Cleveland Browns: Keys to season finale in Pittsburgh

The Cleveland Browns will kick off the new year by finishing the 2016 regular season. What must they do in order to pull off the upset in Pittsburgh?

The Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers square off in a game with no playoff implications on Sunday, but one which will still intrigue fans. The Browns, coming off of their first win, have a chance to really enter the off-season on a high note against one of their fiercest rivals.

Cleveland has lost 29 of their last 33 meetings against Pittsburgh, making this rivalry unbelievably lopsided. But every time the Steelers come to town or the Browns go to Pittsburgh, every fan watches closely because of the emotions sparked by the matchup.

This game will be much different than usual, as three of Pittsburgh’s offensive superstars will be inactive. The Browns will not have to worry about Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell or Antonio Brown, since they will be resting ahead of their playoff game against the Miami Dolphins.

This will provide a nice boost for the Browns, but the game still won’t be within reach without a strong performance from the team much like last week. Backup quarterback Landry Jones is still very capable, and the Steelers still have multiple explosive weapons.

So the Browns need to enter their final opportunity of the season with a sharp focus and determination to knock off their rivals. More specifically, here are three aspects of the game Cleveland should focus on in preparation for the Steelers.