Category: 2020 Steelers vs. Browns NFL Week 17

Report: Steelers CB Joe Haden tests positive for COVID-19

The Steelers will be without Joe Haden this week after he’s tested positive for COVID-19.

[jwplayer SOvAYvdo-ThvAeFxT]

According to NFL reporter Dan Graziano via ESPN reporter Brooke Pryor, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joe Haden has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not play on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

Haden missing this week’s game with Cleveland is meaningless in the short term. But if he really did test positive, this would mean Haden would also miss the team’s first-round playoff game and this would be a real problem.

[vertical-gallery id=484928]

[listicle id=484947]

Steelers CB Joe Haden flagged with a COVID-19 ‘situation’

The Steelers will be without cornerback Joe Haden this week versus the Browns.

[jwplayer SOvAYvdo-ThvAeFxT]

According to ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joe Haden has been flagged for something he calls a COVID-19 situation. Not a clue what this means specifically at this point, but according to Fowler, the team is planning to take on the Cleveland Browns on Sunday without him.

This could mean any number of things from a positive COVID-19 test by Haden himself to a positive within his family. Either way, Haden would be placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list and could put his availability for the Steelers first playoff game in jeopardy.

[vertical-gallery id=484928]

[listicle id=484947]

Browns facilities closed with another positive COVID-19 test on Saturday

The Cleveland Browns facilities must remain closed thanks to another positive test.

[jwplayer SOvAYvdo-ThvAeFxT]

With just a day until the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns square off, NFL reporter Mike Garafolo is reporting another member of the Browns coaching staff has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Browns have had trouble keeping their facilities open this week with a round of positive tests among players and coaches. This is bad news for a Browns team still fighting to get into the playoffs.

It is far from ideal for the Steelers as well who could be placed in a third situation this season where the schedule is moved to their detriment. According to Garofolo, the NFL has no plans as of now to move Sunday’s game.

[vertical-gallery id=484928]

[listicle id=484947]

Steelers QB Mason Rudolph says he’s ‘happy to hear Myles out’ about last season

Should Mason Rudolph and Myles Garrett even discuss last year’s incident?

[jwplayer SOvAYvdo-ThvAeFxT]

Despite the fact it has been a year, the incident between Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett is once again front-page news. This is because the Steelers and Browns square off this week and with Ben Roethlisberger resting, Mason Rudolph will start at quarterback for Pittsburgh.

When Rudolph spoke to the media on Friday the fight between the two players was all anyone wanted to talk about. Rudolph made it clear Garrett has never reached out to him since the incident and said he assumes this game is too big for Garrett to worry about something that happened so long ago.

Having said that, Rudolph said he would be happy to hear him out if he wanted to discuss the matter further.

Rudolph has no reason to do anything for Garrett at this point. Garrett attacked him on the field and then claimed Rudolph used a racial slur that the NFL investigated and found no evidence of. Rudolph needs to focus on playing a good game as this could be a huge audition for his future with the Steelers. As for Garrett, if he’s still focused on last season that is just a distraction from the job at hand.

[vertical-gallery id=484700]

[listicle id=484860]

Steelers vs Browns: Predicting the Steelers starting defensive lineup

Steelers Wire predicts the starting defense for the Steelers this weekend.

Thanks to the Pittsburgh Steelers comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts last week this week’s game against the Cleveland Browns doesn’t carry any real weight. So this means the Steelers have the luxury to rest some players heading into the playoffs. There are also some injury concerns with the Steelers so that could have an impact on this as well.

Here is our prediction for the Steelers defensive starters this week against Cleveland.

Steelers vs Browns: Predicting the Steelers starting offensive lineup

Steelers Wire looks at how the Steelers offense will be different versus the Browns.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a good position this week in terms of their playoff seeding so there should be some freedom to rest starters this week against the Cleveland Browns.

As of now, the only starter we know isn’t playing this week is quarterback Ben Roethlisberger but we suspect there will be more changes made before kickoff assuming some guys get healthy in time.

