On O, I think we start by limiting Watt. He’s their best player so do what Belichick does and take him out of the game (as much as possible). Chip him, put a tight end on him at times, move Watson away from him whenever we can. He’s one of the best, so we won’t stop him, but need to slow him down.

We should be getting the ball out quickly on pass plays, but keep looking for the deep ball, especially Marquise. We were close twice on hitting a big one last week; one went through his hands, the other was under thrown because DW had a guy in his face and had to throw off his back foot.
Those plays will be there, have to capitalize when they arise.
And of course, hand if off to 24.

If our front can pressure Pickett like they did Burrows, combined with Pittsburgh being down their best WR against our secondary, Steelers fans will be pining for the return of Mason Rudolph.
Our kicker needs to keep piping them down the middle when called upon.

Thoughts, fellow dawgs?

It always comes down to limiting their ability to impact us with defensive plays. They feed off of those splash plays on defense (sacks, fumbles, 4th and short stops, etc). You gotta take care of the ball, win the field position game, and strike with the opportunities.

Honestly, I'm not sure if we have to double Watt. I think we're better off ensuring that it's always the OT blocking him. I feel like a lot of his production comes unblocked or against TEs/RBs. Maybe I'd flex out a TE to Watt's side and see if they dropped him into coverage and occasionally have the TE crash down on him and see if we can get Chubb outside of him into space with DBs.

The Browns are more talented than the Steelers at most, if not all, position groups. This is a great opportunity for the Browns to prove that they can thrive when expectations are high and be taken seriously as a contender.

The Steelers are without one of their best defensive players and arguably their top receiver.

It would be deflating to lose this game coming off such a big opening day win and would open the door back up to the Browns inability to succeed when there are expectations.

There's no excuse to lose this game. I absolutely expect and anticipate a win on MNF.

Most often it begins up front.

If we can pressure Pickett like we did Burrow. It will be our game.

If the offense can score 24 or more. The odds are we will win.

Heyward and Johnson are big losses. Heyward's play feeds TJ. Johnson is their go to guy.

They know Nickolas Jamal Chubb has to be accounted for. If he is not slowed down. His play can control a game.

The Steelers corners can be had. There will be pass plays open.

This is a tough match-up for the Steelers. They have to have a lot go their way in order to win. They will need to win the turnover game. They will have to be able to run the ball which they are not great at. Their OL has to keep Pickett clean and give him time. That will be a serious task.

The Browns have more ways to win this game. Things can always go wrong but we have the better team.

I expect the Steelers to move Watt around using various schemes in an attempt to confuse the Browns blocking and limit the possibility of Watt being double teamed.

The Browns run game will help to keep the Stoolers pass rush honest. But, the Browns passing game could be the deciding factor if the Browns are going to win...Watson and our receivers need to produce.

I would rate this game as a toss up and a true test of just how good our Browns are at this time.

The Browns are going to get Pittsburg's best Monday night. I am sure Tomlin let them have it this week in practice. It is a must win game for them even this early in the season. They watched film what the Browns did to the Bengals. It is a Monday night game, and their crowd will be fired up to start the game. If anything, good happens for them early it will just be getting louder.

I do feel the Browns are the more talented team and if they can match the Steelers energy and excitement level then hopefully take the Crowd out of the game they can win. Also, it is very important to win the turnover battle. I don't know how many times they can be negative 2 like last week and still win.

Actually, field position is important and a part of the game we really couldn't play in past years. We felt we had to go for it too often. Now, with a defensive weapon, punting on 4th and 3 isn't a bad play.

Obviously we will still go for it from time to time, but we can be very selective in doing so. Sticking the other team back on the 15 or better isn't a bad deal.

yes good point. And going up 6-0 instead of going for it on 4th and 2 might be more applicable too

We have a combo of Jed Wills and a rookie starting at tackle. I think we absolutely have to double Watt. I also think that they lost a major piece on their Dline, so doubling their (by far) best player makes even more sense.

