Cleveland Browns: 3 players key to beating the Steelers in Week 8
By John Suchan
Three Cleveland Browns players, including Nick Chubb, Jarvis Landry and Myles Garrett need to have big games Sunday to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Cleveland Browns got back to their winning ways last Thursday against the Denver Broncos and now are preparing to do battle against their biggest rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers down at First Energy Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
There are still several Cleveland players recovering from injuries, including their quarterback Baker Mayfield and running back Nick Chubb. Who comes back to play this Sunday is still up for discussion.
I’m betting on Chubb returning and he is one of the several players the Browns will rely on this week. As for Mayfield, there has been speculation that he’d be practicing again this week and so does that mean he’ll start?
If I’m part of that decision on Mayfield, I’m not letting him go out there on a bum shoulder and risk further injury by the Steelers. You have to know Pittsburgh will be eyeing the quarterback, regardless if it’s Mayfield or Case Keenum, to try and eliminate their services just because there the Steelers.
Keenum made quicker decisions a week ago against the Broncos and was more timely with his throws and it gave the Browns offense a bit more cohesion than in previous games with Mayfield running for his life in the backfield.
Regardless of all of this debate, the Browns and Steelers games are always a highlight of the season. A year ago the Browns were beaten badly in their first game there at Pittsburgh losing 38-7. It was a reminder, at the time, that the Browns still had a lot of work in front of them to beat their rivals.
Then Cleveland had to defeat Pittsburgh in Week 17 to get into the playoffs. They finally did 24-22. That got the team a date with the Steelers a week later and most Browns fans will forever remember that beatdown the team put on their rivals 48-37 that really wasn’t that close as the good guys in orange helmets raced to a 28-0 lead early on.
Players like Chubb, wide receiver Jarvis Landry and defensive end Myles Garrett all had big games in that playoff victory and I’m expecting that same type of production in this critical mid-season matchup.