Here’s our prediction for the starting offense this Sunday.

 

Steelers vs Browns injury update: K Chris Boswell misses practice

Chris Boswell is back on the injury report and could miss Sunday’s game.

[jwplayer SOvAYvdo-ThvAeFxT]

There are no days off for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they prepare to take on the Cleveland Browns. On Thursday the team got together and the biggest surprise from the practice report is it seems kicker Chris Boswell’s hip injury has cropped back up as he missed Thursday practice.

Here’s the full practice report.

K Chris Boswell (Hip) did not participate

S Terrell Edmunds (Shoulder) did not participate

QB Ben Roethlisberger (NIR) did not participate

C Maurkice Pouncey (NIR) did not participate

G David DeCastro (NIR) did not participate

LB T.J. Watt (NIR) did not participate

DT Cameron Heyward (NIR) did not participate

LB/S Marcus Allen (Stinger) full participant

DE Stephon Tuitt (Back) full participant

LB Ola Adeniyi (Shoulder) full participant

DE Tyson Alualu (Ankle) full participant

It’s big for the Steelers getting Allen, Adeniyi and Alualu back to practice after missing early in the week. Allen could find himself starting at safety this week if Edmunds can’t play and Adeiyi and Alualu will definitely be needed with Heyward and Watt resting this week.

[vertical-gallery id=484700]

[listicle id=484825]

Listen to Week 18 of the Steelers Wire podcast

Be sure to check out this week’s Steelers Wire podcast.

[jwplayer SOvAYvdo-ThvAeFxT]

Welcome back to the Steelers Wire Podcast.

This week’s episode is once again hosted by Ryan O’Leary (@RyanOLearySMG on Twitter) and I’ll join him each week to break down the latest Steelers news.

Everything from the latest info on the team to fantasy football advice will be covered, along with some opinions on the betting lines, all with a focus on the Steelers.

This week, Ryan and I celebrate the Steelers huge comeback win over the Indianapolis and how important this was for the Steelers heading into the playoffs. Then we talk a little about the approach the Steelers need to take this week going against the Cleveland Browns to be sure they head into the playoffs with their best chance to win.

You can listen to Episode 18 and every episode from the season below:

As always, you can catch a new episode each Thursday on Apple Podcasts or your podcast service of choice.

[vertical-gallery id=484700]

[listicle id=484692]

COVID-19 problems continue for Browns on Thursday

More positive COVID-19 tests for the Browns on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns were forced to close their facilities for contact tracing due to a pair of positive COVID-19 tests. On Thursday, ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter is now saying there have been more positive tests and the Browns facility will remain closed with just four days until they host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the regular-season finale.

This could create a real problem for the Steelers if the Browns continue to have positive tests. Given the way the NFL has treated the Steelers all season when other teams are irresponsible, no one would be shocked if the league decides to move this game and the Steelers end up the one playoff team who is forced to go into the first round on a short week.

[vertical-gallery id=484700]

[listicle id=484692]

Steelers to rest multiple starters versus Browns

The Steelers are planning to rest multiple starters this week against the Browns.

We already knew the Pittsburgh Steelers weren’t playing quarterback Ben Roethlisberger this week against the Cleveland Browns. And with that, I think everyone had a good idea center Maurkice Pouncey wouldn’t play if Big Ben didn’t.

But according to Steelers writer Gerry Dulac, in addition to Roethlisberger and Pouncey, linebacker T.J. Watt and defensive end Cam Heyward will also sit this week.

If I were head coach Mike Tomlin, I’d give serious consideration to resting running back James Conner and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as well on offense. Conner is far and away the best back on the roster right now but his tendency to get a little dinged up makes me nervous in a meaningless game going into the playoffs.

As for Smith-Schuster, he’s been the most consistent wide receiver on the roster and also the most physical. A week on the sidelines to get rest physically would do him some good and it would also allow guys like Chase Claypool and James Washington to get some important reps heading into the playoffs.

[vertical-gallery id=484700]

[listicle id=484692]