DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2019 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 13 Steelers 20 Browns vs Steelers: Who will win?

I'm gonna predict Cleveland will win this game on Sunday.

WHAT THE STEELERS ARE SAYING ....

PITTSBURG POST-GAZETTE

Commentary: The Steelers will beat the Browns. Here’s why …
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette logo
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
NOV 28, 2019 5:34 PM
This is not just a football game. It is a referendum on two football franchises — the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns version 2.0.

One has secured its place among the NFL’s flagship enterprises.

The other went 0-16 two years ago.

One owns six Vince Lombardi Trophies.


Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph goes through drills during afternoon practice Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019, at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph on benching: 'I'm going to conquer this'
The other has never won a playoff game (that is, if you believe these Browns were born in 1999, which they were, whereas the Browns of fabled football lore play in Baltimore).

One, for all its recent drama, remains a model of stability, having employed just three coaches since 1969.

The other goes through coaches like coffee filters. Its past six, over 11 years, were fired immediately after losses to the Steelers.

That is the deep background, and if you believe in the force of history, it is pertinent going into a game with so much at stake. You trust one team’s culture over the other’s.

But the immediate background might be more pertinent, and it could be encapsulated this way: The Browns punked the Steelers two weeks ago and have doubled down since.

Freddie Kitchens’ guys ran around delivering head shots like flu shots that night. Tensions boiled over (you’ve probably seen the replay), when Myles Garrett swung a helmet at Mason Rudolph’s uncovered head.

The Browns, rightfully, expressed regret for Garrett’s actions. Garrett issued a written apology to the Steelers and Rudolph the next day, as did Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam.


The Browns defense celebrates a third-down stop against the Steelers in the second quarter Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Commentary: This is new — an actual rivalry with the Browns
“We sincerely apologize to Mason Rudolph and the Pittsburgh Steelers,” wrote the Haslams.

And then they took it all back.

Garrett, six days later, accused Rudolph of hurling a racial slur, raising all kinds of questions. Such as, why did Garrett wait so long to speak up? Why would he publicly apologize to a man he claims slurred him and who publicly called him “cowardly”?

Next thing you knew, Browns players were suddenly backing Garrett’s contention, and Dee Haslam was wearing a Garrett-themed beanie to a game.

The Browns, through their actions, essentially rescinded their apology. They double-punked the Steelers. Defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson even poked fun at Rudolph, wishing for his appearance in the rematch.

“Did you see him last game?” Richardson said.

This already was a big game. It is now a Holy War at Steelers headquarters. Steelers players were livid with Garrett over his actions and what they perceived as his lie. The other head shots that night didn’t sit well, either, from coach Mike Tomlin on down. And now there’s trash talk coming from a 5-6 team?

All of that will contribute to a Steelers victory. More tangibly, so will this …

— The Steelers will be better prepared this time, though still woefully undermanned. The untold story of Game 1 was that they hung around and had a chance to tie (if Johnny Holton gets a call or makes a catch, they might have) despite in-game injuries that forced them to use receivers such as Tevin Jones, who'd never played and barely practiced.

— The quarterback play will improve if “Duck” Hodges merely refrains from throwing it to men wearing orange helmets. Tomlin didn’t exactly set the bar at unreachable heights when he said of Hodges, “I expect him to not kill us,” but he absolutely made the right move. He read the psyche of his team and chose the quarterback who has given it a jolt of positive energy over the one who, for the moment, appears beaten.

That doesn’t mean Hodges will play well. It just means Tomlin made the correct call.

— The Steelers will have a better running game with Benny Snell Jr. Plus, Garrett’s out. So is Maurkice Pouncey, but the Steelers are 10-1 in games B.J. Finney has started (at center or guard).

— The Steelers defense began to figure out Baker “Roll to the Right” Mayfield last time. He started 10 for 14 but went 7 for 18 thereafter. There were missed chances for interceptions (Steven Nelson, for one). Don’t expect the Steelers to finish with zero takeaways and just one sack again.

— If one team blows up, it’ll be the Browns, who evoke the old Vontaze Burfict Bengals in this respect: You wonder if they can handle prosperity. They lead the league in penalties. They nearly handed a game to the Steelers’ JV squad. And after three straight home wins, they now find themselves in the pressurized role of favorite, heading into a heated environment, desperately trying to measure up to Big Brother.

As ESPN analyst Louis Riddick put it, “I’m not convinced (the Browns have) the football character required to go on a run.”

Maybe they do. Maybe they really are different this year. The talent’s there. Maybe they will finally arrive, 20 years into their existence.

Better bet: They’ll lose, like the Cleveland Browns usually do.


https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/colu...es/201911280129

If I were Freddie I'd print that article and personally hand it to every member of the team.