I think we'll see a tough test to our run defense.

Our defense has to stifle them and our offense has to be productive out of the gate. We let them hang around via stupid mistakes then it's going to be a disappointing outcome.

That's what I always worry about. The Ravens and the Steelers have historically beaten us by letting us beat ourselves, even when we have had competitive rosters.

IMO the biggest addition to the Browns is Jim Schwartz.

I was listening to an interview with Newsome on NFL network.

He was asked about Schwartz. He went off on how and what he has done to the defense. If you or a teammate makes a play and you don't celebrate. You get a "loaf."

When Stefanski awarded him the game ball. The locker room exploded. He has brought a real energy to this defense.

The players want to play for him.

The offense will evolve as DW feels the pace and rhythm of games. As he gets more comfortable. He will anticipate better and be more confident. He will be less afraid to make a mistake. He will trust what he sees and let it go.

But this defense is going to be on teams like black on coal.

I work in Western Pa and I listen occasionally to a rock station that has a talk show in the afternoon and I go to a lot of job sites with a certain project manager that almost always has squealer coverage on another pittsburgh talk station.

Before the 49's game, the people on the radio and some in our office were talking like pittsburgh has the best offensive weapons since the 90's, pickett is comparable to Burrow and if all goes right could be in the top 5 for offensive mvp, their record will be somewhere between 10 wins and 14 wins and would probably end up first or second in the division when it is all done.

Alot of that bluster came from the fact that their first team offense score 5 td's on 5 drives in the preseason playing mostly against second teamers.

They were also talking that when they got up on the 49's 21-7 going into the third, they need to not let up and shove it down their throat.

Well, none of that happened-the stadium was a sea of 49er fans in the 4th after San Fran whipped the snot out of them

And pretty much all of the people I work with and the talk stations pretty much said how to beat them monday night.
we need to get out to a fast start-up by 10 in the second-get lots of pressure on pickett early, the fans will stop waving their stupid towels and and if we have a 2 score plus lead in the second half-run the ball down their throats-don't get too cute but test their corners-they did not have a great game either, exert our will. It will be easier to run without Heyward in there. Keep the stupid mistakes down.

49's had 188 yards rushing averaging 5.5 (yes the 65 yarder helped) and pittsburgh had to throw the ball 46 times completing 31 passes for 223 yards. There was alot of short passes and screens behind the line of scrimmage.

We need to break the mold-people I work with keep saying that "the Browns is the Browns" and they have won like 19 at home against us and 20 at home on Monday night and they have had plenty of so-so teams and they don't lose to us at home.

I was worried about the Steelers moving Watt around, but after looking into it, it doesn't seem likely. They use Watt almost exclusively from over RT. LINK: TJ Watt explains why he hates playing on the right side (The defense's right is over the LT)

Double teaming Watt has been mentioned a few times, and while in theory it sounds good, in practice I'm not so sure. While run blocking, it makes sense to use two blockers to make space. The OL are the aggressors. In pass blocking, I feel like all too often the help gets in the way; The RB chip knocks the defender off the blocker, The TE kept in to block gets attacked and the OT has trouble getting good angles on the defender to actually block him because the TE is getting whooped and his legs are flailing all over or the defender straight chucks him into the OT. In pass blocking, the offense isn't the aggressor (typically.) They have to react to the pass rusher. It's easier to do when you don't have to worry about tripping over the guy that is supposedly helping you.

Jones doesn't need more strength to handle TJ Watt. He's probably bigger by himself than most OT-TE/RB combos. Maybe keep an RB back in case he does get beat. Honestly, though, I'd save that for in case Jones is getting beat badly. I think getting another player (the RB) out into a route gives Watson more potential solutions to the "problems" that he sees, and spreads out defenders giving him potential lanes to escape and scramble for positive yards.

edit: I also wouldn't discount the confidence factor. Basically telling Jones that you think he isn't good enough by planning to give him/"saying" he needs help could effect his confidence. Not being confident could lead him to be tentative, which could lead to him getting beat. I'd start with showing confidence, and adjust if needed.

