The Pittsburgh Steelers are a force. Defensively, when locked in, they can decimate any offensive line and lock down any pass game. Forget about the run game, too - they're middle of the pack in 16th place in the league in run stop win rate.
This is because of several uniquely talented defenders on their roster - players like Cam Heyward, T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Patrick Queen all click up for an air tight defense. All of this is true - and the Cleveland Browns saw all of that in Week 12, and decided to play right up against the grain of it with great sucess and a win to boot.
Read more: 3 Browns to watch for in Week 14 against Steelers
So, can the Browns recreate that same process - a pass heavy offense that tests Pittsburgh's ability to stay locked in to every talented receiver downhill - and win again? Probably not - a Mike Tomlin led team is sure to have a different game plan to take on Cleveland in Week 14. And, being at home is sure to help, as well.
Let's take a look at the three players that could make the biggest impact on the contest for Pittsburgh, and how the Browns can contain them.
1. Cam Heyward
The head of the snake that is Pittsburgh's defense, Heyward is a true pro. He's aiming for one thing on pass rush - a sack - and he's got six on the season despite being a much older defensive lineman at 35 years old. He's shown little sign of slowing down in recent weeks, and much like the rest of the Steelers, he'll be seeking to avenge their loss in Week 12 at Cleveland.
The Browns' offensive line has been better as of late. They've done a good job providing Jameis Winston with tons of protection and given him fairly clean pockets to work out of, but the Browns have to be wary of who they place on Heyward. An uproven tackle like German Ifedi should not be getting the only look on Heyward.
2. George Pickens
Pickens decided to end the Steelers' last game against the Browns with dramatic effect - he scuffled with Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II after Russell Wilson's hail mary pass didn't hit him in the end zone, and he told reporters after the game that the Browns only won because of the snow.
Pickens is an elite receiver, but his ability to get under defenders' skin will be a big test of this Browns secondary that'll possibly be without a starter in Juan Thornhill. Denzel Ward should get most of the snaps against Pickens - he leads the league in deflections with 19, and that could help against an offense that's pretty heavily focused around deep balls from Wilson to Pickens.
3. Russell Wilson
Wilson finished up the Steelers' Week 13 win against the Cincinnati Bengals with 414 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an 80.5 QBR. He keeps getting better with each passing week, so it's going to be imperative for Myles Garrett to have another big pressure game against Wilson to throw him off balance and off of the Steelers' game plan.
If Garrett, Shelby Harris, and of course Denzel Ward are able to put a stop to Wilson's pass game with Pickens entirely, he'll be forced to look elsewhere on the field for help. That might not work for the entire game, but if the Browns' offense is able to take advantage of those stops early, they can neutralize Wilson.