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2020 Week #6 GDT Steelers vs. Browns


Steeler Hitman

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42 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I'm not looking forward to AV trying to block Garrett. Villy isn't that good, but Garrett makes him look like a scrub every time they face off. 

I purposely didn't put this in my game-thread. I didn't want to jinx Villy.  Truth is that Miles has dominated against him and our OL. He has gotten the better of Villy in three of their last four match-ups. I think Villy somewhat atoned for himself the second game last year, but Miles was still very active if I recall. He is one of the best pass rushers in the entire NFL. He can be a problem. Ben cannot sit back there and wait for someone to maybe get open. This can be dangerous to our offense. Clock has to go off in his head and if no one is there throw it away. Live for another down or series. Be smart.

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2 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said:

I purposely didn't put this in my game-thread. I didn't want to jinx Villy.  Truth is that Miles has dominated against him and our OL. He has gotten the better of Villy in three of their last four match-ups. I think Villy somewhat atoned for himself the second game last year, but Miles was still very active if I recall. He is one of the best pass rushers in the entire NFL. He can be a problem. Ben cannot sit back there and wait for someone to maybe get open. This can be dangerous to our offense. Clock has to go off in his head and if no one is there throw it away. Live for another down or series. Be smart.

Myles was suspended the second game. 

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3 hours ago, MOSteelers56 said:

I'm not looking forward to AV trying to block Garrett. Villy isn't that good, but Garrett makes him look like a scrub every time they face off. 

and like you, I would say the coaches need to address this, chip, slide or TE for temp support, then release if req'd for some yards . Buy, remember when they let mike adams block Jared Allen all game 👏

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Is this accurate for you guys? It’s pretty accurate for us, except he kinda overhyped our secondary. Ben is gonna throw for 400+ yards. If our defense doesn’t force a turnover or Myles doesn’t make a play, you will 100% score on that drive.

 

 

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On 10/13/2020 at 10:04 AM, mtmmike said:

Excellent post

point 1 Phillips linebacker will be on Ebron Phillips will probably make the all rookie team

This could go  either way. Ebron could have or big game against a rookie trying to guard him as he looks to bounce back from an off game. Or the rookie who has good speed and quickness could get with Ebron who is also capable of some letdowns in his play and can get down on himself (see last week). Interesting match-up here.

WR Schuster will be guarded by Mitchell  Ward will guard Chase.

With CB Greedy Williams being out and Chase having a coming out party last weekend, I would shift my offensive/passing focus away from Denzel Ward. He has played well against the Steelers and did a solid job covering AB when he was here. The Steelers have weapons at WR and it would be wise to try to exploit the match-up and even move Ju Ju in the slot some with Washington outside. Dionte Johnson should be back as well.

Offense we got 125 yards on the ground verses Indy the Browns are going to come in a 2 tight end set up. 

This will be another great test for the Steelers run defense which has been pretty light out minus the 74 yard TD run they gave up last week. Even with that they held the Eagles to under 100 (90) as a team. Stopping the run is our first priority and the Browns OL is physical and Hunt is no slouch at RB. He is extremely dangerous. Despite some of the Steelers pass defense woes, stopping the run will be priority #1 against the Browns.If they force Baker to pass much more than they Browns can successfully run, the Steelers have a better chance of winning.

Linebackers Watt he get a tight end plus he will either get Conklin or Jeddrick Wills.

True, but the Steelers have Dupree on the other side and definitely don't under-estimate the rush abilities Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt inside. I think that most teams commit to stopping Watt and the others end up getting your QB as well. TJ Watt is one of the best, but the complimentary pieces are very strong as well.

Anyways good luck.

Thank you for your input and best wishes to you all as well. Well maybe not too much!😀

 

 

19 hours ago, Vee-Rex said:

Come on Warfelg, you know better lol. I expect a feisty, close game.