While I'm optimistic about the Browns winning this game, it's a cautious optimism. The Steelers have beaten us 19 times in a row now in the regular season when they are at home. And while I have no doubt the Browns have the better roster, often times the games have been very close when the Steelers have had that same advantage.

To get to where the Browns need to go as it pertains to competing for a SB, at some point the passing game has to open up and create a two headed monster of watson and Chubb. To beat some of the best teams in the NFL they can't be one dimensional on offense. Hopefully we will see that developing this week.

I believe the defense will take care of itself. Hopkins makes it look as though the kicking game will as well. If the passing game improves it will spread out the steeler defense and this should be an easy victory. If not, according to history, it will be a much closer game than it should be.

that's how I am Pit. We SHOULD be able to win, but we have had such bad performances in Pittsburgh since 1990 (that's a LONG time)

Jim Schwartz will have a plan to slow down Watt. I have a lot of confidence in him. He is one of the best DC and I think he will have a plan to take care of the Squeelers just as he did for the Bungles. The feel and look of this years team just seems different and I love it. There is no reason we can't take the AFC North this year.

Did you mean someone else? I'm trying to figure out in my brain how Jim Schwartz will slow down Watt.

After watching the all-22 of Steelers-49ers, I'll be extremely disappointed if we lose to this Steelers team. They straight up looked bad... like 2017 Browns bad. A bunch of guys just kind of looking disinterested.

While Watt's numbers look good, he was not good at all outside of those few plays. I'm kind of wondering if he's dealing with a back issue or something, because he was definitely not his usual relentless self. For the most part, the 49ers left Colton McKivitz one on one with him all game and he held up fine. CMC chipped once early in the 2nd half. I think if anything, McKivitz got lulled to sleep by how awful Watt played most of the game.

I honestly think we’ll embarrass them. That is if the D comes like last week and we play average to better O. I think Shcwartz will deliver the D, if Ski can bring the O we should dominate them.

got the chance to do something that the Browns haven't done in 30 years.

go 2-0

It doesn't hurt to have Bojorquez as another weapon. Kid can change field position in one play.

Agreement I have. If we win the next one versus the Squeelers, that is called a "streak" and is a good thing, muy desirable. The NFL allows "streaks." I am willing to risk it. Go, Browns!

I guess technically 1 win is a streak, but a 1 game win streak doesn't ring any bells. Good teams start to stack wins. If you just win 1 game in a row all season, the best you can be is .500. Well, it is an odd numbered season, so you could be 1 game over, but the odds are if you can only win one game before a loss, you are probably going to stack losses. I think we have seen that before.

Monday gives us a chance to make it 2 in a row. Good teams have 3-4 of those streaks in a season. Toss in a 3 game win streak and you are probably in pretty good shape.

But, as I told my players when coaching college baseball players in summer leagues, you can only win one at a time. Just win this game. Just win one inning and tie them in the rest. We win.

Yep, the guy is very good.

It's just a part of the game we haven't been able to play. It seems most of us felt that we might as well go for it almost every time....we are going to lose anyway.

Actually, Dustin Hopkins might be what we need. His history is accuracy, but he doesn't have a huge leg. You might be pushing the boundary at 50 or so yards.
Depending on situation, we might not have to try every 47 yard kick. Punting might be the percentage play. Just tell the punter he doesn't have to stick it on the 5, a high punt to the 12 or so works great. Make them fair catch or at least you can have a few players down there with a chance to keep it out of the end zone after the bounce. If it fast bounces into the enzone, it does. Footballs do funny things once they bounce.

Sorry if I wasn't clear. One is not a streak; two starts a streak, which I favor. It can stack from there. We have a fair chance at three. I am hoping Monday night starts our streak. Go, Browns!

