THREE-POINT STANCE
(Three points of interest in Sunday’s game)
WELCOME TO THE RIVALRY
Shedeur Sanders stood on the sideline for the Steelers’ 23-9 win over the Browns in Pittsburgh in October. He’ll be in the middle of the action for the rematch as he continues to try to convince the organizational decision-makers he should be the starter in 2026. The Steelers won’t make that easy … they never do.
The Steelers are 52-15 against rookie quarterbacks since the AFL-NFL merger, including 10-4 vs. the Browns. Sanders looks to join Don Gault in 1970, Tim Couch in 1999, Brandon Weeden in 2012 and Dorian Thompson-Robinson in 2023 in beating the Steelers in their first year. He learned a couple of things watching the Steelers sack fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel six times two months ago.
“They’re physical. I like their physicality,” Sanders said during the week. “I like how they fly around, get to the ball.”
The Steelers do what the Steelers do. They play a 3-4 base defense with big, stout interior linemen and edge rushers who fly around the tackles. Not only do they challenge offenses physically, they confuse them with zone blitzes. The Steelers will be without outside linebacker T.J. Watt (lung) but still have Cameron Heyward making things miserable in the middle.
“We talked a lot about destroying the pocket from the interior,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of their win in Detroit last week. “We approached the game that we had to win on the interior because we could get them off the spot and destroy the rhythm of their operations in doing so.”
Sanders was good last week against the Bills taking the checkdowns and piling up the first downs. He’ll have to limit the sacks vs. the Steelers as well as avoid turnovers. The Steelers lead the NFL with 16 forced fumbles, are second with 99 quarterback hits, tied for third with five strip-sacks and fourth with 24 takeaways and 43 sacks.
Notes: Harold Fannin Jr. questionable with groin injury, says he ‘should be good’ for Sunday
“They’re playing a disruptive brand of football,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Some veterans on that team, guys that have played in that scheme for a while, some veterans in the back end that are smart, you can tell that they’re putting a lot on their plates from a coverage standpoint and disguise standpoint. It’s a really good mix of scheme and really good players.”
Sanders threw two interceptions against the Bills but also had his highest completion rate at 69 percent and scrambled four times for 49 yards.
“It was a step in the right direction,” coordinator Tommy Rees said. “You saw him process that information and get to his answers on time, which allowed us to be efficient.”
OK WITH NO DK?
Steelers receiver DK Metcalf was a difference-maker against the Browns in October, catching four passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. The Browns don’t have to worry about him this time, as he was suspended for the final two games of the season after an altercation with a Lions fan last week. For the year he has 59 catches for 850 yards and six touchdowns.
“We all know what he brings to the table. He’s a down-the-field receiver, strong hands, got a lot of RAC,” safety Grant Delpit said. “He was a big focal point for them. So I’m sure that they’ll do a lot more of their tight ends now. The game will evolve a little bit.”
If anyone is capable of adjusting, it’s quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He’s 42 years old, a four-time MVP and has completed 72 percent for 774 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions and five sacks in Pittsburgh’s three-game winning streak. Nobody on the Steelers can match Metcalf’s combination of size, strength and speed, but Rodgers has tight ends Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and Jonnu Smith, wideouts Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Adam Thielen, Roman Wilson and Scotty Miller and running backs Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell he can target. He completed passes to nine receivers last week and 11 have touchdowns this season.
“He’d really be good as a point guard in the motion offense in basketball — it’s just free–flowing, and stuff like that doesn’t always necessarily work out the way that it was drawn up,” defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “And when he sees things, he can take advantage of it.”
Rodgers wasn’t sacked in the first matchup and will be focused on keeping Myles Garrett from wrecking the game. Garrett needs one sack to set the NFL season record with 23 and would love to do it with his first career takedown of Rodgers. The wily vet won’t make that easy.
“The ball comes out at a very fast clip,” Stefanski said. “Whether it’s RPOs or their quick game, you’re not going to fool him. At times you’re watching tape and he’s one step ahead of the defense, just beating them with his mind.”
Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward was a victim in October.
“I could just tell his experience that he has out there on the field, just the reads that he made, the throws that he makes, just his eyes, where he’s looking and where he ended up throwing the ball,” Ward said. “Usually I feel with most guys, I’m able to kind of get a good read on them and kind of jump the route or know when they’re coming or not coming my way. And I know in our last visit, he did a good job of playing a game with me when we were out there.”
BE BETTER EARLIER
Cleveland’s run defense finally figured out something in the second quarter vs. the Bills after 2½ games of disappointment. It can’t afford another slow start against a Steelers rushing attack humming with Warren and Gainwell.
“It was just too late,” Schwartz said. “Rushing yards are different. (They) have a psychological effect on your defense.”
The Browns have struggled to adjust since defensive tackle Maliek Collins was lost for the season with a quadriceps injury. Mike Hall Jr. has struggled vs. the run, and Mason Graham is playing through a rib injury. Linebackers out of their gaps and missed tackles in the secondary have turned medium gains into touchdowns.
“It’s our job — coaches, players, everybody — when they put the ball down to be ready to go,” linebackers coach Jason Tarver said. “That’s been our emphasis this week — getting guys ready quicker and fixing our problems.”
Warren has rushed for 828 yards, a 4.5 average and six touchdowns, including 14 carries for 143 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions as the Steelers rushed for 230 yards — their most in nine years — and an 8.5 average. Gainwell has rushed for 501 yards, a 4.9 average and four TDs, adding 62 catches and three TDs.
“Gainwell’s really increased his role since the first time we’ve played, not just in the run game, but in the passing game,” Schwartz said. “Gainwell’s more of a jump cut, glider kind of a guy, and Warren is just compact and vertical. They’ll use both of them, so we got to know which guy is out there, and then also just really work hard for tackling and allowing no run after contact, but also no run after the catch.”
The Steelers are also shutting down the run in their push to the playoffs. They held the Lions to 15 rushing yards last week and Miami to 63 the previous week.
“We certainly better be ready to minimize the run,” Tomlin said. “It’s been a catalyst for us in recent weeks, our ability to improve our run game on offense and minimize opposing units’ run game, and so I imagine this week will be no different.”
NUMBERS GAME
1
Coach in NFL history to begin a tenure with 19 straight non-losing seasons — Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, who was hired in 2007.
49
Sacks for the Browns, which is tied for the most in a season in team history (2023).
246
First downs this season for the Browns … and their opponents.
THE PICK
While they may regret it during the draft, this feels like a game the Browns will win. Browns 20, Steelers 19.
