The Pittsburgh Steelers will play their eleventh game of the 2024 regular season on Thursday night on the road against the Cleveland Browns. They’ll enter that contest as a slight road favorites as well. Below are five key things that I believe the Steelers will need to do to come away with their ninth win of the season.
Don’t Let Cleveland Rock Their Run Game – The Browns haven’t been great on the ground so far this season and even since the return of RB Nick Chubb from his injury a few weeks ago. So far this season the Browns running backs have rushed for all of 666 yards on 175 carries. Only two other teams have a lower rushing output from the position. The Browns 3.81-yards per carry from their running backs ranks 27th overall in the NFL entering Week 12. Only 15 runs of 10 yards or longer out of the Browns running backs so far this season as well.
The Steelers run defense, especially against opposing running backs, while certainly not perfect this season, has been fine overall. In fact, opposing running backs are averaging just 3.97 yards per attempt entering Week 12. Only six other teams are allowing less than that. Holding the Browns running backs under 4-yards per carry should always be the goal and against the Browns Thursday night that seems like a very obtainable one.
Due to expected inclement weather on Thursday night, the team that runs the football better is likely to win the game. The Steelers defense needs to ensure that the Cleveland running game stays stuck in the same low clear that it has been most of the season. Shutting down Chubb and Jerome Ford early should be the primary goal of the Steelers defense.
Fix The Dead Red – I hate to state the obvious in this post, but the Steelers offense hasn’t been great in the red zone so far this season. In fact, the unit’s 44.44 red zone percentage entering Week 12 is ranked 30th overall in the NFL. Even worse, their 25.00 red zone percentage in their last three games has them ranked 31st overall during that span and only the Browns are worse with a 16.67 percentage. QB Russell Wilson obviously started all three of those previous games so it’s starting to become a huge concern when it comes to his ability to get the offense to finish drives with touchdowns in lieu of field goals.
Thursday night the Steelers offense will face a Browns defense that currently possesses a 63.33 red zone percentage, which has them ranked 24th overall in the NFL. If that’s not enough, the Browns defense has an 80.00 red zone percentage in their last three games and only the Cincinnati Bengals defense has been worse during that span with an 85.71 percentage. The Browns are averaging just 16.2 points per game so far this season and just once have they scored more than 18 in a contest. In short, a touchdown or two from the Steelers offense on Thursday night will go a long way in helping the team leave Cleveland with their ninth win.
Teach Germain – The Browns are hurting at the left tackle position heading into Thursday night ad both Dawand Jones and Jedrick Wills will miss the contest against the Steelers because of injuries. This means that journeyman Germain Ifedi is likely to start at left tackle Thursday night and that should set up well for the Steelers right outside linebacker position, which should mostly be manned by Nick Herbig throughout the contest.
Herbig had a good first game back from his hamstring injury last Sunday and he should be able to build off that showing Thursday night against the Browns, and especially with OLB T.J. Watt getting his usual heavy attention on the other side. Even new OLB Preston Smith matches up well against Ifedi. On top of all that, we might even get to see Watt switch sides on a few snaps Thursday night to take his turn going against Ifedi.
Multiple pressure and sacks of Browns QB Jameis Winston need to occur Thursday night if the Steelers want to control the Cleveland passing game. The left tackle spot for the Browns will be the weakest position on their line to help facilitate that.
Need More For And From Moore – With the Steelers facing the Browns on Thursday night, that means the team’s offense will have to contend with edge rusher Myles Garrett, who enters Week 12 with seven sacks, 23 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles. In the last meeting between the Browns and Steelers, a game that Cleveland ultimately won at home, Garrett had two sacks.
While Garrett didn’t have a sack in the early season meeting last year between the Steelers and the Browns, he still gave Pittsburgh LT Dan Moore Jr. problems. Not that Pro Football Focus grades are the be-all and end-all, but Moore’s two lowest pass blocking grades last season came against the Browns, so take that for what you deem it is worth.
Moore knows Garrett well at this point of his career. The Steelers also know by now that they can’t let Garrett take over a game the way Watt does for them often times. Moore will need his usual help on Thursday night from chipping running backs and tight ends and it’s important that the help he does receive during the game winds up being effective. On top of everything, Moore needs a better showing on Thursday night against Garrett, who doesn’t seem to move around the Cleveland defensive line as much as he has in recent years. A big game from Garrett against Moore certainly could wind up impacting the outcome and especially if the edge rusher forces a turnover or two.
Expect The Unexpected – With the Browns now 2-8 and hosting the Steelers in Cleveland on Thursday night and in front of a national television audience, you can effectively call this Week 12 contest their Super Bowl. The Browns would love nothing more than to knock the Steelers off their high horse in front of their own fans on Thursday night for all to see and that could result in them throwing everything that they have at Pittsburgh.
What does this all mean? Well, the Steelers better be ready to see things from the Browns offensive and special teams units that they haven’t yet put on tape so far this season. Yes, even on a short week. Flea-flickers, half-back passes, wide receiver passes, double passes, fake punts, and fake field goals. You get the drift by now.
What does Cleveland have to lose at this point when it comes to using gadget plays and fakes? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I sure hope HC Mike Tomlin has all units on high alert Thursday night when it comes to expecting the unexpected from the Browns. It should be obvious.
