficult aspect of the game tonight is that the Steelers are going to be hellbent on stopping the Browns running attack. In the past, we have seen Stefanski combat teams overplaying the run with some play-action pass plays pushing the ball down the field. See their plan of attack early in the Titans and Giants games. The problem here is that the Steelers pass rush is tremendous and they will get to Baker given the chance to pin their ears back in obvious passing situations. One way to combat this is to stick with the run even if it is not working right away. Patience is crucial for Alex Van Pelt in this regard.
  2. As for Steelers T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward, the way to slow down a good defender is to run right at them. It much easier for defenders to make plays moving laterally and running to the play.
  3. An important underutilized feature of the Browns offense that could help to neutralize the Steelers pass rush is the screen game. The Browns have multiple creative screens that could be effective in gaining some easy yardage and slowing down the Steelers pass rush at the same time.
  4. Browns CB Robert Jackson held his own last week. He was always close to the play and had a couple of pass breakups. “R-Jax”, yeah that’s right, I gave him a nickname, has the benefit of going up against the same receivers again this week. I have to think that is somewhat helpful for a young cornerback playing his first two games in the NFL. He should feel good about his first start and go into Sunday night’s game with some added confidence.
  5. Jacob Phillips mentioned in an interview on “Browns Daily” earlier this week that DC Joe Woods was putting in changes for this Sunday’s matchup. In looking at the Week 17 game, the Browns were very vanilla in their coverages and rarely brought additional blitzers. One of the times they did, it forced a Mason Rudolph interception. I get the feeling that Woods will be more creative tonight.
  6. It has been a brutal week for the Browns. Losing their head coach and Pro Bowl left guard among a myriad of other difficulties have put the Browns at a clear disadvantage. It is situations just like this that teams rally around. They see insulting comments from the opposition and the whole world counting them out and there is an attitude shift. An “Us against the World” mindset can be quite powerful. The pressure is squarely on the Steelers, while the Browns have nothing to lose. A team like that is scary.

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