After another impressive performance in Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line continued to rise in PFF’s weekly offensive line rankings. The offensive line led the way for the run game to total 205 yards, and QB Kenny Pickett was sacked just once.
It was the second straight week that Pittsburgh rose in the rankings, with a jump from No. 18 up to No. 16 this week. Pittsburgh has totaled 160-plus yards on the ground over the past two weeks and Pickett has been sacked just once. Pittsburgh moved rookie OT Broderick Jones into their starting right tackle role, replacing OT Chukwuma Okorafor, and Jones’ presence has been felt in the run game.
OG Isaac Seumalo continued his run of good play, as his 82.3 pass-blocking grade was tied for the fifth-best among guards in Week 10. Both guards have been an anchor for Pittsburgh’s offensive line, as James Daniels’ 86.1 pass-blocking grade since Week Three is tops among all guards in the NFL.
Against a Cleveland Browns defense featuring Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith, the Steelers’ offensive line is going to have to be stout again this weekend. Pickett has been struggling, and the Steelers are going to have to prioritize giving him as much time to throw as possible. They’re also going to have to try and get the run game going the same way they have over the past two weeks.
Cleveland’s offensive line is ranked one spot ahead of Pittsburgh’s, coming in at No. 15. It’s a unit that’s banged up, with both LT Jedrick Wills and RT Jack Conklin out for this weekend. OT Dawand Jones, who has filled in for Conklin admirably, missed Week 10 against Baltimore and his status for this weekend is uncertain.
In their place, Geron Christian started at left tackle and James Hudson handled right-tackle duties. On the interior, Cleveland has two of the better guards in the league in Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio. While Christian is an injury fill-in who just joined Cleveland a few weeks ago after a stint with the Houston Texans, his 69.6 PFF grade against Baltimore in Week 10 was the highest mark the Browns have gotten from a left tackle all season.
Bitonio has a 75.0 pass-blocking grade, which has him ranked seventh among all guards this season. The interior of Cleveland’s offensive line is solid, but one of the biggest keys to the game for the Browns will be seeing how Hudson and Christian or Hudson and Jones can handle the duo of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith off the edge for Pittsburgh. Both made a major impact in the Steelers’ Week Two win on Monday Night Football.