I would be surprised if it wasn't a tough physical game with the winner pulling away or securing the game in the fourth quarter. It usually comes down to who protects the ball better. Our secondary has not been nearly as strong. The two int's by Nelson are not a true indicator of our secondary's overall play. Most have been MIA, especially the best player Minkah Fitzpatrick. 

Browns offense: One thing that scares me is that how much Pittsburgh likes to blitz. These aren't your grandpa's blitzes either - they're well designed and executed. Up until this point the Browns have mainly faced 4-man rushes with a little blitzing sprinkled in.

The Steelers have had pockets of success just rushing four many times as well. The defense has gotten burned mainly in zone coverage or when secondary needs to know who to cover on crosses, etc. That said, the blitzes from Nickelback Hilton or ILB Williams have caught some QB's off guard as well.

Will Baker commit turnovers?

We hope so. The Steelers have put a focus on protecting the ball better this year. They have lost fumbles in three of four games and have fumbled in every game. The team who protects the ball better should win when you have teams that are fairly evenly matched. 

Will the Steelers give up bigger plays?

We hope not. However, the Steelers have given up big passes, a big run or both (Eagles) in every game. The run defense has been pretty lights out. The secondary is giving up too many big pass plays, especially on third downs. 

How will they balance defending the run vs. the pass in the well prepared Stefanski wide zone offense? So many question marks up until this point. I have a bad feeling about our PA rollouts - I can see someone like Watt disrupting all of it.

Great points and all will be answered early Sunday afternoon. The play action should only be effective if the Browns have success running. If the Steelers force them into second and third and long situations, the pass rush can pin their ears back and come after Baker. Then you have to watch out for well timed screens. Which the Steelers offense can't seem to effectively or consistently execute. 

Browns defense: So far the Browns have generated a ton of pressure with just 4-man rushes and zone coverage, trying to imitate the legion of boom Seahawks defense.

A similarity with both of our teams defensive fronts. Miles and TJ are the catalyst, but both have more talent to get at the QB.  Steelers have played more zone due to some mobile QB's and have been picked apart at times. That is the trend of today's NFL.

Our talent is nowhere near that, which leads to huge mistakes in the secondary that a QB like Ben can feast on.

In today's NFL most decent QB's can put the ball into some tight windows fairly consistently. Where this type of defense tries to beat it is with disrupting the timing of the play (either the receiver, QB or both).  This is where having a QB with a high football IQ helps, but they also have to be willing to be patient and at times even throw the ball away instead of up for grabs. 

Attack our safeties down the field and you'll wind up with 30 points - simple as that. The only reason the Browns defense has been forcing turnovers is because of the play of the defensive line. Myles is having a fantastic year. Will he be able to pressure Ben into turnovers, or will Ben tear apart the sloppy zone coverage of the Browns defense?

 

Easier said than done. we are rivals and a lot of the conventional stuff goes out the windows. Sometimes it is simply about match-ups and how well you execute your game plan on all three phases. These are not the same ole Browns. The Browns are capable of beating anyone and I think they have shown that. This is a statement game for both of our teams.

1 hour ago, MWil23 said:

IMO here are the most key matchups:

1. The Browns OL vs. the Steelers Rush D and Edge Rush. If the Browns have success on the ground with their downhill rushing attack, I like our chances. If the Browns can't run the ball and Pittsburgh is constantly playing ahead of the sticks on 3rd Down,

I agree. This will be a real test for both teams in this area. Was the success against Dallas a fluke? Was Dallas' run defense really that bad? Your OL opened holes against the Colts and had some success on the ground and the offense put up 32 points on a very good defense. Thus far the Steelers have not let a back or team rush for 100 yards. Miles sanders had a 74 yard TD run and finished the game with 80 yards on 11 carries. Translation he ran for 6 yards on 10 carries.  That is better than average run defense there. The big play may have been an fluke and great call against a defense rushing on third and long, but they play pretty solid. Most games are won in the trenches. This should be no different as both teams will try to run against the other I believe. 