Actually I'd put it on a projector and read it to the team.

If I were the guy who wrote it I'd make an appointment with my gynecologist.

Cleveland Browns: Can they really lose to the 'Duck’ in Pittsburgh?

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2019/11...pittsburgh.html

By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Talking to myself as the Browns travel to Pittsburgh for a big game against the Steelers.

QUESTION: Do you think the Browns care that Mason Rudolph isn’t starting at QB for Steelers Sunday?

ANSWER: I doubt it. Although Sheldon Richardson explained, he hoped Rudolph was playing: “Did you see him the last game?”

Q: What did that mean?

A: He meant Rudolph in the Browns 21-7 victory over Pittsburgh. Not the fight part, but how Rudolph threw four interceptions and was sacked four times by the Browns. Cleveland also was credited with seven QB hits, meaning Rudolph was knocked down 11 times in that game.

Q: Don’t you think the fight also was a factor in Rudolph’s problems?

A: It didn’t help. But his confidence was shattered and his will was broken before he tangled with Myles Garrett. It carried over to last Sunday in Cincinnati, when Rudolph was benched at halftime with Pittsburgh losing, 7-3. The Steelers came back to win, 16-10.

Q: The era of the Duck?

A: The Duck is Devlin “Duck” Hodges, who opened the season as Pittsburgh’s No. 3 QB. He moved up to No. 2 when Ben Roethlisberger was hurt and lost for the season. With Rudolph in a free-fall (1 TD, 5 interceptions, 5 sacks) in his last six quarters, Coach Mike Tomlin is desperate for decent QB play.

Q: Is that why Tomlin said, “He hasn’t killed us” when explaining why Hodges will start this week?

A: That doesn’t sound like a wonderful endorsement, but it’s a message to Hodges. Don’t make turnovers. Don’t let the Browns rattle you, like they did Rudolph. Tomlin believes if Hodges doesn’t make any major mistakes, his team can beat the Browns in Pittsburgh.

Q: Is that true?

A: The Steelers are 4-2 at home compared to 2-3 on the road. Some numbers highlight what Heinz Field means to them. The Steelers had 30 sacks at home (eight on the road). They have nine interceptions at home (four on the road). Their defense is fueled by the crowd and the Terrible Towels.

Q: So the Browns are in trouble?

A: The Browns are 1-17 in Pittsburgh since Heinz Field opened. Thanks to The Athletic’s Zac Jackson, we know the Browns have used 14 different starting QBs vs. Pittsburgh in those 17 losses. That alone explains the 1-17 record. No viable QB, no chance to beat even a so-so Steelers team in Pittsburgh.

Q: But most of those games were against Roethlisberger, right?

A: He’s 12-0 vs. the Browns at Heinz Field. But Landry Jones is 3-0.

Q: You’re not going to start up with “Fear the Duck,” are you?

A: Fear the Steelers is more like it. But the Browns do have Baker Mayfield, and have him playing well. They are on a 3-game winning streak. In his last five games, Mayfield has thrown 9 TD passes vs. 2 interceptions. It’s rare that the Browns go into Pittsburgh in game where they have the better QB, but they do this week.

Q: Do you think there will be a fight?

A: No.

Q: No?

A: Not a big one of any consequence. Both teams are still feeling the pain from the fines and suspensions. I do think the Browns will miss Myles Garrett (suspended) in this game, because the defensive end certainly can put some fear into the the Duck.

Q: Why is Hodges the "Duck”?

A: He likes duck hunting. He went Tuesday (the off day) with teammate James Washington. If you were a QB named Devlin, “Duck” seems a little cooler for the locker room. And after all, Hodges is the 2018 Alabama state Duck Calling champion.

Q: Is Duck any good?

A: He’s completed 27-of-40 passes this season, a pair of TDs and one interception. He started one game, a 24-17 victory over the Chargers. As Tomlin said, “He hasn’t killed us.”

Q: Why wasn’t he drafted?

A: That’s a good question. He set the FCS (the old NCAA Division 1-AA) record for career passing yardage at Samford (of Alabama). He passed up Steve McNair. As The Athletic’s Ed Bouchette wrote: “Duck Dynasty, as Mike Tomlin calls him, not only went undrafted this year after smashing all kinds of records while starting four years at Samford University, he went UNSIGNED after the draft. This is a league that signs anyone and everyone as it expands to 90-man rosters in the offseason.”

Q: So Pittsburgh finally signed him?

A: They signed him in minicamp. They later cut him. Then they brought him back. This is a guy who is the Walter Payton FCS Player of the Year, a big-time, small-college player. He’s 6-foot-1 but looks shorter. Hey, I don’t know how some guys get ignored. But so far, Duck has at least shown he belongs in the NFL.

