The Cleveland Browns boast a talented offensive line, anchored by a duo of star guards in Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller. Teller is a two-time All-Pro and last week he went viral after taking Cincinnati Bengals LB Germaine Pratt for a 20-yard ride down the field. Pittsburgh Steelers LB Kwon Alexander isn’t worried about having a similar fate against Teller, though, because he said he’s looking to match Teller’s energy.
“I really don’t pay attention to none of that stuff,” Alexander said via Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Because you’ve got to be on high alert for me, too. Both of us are gonna be coming out there with the same energy, so when we see each other, we’re gonna see each other.”
After a disappointing Week One loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Alexander added he’s excited to “go to war on Monday with the guys.” Alexander is a confident player, and despite this being his first season in Pittsburgh, he’s got no shortage of success against the Browns, beating them all three times he’s faced them. He played against the Browns last year as a member of the New York Jets, a game where New York eeked out a miracle 31-30 win but saw Nick Chubb run 17 times for 87 yards and three scores.
Alexander is familiar with what Chubb can do, and the Steelers can’t allow the Browns’ offensive line to bully the Steelers’ defense and let Chubb take over the game. Alexander has talked about the importance of tackling better, and not allowing Teller and Bitonio to get to the second level and dominate is going to be the key for the Steelers.
It’s going to be a war, as most AFC North divisional matchups are, and everyone on Pittsburgh’s defense needs to be ready to step up, especially with Cameron Heyward out. They need to meet fire with fire and be ready to step up and contain Chubb a whole lot better than they did Christian McCaffrey in Week One. The run defense was atrocious, and the San Francisco 49ers offensive line dominated the Steelers at the point of attack in the run game.
The mindset that Alexander has is the mindset the whole defense needs to have, and if they bring the mentality that it’s going to war and they’re just as dangerous as Cleveland’s offense, then it’s going to be a good game.
The Steelers defense has to impose their will early and not let Chubb have the type of performance he did against the Steelers in Week Three last year, when he ran 23 times for 112 yards and a touchdown. That’s going to be the biggest key to the game, and it sounds like the Steelers are motivated to make it happen.