I think Baker struggles to find rhythm, comfort, and probably turns the ball over. Our OL is having a fantastic year, but Wills showed his rookie factor last week in the pass protection portion of his game.

On paper this is the formula that Steelers fans would want (stop the run and put Baker in negative down in distance passing situations). That bodes well for the pass rush and hopefully to disrupt comfort and timing in the passing game which can lead to potential turnovers via strip sack or INT. I don't expect either Baker or Wills to go down without a fight. 

2. The Browns Front 4 vs. the Steelers OL. If the Browns can find a way to get to Ben and stop the Steelers running game, then that may neutralize the glaring deficiencies in our secondary. Greedy is hurt (again), Sandejo is the worst safety in the NFL (according to PFF and anyone with eyesight), and our LB corps is a "by committee" approach and pretty poor.

Richardson and Miles must definitely be consistently contained. Villy has had problems  with Miles and Matt Feiler is struggling to get comfortable at LG from RT.  Whoever wins these match-ups will help determine the outcome of the game. Ben is smart and savvy. Given time he will find openings and deliver the ball. Disrupted, like any other QB he can be shaken and forced into mistakes, errant throws, or hold the ball too long trying to make something happen. 

3. Turnovers. The Browns D has forced a LOT of turnovers, and so far we've done a good job of NOT turning the ball over (as a whole), so I'd look for this to be a very key difference.

Huge key in my opinion. The team that protects the ball the best and s willing to punt or throw incomplete rather than up for grabs can ultimately be the deciding factor.

This is a benchmark game for both teams.

Agreed, but not the end of the world. After all it is one game of 16 (maybe). I don't think you break your arm patting yourself on the back if you win or be ready to pack in the season if you lose. 

Pittsburgh hasn't beaten anyone, and the one great team Cleveland played blew them out, albeit beating the Colts was a nice win. If the Browns get exposed again, then that doesn't bode well for them as a contender.

I get it, but disagree with the "you haven't beaten anyone." After last year losing to great teams or bad ones they still count as a loss.  You play who they put in front of you each week. Sometimes the NFL gives teams brutal opponents based on previous years records and it rings true, and others it doesn't. If you beat teams that you are supposed to then your team did its job. If you beat teams that are on par or better, then you look great. To me that doesn't mean anything. You just win to get in the tournament at the end. There is no room for error or excuses there. We haven't recovered from our 2017 loss to Jacksonville when we were "such a good team."  Yet lost in the first round after earning a bye.  My point is, if the Browns win they are 5-1 and if they lose 4-2 (Steelers 5-0 if they win or 4-1 if they lose). Not the end of the world either way and you still live to play next weeks do or die game.  Each week is only a temporary measuring stick. Both teams are still in a good position to be playing football in January 2021 and beyond regardless of outcome. We are competitive, so naturally yes, we want to win and hate it when you lose. 

If Cleveland somehow finds a way to "handle" Pittsburgh, then it could mean Ben doesn't have that same downfield passing ability and Pitt's lack of a consistent running game could be telling going forward.

Honestly it is bragging rights and a to use a school analogy a pop quiz and not the midterm or even final exam. There is much more football to be played. Ben has thrown for 11 TD's and 1 INT in getting his game re-acclimated to the NFL without any scrimmages or pre-season. A bad game wouldn't mean he's lost it all or regressed. This just in: the Browns are a pretty good football team. Losing to the Ravens hasn't affected the rest of their play. 

As far as the Steelers rushing attack, they have some missing pieces along the OL as well. Banner out for the year, DeCastro hurt in three of four games and Wisniewski on IR. Great test, but doesn't mean the rushing attack is any more or less good. The Browns match-up well with the Steelers in some areas and the Steelers 

P.S. The more you win the more likely it is for a team to have a letdown. It is hard to play at the top of your game week in and week out. This season reminds me a little of the 2008 season when the Steelers played a high level of competition each week. Not that the 2020 schedule is nearly as tough, but the expectations and some of the questions that remain about the team are just as hard to live/play up to. At 4-0 the likelihood to lose increases each year. No one will go 16-0 as the level of competition is too high and margin for error is too narrow.

