The Cleveland Browns need to wash away the losing stench from Sunday’s loss to the Jets. Luckily they get to turn the page quickly, facing the Steelers on Thursday Night Football. Here are four Steelers to watch out for.
Thursday night cannot come soon enough for the Cleveland Browns. After one of the more devastating regular season losses in recent history, the Browns are fortunate that they get to turn the page quickly. The type of loss that Cleveland endured against the Jets is the kind of loss that could define a season — if they fail to put it behind them.
With four days to prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns have an opportunity to get the taste of heartbreak out of their mouths. The Steelers come into Cleveland with the same record as the Browns. The winner of this Thursday Night Football game will, at minimum, share first place in the AFC North. Here are four Steelers to keep your eye on when the teams take the field on Thursday.
Here are 4 Steelers to watch against the Browns on Thursday Night Football
Player to watch No. 4: Pat Freiermuth
The Browns have a longstanding history of not being able to cover tight ends, especially tight ends within the AFC North. Enter Pat Freiermuth. In Freiermuth, the Steelers have a young ascending tight end with the physical makeup and ball skills to be among the best at his position.
Due to the quarterbacking style of Mitchell Trubisky, Freiermuth is essential to the success of the Steelers’ offense. Trubisky has struggled to push the ball vertically so far this season and has leaned heavily into getting Freiermuth involved. Fortunately for the Steelers, Freiermuth’s skills make him perfect for a phone booth type of approach.
This season Freiermuth has caught nine of his 17 targets for 97 yards and a touchdown through two games. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound second-year tight end has a knack for making contested catches, especially in the red zone. The Browns’ safeties and linebackers will have their hands full in short-yardage situations with Freiermuth.
If they can maintain a constant pass rush, the Steelers may be forced to keep Freiermuth in to help contend with Myles Garrett (assuming he suits up). But if the Browns allow Trubisky and Steelers to operate their quick game, then Freiermuth will be a name that will be called early and often on Thursday Night.
Player to watch No. 3: Cameron Heyward
While most Cleveland fans focused on the fact that Ben Roethlisberger owned the Browns throughout his career in Pittsburgh, the maligned quarterback was not alone in that dominance. Cameron Heyward has been taking the team’s lunch money since 2013 as well.
The former first-round pick out of Ohio State has been terrorizing the trenches in this AFC North rivalry since he earned his starting spot at defensive tackle. In Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense, it’s the rush outside linebackers that get all the publicity, as well as the sacks, but Heyward is the straw that stirs the drink and allows their edge defenders to play freely. Heyward mans the middle and occupies the attention of everyone in his vicinity.
While the ‘son of Iron Head’ does not get the notoriety of defensive tackle Aaron Donald, he has been nearly as dominant over the last five seasons. Since 2017, Heyward has been named to five straight Pro Bowls and has been named a First-Team All-Pro in three of those seasons. Even now, entering his 12th season in the league, Heyward is as dangerous a proposition to block as any player in the NFL.
Against the Browns, in particular, Heyward is the focal point in the run game due to his ability to disrupt the line of scrimmage and take away rushing lanes. Cleveland employs two of the best guards in the game. But even for Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio, dealing with Heyward is a gargantuan task.
So, if the Browns have a hard time establishing their run game against the Steelers, there is a massive chance that number 97 has something to do with it. Heyward is definitely someone you want to keep your eye on Thursday night.
Player to watch No. 2: Diontae Johnson
The Steelers have a fairly dangerous wide receiver room. However, due to the inability of their current signal caller to push the ball downfield, the wide receiver that will be the biggest threat to the Browns on Thursday night is Diontae Johnson.
It’s not that Johnson is not a deep threat as well, but his ability to operate in space can turn simple route concepts into huge gains for Pittsburgh’s offense. Johnson is a sudden athlete that can take a five-yard slant, make a man miss, and turn it into a 20-yard gain.
One concept that Pittsburgh likes is to use their bigger body type receivers — for this example George Pickens on the outside and Chase Claypool in the slot — and send them on vertical routes, clearing out the middle of the field. Then from the opposite side send Johnson on a shallow crossing route creating an easy throw for the quarterback and letting Johnson create after the catch.
Due to the Browns’ recent communication issues in the backend of their defense, a play like this is a low-risk high-reward proposition for the Steelers. Expect to see that concept repeatedly until the Browns prove they can defend it and cut down the shallow crosser. Cornerback, Greg Newsome showed a knack for defending crossing routes last season, but if he’s playing in the slot that responsibility may fall on Martin Emerson on Thursday.
Even with the recent coverage busts, from a personnel standpoint, getting a bead on Johnson needs to be a focal point for the defensive backs this week. The Steelers have been a dink and dunk operation so far this season, and Johnson is by far their most dangerous dinker.
Player to watch No. 1: Minkah Fitzpatrick
You can say what you want to about the Steelers as an organization, but there are some things that they do exceptionally well. Their front office doesn’t make rash decisions, they develop their wide receivers, and they have an excellent personnel staff.
When the Steelers sent a first-round pick to the Dolphins for Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2019 it was a bit of a head-scratcher. But they recognized the role that Fitzpatrick would play in their defense, and in hindsight, it appears they got themselves a bargain at free safety.
Fitzpatrick has started the 2022 season playing at an elite level. Through two games this season, he has two interceptions, one touchdown, and 12 solo tackles. With T.J. Watt out for what is likely the first half of the season, Fitzpatrick is the Steelers defender that is the most likely to alter the outcome of a game.
It will be interesting to see how Pittsburgh deploys Fitzpatrick on Thursday night against Cleveland. While the Browns were more efficient through the air in Week 2, they still aren’t pushing the ball vertically with any regularity. Fitzpatrick doesn’t have many flaws in his game, but he has shown a tendency to try and jump routes when teams try to play a red zone offense between the 20s.
If the Browns want to loosen up the Steelers’ defense, they need to get Fitzpatrick to respect the vertical aspect of their offense. With no true deep threat at wide receiver, at least one that opposing teams must respect, Cleveland could use Amari Cooper to set up a double move and hit a chunk play early.
If they’re unable to earn that respect, it’s going to be a dangerous night for the passing game, and No. 39 will be a large reason why.