Cleveland Browns: Steelers coming off high-horse to target Baker Mayfield’s ribs

The Cleveland Browns Week 6 opponent continues to be consistent

After Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns was suspended for his part in a brawl with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, the Steelers got themselves an impressively high horse to sit on. They started to act as if their quarterback who started the fight was innocent, turning Mason Rudolph into a victim despite his insistence he not only started the fight but also that he continued it as he had “a bone to pick” with Garrett.

They also pretended their coach who tried to trip a player on a punt return was above reproach. Mike Tomlin, who had no problem trying to get an edge against Baltimore by attempting to trip Jacoby Jones, started preaching about accountability when his player was hit by Garrett.

There was also the blind ignorance to the many times a player in gold and black tried to injure another player — see Mike Mitchell vs. Alex Smith and James Harrison vs. everyone he ever played against. And now leading up to Week 6, the Steelers are again saying they don’t want to talk about last season because they’re clearly too focused on doing the right things.

Well, that is they’re focused on doing what they think is right — and that includes openly saying they want to target Baker Mayfield‘s injured ribs. At least, that’s what Cam Heyward says he plans to do, calling it inflicting “good punishment.”

"“I’m not a doctor,” Heyward said Wednesday on a video call with Steelers reporters via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I know how bruised up he is. But at the end of the day, I’m just trying to inflict good punishment.”"

Now, there will be those who say there’s nothing wrong with Heyward’s comments and that he doesn’t want to hurt Mayfield, but just make him think twice while in the pocket. And there may be some truth to that. But there’s no way this team would be fine if the shoe was on the other foot.

For example, if Myles Garrett came out and said he was targeting Ben Roethlisberger’s surgically repaired elbow, the Steelers would be screaming foul. But again, they play by their own rules.

The good news is, Mayfield can take it. He won’t go to the media and complain and he won’t give a speech about how he’s too good for such comments. Instead, he will respond on the field.

Here’s to hoping the rest of the Browns players respond with him because it’s clear the Steelers (who have yet to play a team with a winning record) could sure use some humble pie.