You hope your team wins as many of the big games as they can and win or lose, they play hard and competitive in every game. 

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18 hours ago, warfelg said:

Myles was suspended the second game. 

You are absolutely correct. I forgot about that. The post helmet gate game. That's even scarier as we still haven't been able to contain Miles. Yikes!!!! Gotta find a way to block him and we may just need to give Villy some help with a TE. We could use FB Watt coming back this game too to help in the run game. 

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17 hours ago, candyman93 said:

Is this accurate for you guys?

Some game hype to get us excited, but yes I think so. The battle of the trenches will be big in this game. I think the Browns DL and especially Miles Garrett has given us fits over the past few years. Big Ben had a bad game in the 2018 opener against Cleveland, but has for the most part, played very well against the Browns.  Can the Steelers run effectively to keep the offense balanced? Despite good numbers, the Steelers offense doesn't want to be one dimensional by passing 50 times. 

Stopping the rushing attack of the Browns and making Baker have to drop back in negative down in distance would be ideal. Our secondary has been a bit of a on paper lion early on. Haden, Nelson and Minkah have not been as consistent as early on.  I expect Haden to want to play his best game against his former team.  I think the Steelers run defense is better than they are being given credit and the pass defense is worst than they are given credit for being. The Steelers pass rush has been legit and the Browns OL has done a nice job protecting Baker.   Say what you want, I think these are two very good football teams.

It’s pretty accurate for us, except he kinda overhyped our secondary. Ben is gonna throw for 400+ yards.

The ole', "My home state team didn't draft me curse." Ben has had big games and on a few occasions struggled. He has a great record against the Browns and has never lost playing in Pittsburgh.  We certainly hope that doesn't change here. I honestly predicted a split with the Steelers and Browns each winning at home. 

If our defense doesn’t force a turnover or Myles doesn’t make a play, you will 100% score on that drive.

The Steelers can at times play very sloppy and uncomplimentary football.  This is the key.  If the Steelers protect the ball, I see them winning, if they turn the ball over two or three times, it could spell trouble. They did this against Denver and the Eagles and made games that they should have closed out much closer. I think the Browns are a better team than both and if the Steelers do the same thing, then  the Browns will make them pay. The Steelers are a hard team to beat when they are playing on all cylinders. The problem is that they do not do that very often and despite some wins, etc, they don't always play disciplined football. 

We appreciate your input Candyman93 and wish you the best, but yes I still hope the Steelers destroy your Browns.😀

candyman-5c9e4d5c4c102.jpg

 

 

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20 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said:

IMO here are the most key matchups:

1. The Browns OL vs. the Steelers Rush D and Edge Rush. If the Browns have success on the ground with their downhill rushing attack, I like our chances. If the Browns can't run the ball and Pittsburgh is constantly playing ahead of the sticks on 3rd Down,

I agree. This will be a real test for both teams in this area. Was the success against Dallas a fluke? Was Dallas' run defense really that bad? Your OL opened holes against the Colts and had some success on the ground and the offense put up 32 points on a very good defense. Thus far the Steelers have not let a back or team rush for 100 yards. Miles sanders had a 74 yard TD run and finished the game with 80 yards on 11 carries. Translation he ran for 6 yards on 10 carries.  That is better than average run defense there. The big play may have been an fluke and great call against a defense rushing on third and long, but they play pretty solid. Most games are won in the trenches. This should be no different as both teams will try to run against the other I believe. 

IMO Dallas wasn't a fluke at all. I don't think Dallas is very good, and defensively they're an absolute train wreck. The Browns running game vs. the Steelers defense will probably look a bit more like the Browns/Colts, where yardage will be harder to come by. I'll be interested to see how Stefanski gameplans, because he clearly came out throwing the ball all over the Colts in the first half and almost used this to setup the run.

