The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to battle another well-known AFC North opponent for the second time in four days. This time, the Steelers are hitting the road to take on the 2-8 Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football.
It’s a tight turnaround after an old-fashioned bar brawl Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, and many are looking at the matchup with Cleveland as a trap game on a short week. But this Steelers team feels different. They’re hungry, more focused, and all pulling the rope in the same direction.
It doesn’t feel like a let-down game is coming under head coach Mike Tomlin’s group. It won’t be an easy game, though.
There will be games within the game to watch, like the turnover and tackling battles. Make sure to keep an eye on key individual matchups, though. There are plenty of them this week, from top to bottom, in all three phases for the Steelers against the Browns.
Below are my four key matchups to watch on Thursday night.
STEELERS OLB NICK HERBIG VS. BROWNS LT GERMAIN IFEDI
To date, in his NFL career, Steelers’ second-year outside linebacker Nick Herbig has proven to be a game-changing linebacker. He makes impact plays time and time again and has a nose for the football. Herbig had an immediate impact on Sunday against the Ravens, forcing a fumble from Derrick Henry on the game’s second snap.
Herbig also blew up the 2-point conversion play late in the fourth quarter, helping the Steelers win. Now, he’s gearing up to face Cleveland’s third-string left tackle in Germain Ifedi, a guy who has just over 50 career snaps at left tackle in his career.
Ifedi played 43 snaps at left tackle on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, coming on in relief of Dawand Jones, who was lost for the season with an ankle injury. Ifedi allowed two pressures in relief, and now he’ll go up against one of the better young pass rushers in football in Herbig.
There’s a clear advantage there for Herbig and Pittsburgh. They might even need to send some help Ifedi’s way, which could free up T.J. Watt for more one-on-ones against Jack Conklin this week.
STEELERS DL CAMERON HEYWARD VS. BROWNS LG JOEL BITONIO
Once again, with the Steelers and Browns clashing, Cameron Heyward’s matchup against Joel Bitonio will be must-watch TV. The two physical, strong veterans always make for a great matchup.
Heyward was limited last season in the only Steelers-Browns matchup he was part of, but this year, he’s playing at a remarkably high level once again, as he is his usual dominant self. On the year, Heyward has 35 total pressures, 26 run stops, 5.0 sacks, and a grade of 90.5 overall from Pro Football Focus. He’s having arguably his best season yet.
On the other hand, Bitonio is struggling a bit. He’s allowed 24 pressures and two sacks on the season and has a grade of 65.8 overall from PFF. He is playing through injury, so that’s worth noting. But he hasn’t been his usual self, and things get even more difficult this week against Heyward.
These two know each other extremely well. I can’t wait to watch this one play out again.
BROWNS DE MYLES GARRETT VS. STEELERS LT DAN MOORE JR.
This won’t be an exact, true one-on-one matchup, but once again, star DE Myles Garrett against Steelers LT Dan Moore Jr. will go a long way in determining just how successful the Steelers’ offense is on Thursday night.
Garrett is a game-wrecker, no doubt. He’s the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and will command a great deal of attention, whether that’s an extra tight end with Moore or a chipper out of the backfield. He’s going to get the T.J. Watt treatment, and rightfully so.
That’s no disrespect to Moore, though, who is having a very strong season for the Steelers. Moore has allowed just 18 pressures on the season in 329 pass-blocking snaps. He’s allowed just four sacks on the season; two of them were last week against the Ravens. He’s held his own as a pass blocker and is playing well in the run game.
He has a marquee matchup on Thursday, though. He’s played decent football against Garrett in his career. The Steelers will need him to be at the top of his game on Thursday.
BROWNS CB MARTIN EMERSON VS. STEELERS WR MIKE WILLIAMS
Steelers wide receiver George Pickens will get a great deal of attention on Thursday night, especially from the likes of star cornerback Denzel Ward. That means the new Steelers’ wide receiver, Mike Williams, should get quite a bit of action against Cleveland’s other starting corner, Martin Emerson.
The last time the Steelers played in primetime in Cleveland, Pickens made an absurd one-handed catch over Emerson down the field. This time, it’s a good opportunity for Williams to make some plays down the field and space things out for the Steelers. Williams has just one target on the season, which went for a 32-yard touchdown against the Washington Commanders.
He’s also played just 34 snaps on the season. But on a short week and fully acclimated into the scheme and the locker room, Williams should have a bigger role on Thursday. Emerson hasn’t been very good this year, allowing 26 receptions for 356 yards and four touchdowns on 42 targets.
Prime opportunity for Williams.
