Things have taken a dramatic turn ahead of Sunday’s Week 11 matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium following the news of starting quarterback Deshaun Watson being lost for the season due to a displaced fracture in his shoulder.
Now, the Pittsburgh Steelers will gear up to face rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, which is a significant change from Watson. But even with the changes under center, the Steelers know it will be a tough game, and a big one overall, in AFC North action.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday from inside the locker room of the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side, Steelers’ standout wide receiver Diontae Johnson called the Browns a “great team” and said Sunday’s matchup will be a tough one with two teams going at it with their best.
“It’s a big one. Browns and Steelers. It’s always been a good, tough one. We played the Browns, so we can’t take nothing from them. They got a great team,” Johnson said to reporters, according to video via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Chris Adamski on Twitter. “We got a great team as well. So two teams going at it with each other. You can expect the best to come out on the top.”
The last time the two teams met, it was Week Two on Monday Night Football at Acirsure Stadium, a game that Johnson missed while on the Reserve/Injured list after suffering a hamstring injury in Week One against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Steelers found a way to win that matchup, thanks to two defensive touchdowns from outside linebackers Alex Highsmith and T.J. Watt in a 26-22 win, moving the Steelers to 1-1 on the season.
Now, entering Week 11’s matchup, the teams have identical 6-3 records, though the Steelers are 2-0 in the AFC North, while the Browns are 2-2 coming off a 33-31 comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10.
Cleveland is led by a standout defense under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. The Browns boast the best defense in football, allowing just 242.7 yards per game. That is the best mark in the NFL through the first 10 weeks since the 2008 Steelers’ defense, which allowed 240.3 yards per game that season.
Even with all the injuries that the Browns have dealt with — losing running back Nick Chubb against the Steelers in the first half, Watson’s multiple injuries, a banged up offensive line without its two starting tackles and more — Cleveland continues to roll right along thanks to its defense, led by Defensive Player of the Year candidate Myles Garrett.
It’s a bit similar to how Pittsburgh is built, though Cleveland’s defense is limiting yards, while Pittsburgh’s defense is a bend-but-don’t-break unit. These two teams know each other well. It’s a full-on rivalry again at this point.
We’ll see who comes out on top, but just like the Week Two matchup was, it will be a tough game between two teams that play a similar style of football.