Q: Are you really predicting Duck and The Steelers to win?

A: Thinking about it. But Pittsburgh is expected to be without star running back James Conner (shoulder injury). Star receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is finally cleared of the concussion he suffered in the Browns game, but he’s bothered by a knee injury. Not sure if he’ll play. Starting center Maurkice Pouncey is suspended.

Q: So the Browns should win this game?

A: The are favored to win. They have the better QB. They have the superior backfield with Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb looking like the early days of Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly. This is a huge game for Pittsburgh (6-5) and the Browns (5-6). Both have Wild Card dreams, and the loser will trudge away with a lot of doubt.

Q: No more analysis, let’s have the pick:

A: Browns 20, Pittsburgh 13: A signature win for Baker Mayfield. My record picking the Browns this season is 7-4.

This would be the perfect game for these guys to learn how to stay grounded and focused heading into it.

Get up for it, see red.... but stay grounded with your head in it. No mental blunders, no letting up. Pound on them until they break. Then keep pounding until the clock expires.

Hands down, we need to play better this week than we did two weeks ago. How we played then should be the minimum acceptable bar; we need to go above that.

I think this game will be about who protects their QB effectively. We need Chris Hubbard to handle TJ Watt and we need whoever starts at LT to handle Bud Dupree. On defense, getting Vernon back would help, plus I'm optimistic that Sheldon Richardson and Larry Ogunjobi might exploit Pouncey's absence. I also hope we are blitzing their young QB from the giddy-up. I have a hard time seeing the Steelers scoring more than 14-17 points, so if we get to 20 and don't hand them any defensive scores, I think we win.

We are going to run all over Pittsburgh.

Remember, we are still playing down there and Freddie cant seem to stay with the run and keep pounding it down there throats.

But still, at least offensively we are a much better team than they are-at least Sunday-and if we can run and dont turn the ball over and stay physical-we should win this by 10.

But, I think they have some tricks up there sleeves, they are going to bait us from the opening kick and try to get in our heads get a lot of cheap penalties-they almost have to

We ran the ball 33 times in the 1st Steelers game (not counting the QBs) ...... and people complained that we kept running it.

trap game, we get crushed 45-0 Steelers

Can my prediction of a loss somehow help them win again? We'll see...

Let’s hope OldCold ... TOs will decide this one IMO

Freddie just gave them more motivation.

Way to go coach.

Looking to blame Freddie before the game is even played.

For God's sake.

I'm not blaming anyone for anything. I simply want the team I root for to exercise good judgment and act in a professional manner. To keep jokes and the such in house. I want them to not offer any additional motivation to opposing teams, especially before the week you play and certainly in light of recent events.

The Browns are 4-6 mostly because of self inflicted wounds - whether by not working hard enough in the off-season, not practicing during TC, or making dumb decisions on and off the field. Why add to it?

j/c...

Browns - 24

Steelers - 6

Browns 0
Steelers 31

Still about the game

Browns 27 -13

I think it’ll be a close, mid-scoring game: something like 23-20

Cleveland Browns Pregame Scribbles: How Kareem Hunt has changed things
https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2019/12...ve-changed.html

By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
PITTSBURGH – Scribbles in my notebook as the Cleveland Browns prepare to face the Pittsburgh Steelers today at Heinz Field:

1. In his three games with the Browns, Kareem Hunt’s stats have been modest: 79 yards rushing in 18 carries, 15 passes caught for 99 yards. He has one TD.

2. But if you’re watching the Browns offense, you know Hunt has become the safety-valve receiver for Baker Mayfield. That’s what was missing in the team’s first eight games.

3. Mayfield on Hunt: “Explosive plays. A check down (short pass) against Pittsburgh, he takes it and gets a first down. It’s the little stuff that can become a big play.”

4. Hunt was a Pro Bowl running back for the Kansas City Chiefs before being suspended and then released because of hitting a woman (caught on tape). The Browns signed him and waited for the Willoughby South High School product to serve his eight-game suspension.

5. Then came the big question: How would Hunt blend with Nick Chubb, the emerging star in the backfield? Would Chubb worry about losing carries to Hunt? Would Hunt be frustrated because Chubb is the heart of the running attack?

6. The remarkable answer is how these two young men have embraced each other and not worried about their personal stats.

7. Mayfield said: “The things they are willing to do for our offense to have success... the blocking... blocking for each other... the team-oriented mindset they both come with.”

8. Chubb said: “I feed off Kareem. He hypes me up and gets me going a bit more. Watching him create plays... explosive plays... the big plays he makes... it picks me up... then I want to make a big play for him and the team.”