20 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said:

I think Baker struggles to find rhythm, comfort, and probably turns the ball over. Our OL is having a fantastic year, but Wills showed his rookie factor last week in the pass protection portion of his game.

On paper this is the formula that Steelers fans would want (stop the run and put Baker in negative down in distance passing situations). That bodes well for the pass rush and hopefully to disrupt comfort and timing in the passing game which can lead to potential turnovers via strip sack or INT. I don't expect either Baker or Wills to go down without a fight. 

As much as Wills struggled last week, he's still having a good season overall and is a solid LT. I'd still imagine that Pitt's EDGE guys will test him though.

 

20 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said:

2. The Browns Front 4 vs. the Steelers OL. If the Browns can find a way to get to Ben and stop the Steelers running game, then that may neutralize the glaring deficiencies in our secondary. Greedy is hurt (again), Sandejo is the worst safety in the NFL (according to PFF and anyone with eyesight), and our LB corps is a "by committee" approach and pretty poor.

Richardson and Miles must definitely be consistently contained. Villy has had problems  with Miles and Matt Feiler is struggling to get comfortable at LG from RT.  Whoever wins these match-ups will help determine the outcome of the game. Ben is smart and savvy. Given time he will find openings and deliver the ball. Disrupted, like any other QB he can be shaken and forced into mistakes, errant throws, or hold the ball too long trying to make something happen.

Larry O was limited in practice and if we don't have him, that's a big loss. Thankfully at least DT Jordan Elliott was a full participant. That bodes well for the DL, because being down those 2 guys really hurt last week.

Ben will have success against our awful pass defense, that much is a given. Sandejo is literally the worst safety in the NFL against the pass:

The key is whether or not Mitchell plays well opposite Ward, and if the Browns can at least prevent big plays in the passing game, to go with chunk yardage downfield via tackling. 

20 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said:

 3. Turnovers. The Browns D has forced a LOT of turnovers, and so far we've done a good job of NOT turning the ball over (as a whole), so I'd look for this to be a very key difference.

Huge key in my opinion. The team that protects the ball the best and s willing to punt or throw incomplete rather than up for grabs can ultimately be the deciding factor.

This is a benchmark game for both teams.

Agreed, but not the end of the world. After all it is one game of 16 (maybe). I don't think you break your arm patting yourself on the back if you win or be ready to pack in the season if you lose. 

Yeah, like I said, it's a benchmark and important game to gauge expectations the rest of the way. Are the Browns for real and was Week 1 against Baltimore a perfect storm of a short offseason, on the road, new regime, etc, or is that discrepancy really that big on some contenders? Are the Steelers a Super Bowl contender, or do they have some real concerns against quality opponents? 

20 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said:

Pittsburgh hasn't beaten anyone, and the one great team Cleveland played blew them out, albeit beating the Colts was a nice win. If the Browns get exposed again, then that doesn't bode well for them as a contender.

I get it, but disagree with the "you haven't beaten anyone." After last year losing to great teams or bad ones they still count as a loss.  You play who they put in front of you each week. Sometimes the NFL gives teams brutal opponents based on previous years records and it rings true, and others it doesn't. If you beat teams that you are supposed to then your team did its job. If you beat teams that are on par or better, then you look great. To me that doesn't mean anything. You just win to get in the tournament at the end. There is no room for error or excuses there. We haven't recovered from our 2017 loss to Jacksonville when we were "such a good team."  Yet lost in the first round after earning a bye.  My point is, if the Browns win they are 5-1 and if they lose 4-2 (Steelers 5-0 if they win or 4-1 if they lose). Not the end of the world either way and you still live to play next weeks do or die game.  Each week is only a temporary measuring stick. Both teams are still in a good position to be playing football in January 2021 and beyond regardless of outcome. We are competitive, so naturally yes, we want to win and hate it when you lose. 