I can only remember that glorious playoff game in Pittsburgh that started with a defensive touchdown.

There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t win this game outside of the ghosts of Browns/Steelers past.

On paper and thus far, we are better than the stoolers. Kenny Pick-off will have a rush in his face - that is a certainty. Najee worries me but honestly, short of a dominant game from him, this game shouldn’t be close.

That said, I’m worried about this game. We have been programmed to worry about this kind of game because we have usually blown opportunities like this. The jets game. I mean…c’mon.

But this team is different. The defense is the strength and until DW gets his game together, they will keep us in every game. Schwartz’s triumphant return is the story this year. We finally play to the “on paper” level.

If we are to EVER be a team that plays to their expectations, we need to go down there and beat them convincingly. They have always been downright flippant at the thought of playing us. “Browns is the Browns” is an attitude we need to repurpose as a positive moniker.

C’mon Brownies!! Got get this!!!

I literally cannot hear his name announced and not think of one of Tim Conway's characters pronouncing it: Ba-HOOOR-kez.

Every. Single. Time.
I might watch too many re-runs these days.

Pitt burg losses often seemed to have one thing in common,
they would go scoreless in the Ist @uarter,
so holding them to 0 in the first @uarter is one key.

Now, the Browns, ... and I kept thinking during the last game, uggh our coach, I remember that when they won the playoff game he was in a covid @uarantine basement, if you want to win games, if you want the offense to get out of its own way, and the O to get back on track, then maybe, if you want to win,
put the coach in a covid @uarantine basement again where he can't hold your guys back,.

But, more to the point, the pattern,

In 2022, the Browns were not expected to beat the Tampa Bay team, but, the Browns
ran the ball on O, ... while intending to pass...
but
they . " ran the ball on O", and defended the pass on D " and they beat Tampa bay.
now,

later, in the opener last week, against Cincy they weren't expected to win, but,
The Browns
they ran the ball on O, while intending to pass, but,
They "ran the ball on O", and "defended the Pass on D", and the Browns beat Cincinnati 24 to 3 in the opener.

...
If they league is scripted, if the whole thing is all fixed, ... if the Browns start 2 and 0 and then lose 3 in a row, to be 2 and 3,
well, it would feel like a scripted fixed thing to me.

It was always funny when he’d get Harvey Korman laughing and he couldn’t stop, when they broke fourth wall without meaning to

The Browns must force the steeler offense to turn the ball over.

If only the Browns had 'always won' when facing a backup.

Just stop Watt, run screens to his side to slow down the pass rush, give the ball to chubb and get out of the way, on defense blitz the bejeezus out of pickens. I think this game will be a better test of our Defense than week 1, the weather helped alot. Lets see how they do when its not a weather game. I still think our LB's are the weak spot, If I was to guess we will see early how that front 7 does because I think they are going to try to run it alot.

Without Heyward, Chubb should have a big game. IMO, their offense is not good. Pickett was the darling of the preseason, but I think he is average at best. Constant pressure and he will turn it over. If Watson hits his groove, we should win. I see it as a defensive battle, but I think our offense has the advantage. As for Watt, Deshaun is not Mayfield, he won't be able to lay back and try to tip balls. Getting around our massive RT ain't going to be like blowing past TEs.

Only thing I worry about, is that it is Pittsburgh and on Monday night. I can see the men in stripes doing all they can to keep us down.

I'm worried without Cooper that our WR corps will struggle. I'm also worried about our OT's holding up against Watt and Highsmith

I cannot remember feeling more relaxed about a Steeler game.

During the Ben years the Steelers were a better team. They were good and the Browns were bad.

The results proved that. They beat us like a drum.

They are not a better team than the Browns are now. Sure they could win because football can sometimes go that way. A pick six. A fumbled punt and recovery. A kickoff return. Bad snaps. The oddities that sometimes happen. Turnovers can kill games.

