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Steelers can’t win, but here’s how Cleveland Browns can lose

By Elliot Kennel

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 14: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks to throw the ball during the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 14, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 14: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks to throw the ball during the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 14, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Browns
Oct 18, 2020; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (39) returns an interception of a Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) pass for a touchdown during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

3.  Relying on the big play rather than the small play

Alex Smith and the Washington Football Team showed how the Steelers can be beaten. The Steelers can be picked apart with short passes on defense. Smith was better at the dink and dunk than Roethlisberger and won the game for Washington.

The deep ball doesn’t work very well because of the excellent secondary and the pass rush. The Steelers lead the NFL in sacks with 52  and interceptions with 18. Even without T. J. Watt and Cameron Heyward, the Steelers have good players on the defensive line, and we are not sure at this point who the Browns will be fielding on the offensive line.

It’s so bad, they may have to bring someone out of retirement. Look for No. 73 to take the field this Sunday. If it’s not Joe Thomas, it could be Doug Dieken, and Jim Donovan and Nathan Zegura may have to do the radio broadcast by themselves. Well, maybe it is not that desperate, but you get the idea.

The point is that the Browns are not going to be able to guarantee that Mayfield will have a lot of time to throw, and at the same time it has been proven that the Steelers have a hard time defending short passes over the middle of the field.

To beat the Browns, the Steelers need Mayfield to throw the ball to the guys with the black helmets. Cornerback Joe Haden would love to catch a few balls in front of the Cleveland fans. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Terrell Edmunds, Mike Hilton, and Cameron Sutton form a very tough secondary. These players are very capable of coming away with the football on contested catches.

The Steelers need pick-sixes and big plays on defense to win this game. They don’t have enough offense to get it done by themselves.

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