I get it. In the NFL, a win is a win, and they shouldn't be punished for their very weak schedule. It was more or less to go with my point above, in that this is a benchmark game for both teams. That said, sometimes if you consistently lose to good teams, that likely shows major flaws with your roster, at least from the Browns point of view. Pittsburgh has enough experience in a lot of areas, as well as proven talent on their defense to not really be that concerned if they happen to lose, as it's likely just going to show their coaches areas for refinement. That said, if Cleveland gets pillaged through the air and Baker looks awful, those are REAL CONCERNS that may not have anything to do with coaching.

20 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said:

If Cleveland somehow finds a way to "handle" Pittsburgh, then it could mean Ben doesn't have that same downfield passing ability and Pitt's lack of a consistent running game could be telling going forward.

Honestly it is bragging rights and a to use a school analogy a pop quiz and not the midterm or even final exam. There is much more football to be played. Ben has thrown for 11 TD's and 1 INT in getting his game re-acclimated to the NFL without any scrimmages or pre-season. A bad game wouldn't mean he's lost it all or regressed. This just in: the Browns are a pretty good football team. Losing to the Ravens hasn't affected the rest of their play. 

As far as the Steelers rushing attack, they have some missing pieces along the OL as well. Banner out for the year, DeCastro hurt in three of four games and Wisniewski on IR. Great test, but doesn't mean the rushing attack is any more or less good. The Browns match-up well with the Steelers in some areas and the Steelers 

Again, "could be", not a definite. :)

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https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2020/10/15/21515437/the-steelers-ferocious-pass-rush-has-created-havoc-this-year-but-not-a-single-holding-penalty-nfl

 

 

Quote

 

While perusing the articles on the Steelers official website, I happened upon a staggering tidbit of information. The Pittsburgh Steelers defense has amassed 20 sacks and over 50 quarterback pressures during their 4-0 start to the 2020 NFL season. I was already aware of those impressive statistics, so no surprise there. However, based on those incredible pass rushing statistics, I couldn't believe what I learned next.

Through the first four games this year; a quarter of the regular season, not a single opposing offensive lineman has been flagged for holding. The most aggressive pass rushing defense in the league hasn't even drawn a single holding penalty in four games. That is truly hard to believe.

 

 

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So there seems to be an upcoming fan discussion about benching Decastro for Dotson. This is a really dumb take. Decastro is going to be out starter at RG if he's healthy. No matter how good Dotson looks in his stead, Decastro is the man. Also, a lot of people will probably suggest moving Dotson to LG and benching Feiler. I doubt this will happen either. Remember, Dotson only played RG in college. I know that isn't that big of a change, but I think we are going to roll with Feiler at LG all year. He'll be given the chance to improve. Maybe Dotson will be the LG next year?

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59 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

but I think we are going to roll with Feiler at LG all year. He'll be given the chance to improve. Maybe Dotson will be the LG next year?

The need too...I want that Feiler comp pick. I really like Feiler, great story, good player, filled in well above the line when asked too....

But we have a really good thing going with Chuks having a rookie deal year left and looking like a starter caliber guy and Dotson being the next in line on the interior to be a starter. Add in that maybe Banner can come back on a low end prove it to be our LT (or RT with Chuks flipping) and our o-line doesnt lose anything but high cap $$'s next year and potentially gains comp cred for Villy and Feiler. Gimme gimme.

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1 hour ago, Dcash4 said:

The need too...I want that Feiler comp pick. I really like Feiler, great story, good player, filled in well above the line when asked too....

But we have a really good thing going with Chuks having a rookie deal year left and looking like a starter caliber guy and Dotson being the next in line on the interior to be a starter. Add in that maybe Banner can come back on a low end prove it to be our LT (or RT with Chuks flipping) and our o-line doesnt lose anything but high cap $$'s next year and potentially gains comp cred for Villy and Feiler. Gimme gimme.

That's definitely my ideal scenario too. 

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