That is how the Steelers can win.

If the game follows the script of the better team wins. The Browns will win this game.

I like our chances.

computers are terrible devices,
I just lost a 'book' breaking down how this will be 'different'
in
the Bengal vs steeler O, and the presence of a TE v. no good te, and an H back, v. no H back
and a Rb on the downside of a career cincy, v. a Rb on the upswing Pitt,
and
the fact the pitt Wr out, was unreliable anyway so it may hurt if his replacement plays well
and
the cincy OL = better, but the Pitt OL, won't have to protect if they're going to the TE and RB and HB all day,

and
The Browns O is talented but hit or miss in usage for everybody except Chubb and Cooper, and Cooper may not play

2 and 0 = a great opportunity.

Cooper is OUT now ... so clearly he's not close to playing. Ill stand by my prediction that he'll be out until week 6

I think some people will be surprised at how well Tillman performs in the absence of Cooper if he's given the opportunity to do so.

According to Adam Shefter about a half hour ago, Coop is "unlikely to play"

JC...

I'm praying that this isn't a trap game, as Pittsburgh has owned us since our return in 99. I expect them to correct their mistake from last week, and give Harris 20+ carries....I think they will force is to dial back our aggressiveness due to us crashing in too far. Jaylen Warren had an excellent camp, so I expect them to sprinkle him in as well...especially as an outlet back. Ultimately, I think it boils down to Deshaun Watson....we need him to finally turn the corner. If not, and he's the same QB that has presented himself the past 7 games....then this game, can go very wrong. Would be awesome to finally go 2-0 and be a top the AFC North.

It's not possible to be a "trap" game since the Browns haven't done anything yet.
It's also not possible to meet the definition of a trap game if you are playing at Pittsburgh on MNF, in week #2 when nobody knows how bad the team you beat in week one will end up being.
It may as well be an opening day game, as much as a trap game.

Pittsburgh hasn’t owned us for about 5 years now. We’ve split with them several times and kicked the snot out of them a couple times in the course of doing so. Pittsburgh has the longest playoff-victory drought of all the teams in our division, and one of the longest in the AFC.

The Browns got kicked around by the entire nfl for a decade plus, but have been a tough out for all teams for a few years now.

As for Monday vs Pittsburgh, I’ve got a feeling that the zebras will try to play a role in the outcome of this game.

We have to beat Pitt.... praying that Watson has a break out game...

I won't, I said so during preseason, I have followed TN since Manning was there, Tillman has every tool you want.

He might. Groin pulls can be tricky. They can be hard to heal.

We will get to see our receivers of next year, Moore and Tillman. Cooper is probably gone next year. I'd like to see Moore playing more as a receiver and less like a Debo Sammuel. I don't want gadget plays to be his bread and butter. I want to see him catch 7 of 10 targets for 120 yards. If a TD happens, great. If YAC is his only hope, we can't count on that.

[As for Monday vs Pittsburgh, I’ve got a feeling that the zebras will try to play a role in the outcome of this game.[/quote]

I remember a few referee crews that were just awful in the past...hope we get a good crew.

I remember a few referee crews that were just awful in the past...hope we get a good crew.[/quote]

That is what it is. Some crews allow DB's to play a tighter coverage as an example, some don't.

To me the key is Deshawn has to get the ball out. In an effort to allow the receiver to get open, he tries to push that internal clock to the max. To try to help his tackles, tonight he might be best to 1 read, 2 read, get out or check down.

We need to avoid getting behind the chains or losing ground we have already gained.

I remember a few referee crews that were just awful in the past...hope we get a good crew.[/quote]

This "first down" for the steelers gave them the game. I knew the fix was in.

I'm pretty sure the NFL and every sports talk person not in Pitts or Balt is interested in seeing the Browns successful.

Our schedule is actually going to work in our best interest and I think we need to go 6-2 or 5-3 to have a legitimate shot at the playoffs.