Tag: Steelers vs. Browns wild card playoffs

Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster: ‘Our guys did not quit’

The Steelers outscored the Browns in each of the final three quarters of the game; it just wasn’t enough for the comeback. 

It would be easy for a team, down 28-0 in the first quarter, to give up. But not the Pittsburgh Steelers. They outscored the Cleveland Browns in each of the final three quarters of the game; it just wasn’t enough for the comeback.

“What more can happen to us? We’re down 21, we’re down 28,” said JuJu Smith-Schuster reflecting after the game. “And it’s just like, all right, well, we got to make a play. Ben was calling the plays, calling stuff to make it happen. We got touchdowns here and there, but we just couldn’t finish it off. But I will say this: I will say our guys did not quit. We fought to the end of the whistle, and we played our a– off.”

Smith-Schuster, who may have played his final game in a Steelers uniform, logged 157 yards on 13 receptions and a touchdown. He’ll become one of 27 free agents in March.

Asked if the loss was made more emotional since many will not be returning next season, Smith-Schuster said, “Yeah, it’s tough. I sat on the field, just taking it all in. You see Ben, and you see guys who I’ve been with for
the last four years, tremendous guys, not just players but guys off the field. I’ve learned so much and so thankful to be part of them, and it means so much.”

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Browns activate three key players off Reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of wild-card game

Cleveland could have three key players back in the lineup for the Steelers-Browns wild-card matchup tomorrow night.

Cleveland could have three key players back in the lineup for the Steelers-Browns wild-card matchup tomorrow night: tight end Harrison Bryant, safety Ronnie Harrison, Jr. and linebacker Malcolm Smith. They were activated off the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday.

Bryant and Smith both tested positive and were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Dec. 31. Neither played in the Week 17 finale. Harrison, however, just tested positive two days ago. It’s presumed that it was a false-positive, and he tested negative twice since. Otherwise, players who test positive need to quarantine for 10 days, as is the case with Steelers cornerback Joe Haden. Though it’s unclear exactly what day he tested positive, Haden was placed on Reserve/COVID-19 list on Jan. 2.

In 11 games, Harrison has 38 tackles (24 solo), a pick-six, seven defended passes and a fumble recovery. He played 100 percent of snaps versus the Steelers and logged six tackles (five solo) and a defended pass.

Smith had appeared in 15 games and registered 72 tackles (49 solo), a sack, forced fumble and interception.

The rookie tight end posted 24 receptions for 238 and three scores. He’s been significant for Cleveland on first down, notching 14 in 15 games.

Though it’s not official whether they’ll play, expect them to be in the lineup tomorrow.

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Diontae Johnson refuses to let drops, inexperience get the best of him in playoffs

Diontae Johnson is days away from suiting up for his very first NFL playoff appearance on Sunday. But he’s not going to let that be a thing. 

Diontae Johnson is days away from suiting up for his very first NFL playoff appearance on Sunday. But he’s not going to let that be a thing.

“At the end of the day, it’s just football,” Johnson said in a press conference on Wednesday. “Yeah, it’s a playoff game, a single-elimination tournament, and it’s a big game, but you have to make sure you don’t overthink it. I am just attacking it like it a normal week other than maybe a little more detailed on my practice skills and watching films —route running, catching the ball, looking it in. I have to make sure I am a little more dialed in this week.”

Johnson was benched early in the Week 14 loss to the Bills after adding two drops to the seven committed in a five-game span.

“After that Buffalo game, I just really sat down with myself and talked to myself to try to figure out what is going on with me,” he shared. “Really, it was just a mental thing and really just paying attention to outside noise, and once I got rid of that and starting dialing in on myself and just focusing on me (and) the game, you didn’t see my try to think too much and try to double catch the ball or things like that. I feel like myself again. I just want to continue to show the world that is what I am capable of doing.”

Johnson has shut out the noise and shaken off the yips. Since the Buffalo benching, he’s bounced back to contribute 22 catches on 34 targets, 257 yards and two scores.

To prep for this monumental game, Johnson looks to the experienced guys in quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, defensive tackle Cam Heyward, guard David DeCastro, whose combined playoff experience is 33 games.

“Those guys have been in the league for a long time; they have the experience,” Johnson said. “I’m just trying to see how they go about this week and how they prepare and try to put that in my game so I can be ready just like them.”

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Stephon Tuitt wants to make Baker Mayfield ‘uneasy in that pocket’

In the regular-season finale, Tuitt gave Mayfield a glimpse of what’s to come this week.

