Mark Madden: Browns have tools to bury Steelers, but will they use them?
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The Pittsburgh Steelers have many problems, and they are great.
But problem No. 1 is their defense against the rush. The Steelers rank last in the NFL in that department. They allow an average of 143 rushing yards per game.
Cleveland is the Steelers’ next foe. The Browns rank No. 3 in rushing offense at 145 yards per game. Running back Nick Chubb averages a robust 5.5 yards per carry.
Do the math. Cleveland figures to rush for exactly 144 yards Monday night. Split the difference.
That will lead to no good for the Steelers.
Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield probably won’t throw four interceptions like he did in Cleveland’s previous game, a defeat at Green Bay. He’d be dumb to even throw four passes. Just run the ball every play. How could Cleveland not?
Then again, when the Browns lost to the visiting Steelers, 15-10, on Halloween, Mayfield threw 31 passes. The Browns ran the ball 23 times. So, that’s how not.
At 7-7-1, the Steelers are still in the hunt for the AFC North title and a playoff berth. But after that 36-10 debacle of a loss at Kansas City, it’s fair to say they’re not exactly peaking.
But the Steelers don’t believe in momentum.
They pulled an upset Week 1 at Buffalo, then lost three in a row.
They won four straight just before tying then-winless Detroit.
They gutted out a 19-13 win vs. Tennessee, then got blown out at Kansas City.
The Steelers are random. So, perhaps they will beat Cleveland. After all, the Browns is the Browns.
The game is at Heinz Field, so the Steelers likely won’t trail by 23 or more at halftime. The Steelers have done that in three consecutive road tilts, an embarrassing NFL record.
The game does have a first half, like every game. The Steelers probably won’t score a touchdown in the first half, because they don’t. The Steelers haven’t got a touchdown in the first half of five consecutive games. That’s the first time they’ve done that since 1940.
But if the Steelers win Monday and Cincinnati loses to visiting Kansas City on Sunday — which could easily happen — the Steelers could still win the division.
Monday night’s game against Cleveland is very likely Ben Roethlisberger’s final home contest.
It’s become apparent Roethlisberger should not have played this season. He stuck around too long. He’s had great moments in 2021 but bad hours.
But Roethlisberger deserves a big sendoff from the home fans. He’s a true Steelers legend.
It would be nice to get one more win over Cleveland. Roethlisberger, an Ohio native, is 25-3-1 lifetime against the Browns.
It would be good to get another moment of Roethlisberger magic. Here’s hoping. If that keeps the Steelers alive in the playoff race going into the season’s final week, so much the better.