3 Browns Players to Watch vs Steelers

3. Greg Robinson and Chris Hubbard

This isn’t one person but two —  the Cleveland Browns starting tackles. The Steelers have a great pass rush and the Browns are not good in pass protection.

Pittsburgh has 33 sacks so far this season which ranks third in the league and they are led by two fierce rushers in T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree. Watt has 9.5 sacks and Dupree has six and you can’t forget about Cameron Hayward who has 5.5 sacks as well.

This will be a major challenge for Greg Robinson and Chris Hubbard who have struggled to protect Baker Mayfield that is part of the reason their passing attack hasn’t been good.

If they can give Mayfield time to throw the ball, Odell Beckham Jr. can have a big game, the Steelers have good safeties but they are shaky at cornerback. Steven Nelson and Joe Haden haven’t been bad this season but they have benefited from that excellent pass rush.

Haden and Nelson cannot cover Beckham and Jarvis Landry but Mayfield has to have time to get them the ball. If they can’t block the Steelers than they need to call pass plays that develop quickly and get the ball out of Mayfield’s hand.

Hubbard has had flashes of production this year especially when he’s run blocking, but pass protection has been a major weakness. Robinson has been so shaky that he has been benched before he regained his starting position.

This Steelers defense is physical and they will not make it easy on Cleveland’s offense. They have to keep the score low because their offense has not shown the ability to score a lot of points.

Hubbard and Robinson have a chance to change the perception about them, if they come out and play well against great pass rushers on national television Browns fans might let up on them.