Steelers defensive end Stephon Tuitt got a head start harassing Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield in Week 17. Tuitt took him down once, and, in all, Pittsburgh sacked Mayfield four times in the regular-season finale — just a taste of what’s to come when it really counts.

In a press conference on Friday, Tuitt said the Steelers want Mayfield to be uncomfortable in the pocket. “He’s able to escape the pocket. And when he escapes the pocket, he’s able to make big some big plays, even if it’s with his legs or his arm. We definitely want to make sure we keep him in the pocket. We’re big defensive linemen, so we want to make sure we corral him and put our hands up. We want to make sure his day is uneasy in that pocket — let him do something that he’s uncomfortable to do.”

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Just imagine what the defense will do with NFL sack leader T.J. Watt and defensive end Cam Heyward back in the game. Watt nor Heyward has had a sack on Mayfield this season, and neither played last week. They’ll be chomping at the bit to get a piece of Cleveland quarterback.

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2020 NFL playoffs: Steelers have new wrinkle to game plan for vs. Browns

Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield had more rushing yards than running back Kareem Hunt versus Pittsburgh in Week 17.

The Cleveland Browns are a run-first team and have one of the best at it with Nick Chubb. The Steelers had the luxury of facing the Browns sans Chubb in their first matchup in Week 6. He’s averaging 5.6 yards per attempt this season, the best of his three-year career. Take away the 47-yard touchdown, in which the Steelers had several missed tackles; Pittsburgh kept Chubbs relatively in check with 61 yards on the ground.

But after Sunday’s game, the Steelers have a new wrinkle to game plan for — quarterback Baker Mayfield escaping the pocket and taking off. In his previous four games versus Pittsburgh, Mayfield had a total of 4 rushes for 17 yards. This week, he had six rushes for 44 yards — three to his left and one right.

Mayfield, who had more yards on the ground than Kareem Hunt, had a big run for 28 yards in Steelers territory, ultimately setting them up for a score. And, of course, the critical third-down conversion with a minute left in the game. His three-yard run allowed the Browns to run the clock down for the win.

“I thought we have to do a better job of containing [Baker] Mayfield,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin in his weekly press conference. “He hurt us with his legs some. Not only the big run, like the big run in the latter part of the third quarter that produced a touchdown drive, but also conversion runs, third-down runs when he was scrambling around and converting. We know he is capable of that. So, our rush has to be better, not only in terms of applying pressure but containing him, minimizing that component of play.”

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Ben Roethlisberger plans something rare to prep for wild-card playoff game

With the playoffs impending and sitting out the Week 17 game, there’s no more important week to get back into a rhythm than this one.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is doing something today that he hasn’t done all season — practice on a Wednesday.

Big Ben shared in a Zoom press conference with the Pittsburgh media that since he rested last week he’ll participate in practice today. Throughout the season, Roethlisberger has been listed on Wednesday practice reports as “DNP” or did not practice, without an injury designation — it’s a standard day off for the quarterback.

With the playoffs impending and sitting out the final regular-season game, there’s no more important week to get back into a rhythm than this one. Roethlisberger said the only throwing he did last week was to his kids.

Big Ben said he watched the Steelers-Browns game with his wife and kids. His son, Ben, Jr., is “very involved” and asked him questions every other play.

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Browns HC Kevin Stefanski tests positive for COVID-19

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, four players and coaches, tested positive for COVID-19.

The Cleveland Browns will head into the wild-card round without their head coach. Kevin Stefanski, who took the Browns to the playoffs in his first season with the team, tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. He will not be coaching in Sunday’s playoff game.

Per a statement from Cleveland, special teams coordinator Mike Priefer will serve as acting head coach. NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo tweeted that offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt is expected to call plays.

Two other members of the coaching staff, as well as two players, have also tested positive. Their names have not been released.

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Steelers face a Browns team down DE Olivier Vernon

Browns DE Olivier Vernon has been diagnosed with a torn ACL, and will not play in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

The Cleveland Browns will be without a significant piece of their defense on Sunday at Heinz Field.

Defensive back Olivier Vernon, who exited the game the Week 17 game with a lower leg injury, was diagnosed with a torn ACL on Monday.

Vernon had nine sacks on the season, including one on Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.

Pittsburgh faced a Cleveland defense that was down five rotational defensive players, including starters at cornerback and safety, Denzel Ward and Andrew Sendejo.

It’s too early to tell who from the Browns will be back for the Wild Card matchup, but it won’t be Vernon.

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