9. Hunt is often called to get the rugged, inside yardage... as on those safety-valve passes for runs. But what has drawn praise is his blocking. Star running backs often shy away from that part of the game. They don’t want to get injured. They want to save energy. As one top Browns official told me, “Both of those guys just want to play football and win. They really don’t care about the individual stuff.”

10. In the three games with Hunt, Chubb is averaging 22 carries, 105 yards and 4.6 yards per game. Chubb is a quiet man, perhaps the most respected player on the team in only his second pro season. Hunt is showing some of those same qualities with teammates. This is very unique in football.

11. But the Browns winning streak has been about more than offense. The defense has allowed only 47 points in the last three games. Granted, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Miami are not powers on offense. But 16 points vs. Buffalo and 7 vs. Pittsburgh is worth noticing.

12. I was talking about the Browns defense with one NFL executive, who mentioned something seldom said in Browns Town. While new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks is listed as using the same 4-3 base defense as the outgoing Gregg Williams, the Wilks’ defense is quite a bit different. He often plays five defensive backs and two linebackers. His blitzes are much different.

13. In other words, the Browns from last year had to learn several new schemes. They also added two new starters on the line (Olivier Vernon, Sheldon Richardson). Rookie Mack Wilson is starting at linebacker. Because of injuries, the Browns have started 11 different defensive backs this season. Starting cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams (hamstring injuries) each missed four games... the same four games.

14. I was wondering if Wilks or Williams blitzed more often. They are fairly close. Now with the New York Jets, Williams has blitzed 38 percent of the time. That’s No. 4 in the NFL. Wilks has blitzed 34 percent... No. 8 overall. I received these stats from an NFL insider, and they may be different than numbers you see elsewhere.

15. The top three blitzing teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (50 percent), Baltimore Ravens (47 percent) and Arizona Cardinals (40 percent). There doesn’t seem to be a big correlation between blitzing more (or less) and winning. The New England Patriots rank No. 19 in blitzes (27 percent), Buffalo is No. 18 (28 percent).

16. While it seems the middle of the field is still a soft spot in the Browns defense, it’s not as vulnerable as it was a year ago with Williams. That’s according to some internal NFL stats. I don’t have the exact data to support that.

17. Strange stat: A year ago, the Browns defense ranked No. 28 vs. the run with Williams. But his Jets are currently No. 1. The Browns are No. 25 under Wilks this year, so it’s not a big improvement. In their 21-7 victory over Pittsburgh, the Browns defense held the Steelers to only 58 yards rushing. That set up a pass rush that sacked QB Mason Rudolph four times and harassed him into four interceptions.

18. In the three-game winning streak, the Browns have held teams to 84/58/94 yards rushing. That’s dramatic improvement. It’s a sign of the team acclimating to the Wilks defense.

19. Pittsburgh will try to test the Browns on the ground. Coach Mike Tomlin has said as much, talking about QB Devlin Hodges not “killing us" with turnovers. Pittsburgh could do nothing with the Browns defense in Cleveland. They stopped the run early, forced Rudolph to pass... and then the Steelers fell apart on offense.

20. Why would Freddie Kitchens to wear a “PITTSBURGH STARTED IT” t-shirt to a movie? It was a fun gift from his family. Fine, keep it at home. Wear it after the season. Why inflame the fans in Pittsburgh even more? How would Kitchens feel if one of his players wore that in public? The Browns and Steelers were involved in a very serious brawl.

21. My prediction: Browns 20, Pittsburgh 13. I’m riding the winning streak. If they do win, it’s four in a row. the last time that happened was the end of the 2009 season under former coach Eric Mangini.

The second double-digit win and a Pittsburgh sweep. When was the last time that happened?

Cleveland 31
Stillers 20

Just shut up already, my goodness ... tired of so much talk

1988.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cle/1988.htm

Browns win and sweep

Browns 37


Them 0

My bad, all I did was post the tweet....

lol no I wasn’t talking to you, i was talking to our coaches ... sorry for the miscommunication

Yeah, Rudolph was hit in the head with a football helmet and Freddie wearing a stupid T-shirt is what's going to motivate them.





No, we're 5-6. And in case you missed it, we've won three straight games. It's hard to imagine how much you would be whining if we weren't winning right now.

And we're going to win today. Will that keep the pity party down? Nah, your mind is made up.

I remember back then Webster Slaughter was asked about the Three Rivers Jinx. He said, "What jinx, I've never lost there".

No one will care, so long as they back it up.

Steelers 27

Browns 16

I think the Browns win fairly easily, and sweep the Steelers.