Here at Steelers Gab we love to hear what others may think, and this week we give a few moments to our opponent for this Sunday, the Browns. With that, here are five questions for Randy Ward, BrownsGab.com editor.
1. The last time a rookie QB for the Browns played the Steelers it was Charlie Frye in 2005. The final was 41-0. Why will Sunday be any different?
When Charlie Frye made his debut against the Steelers in 2005, the team wasn’t that talented and couldn’t compete with the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Charlie played at the University of Akron compared to Colt McCoy playing in many big games for the Longhorns. This team is much better then what the team in 2005 was, and also has a much better coach in Eric Mangini. This years team isn’t going to ask Colt McCoy to carry them with a good running attack and the “Wildcat” package.
2. With Peyton Hillis banged up, what will the run game look like Sunday for the Browns?
Peyton will be back in full force this Sunday against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Peyton Hillis understands what it means to be a Cleveland Brown and knows how big this game really is for the fans and the organization. Mike Bell was just acquired and should help Hillis punish the Steelers run defense. The Browns run offense is what is going to carry this team to their second consecutive victory over the Steelers. Look for Hillis to get the ball at least thirty times as the Browns try to control the clock keeping the Steelers offense off the field.
3. This team is 1-4, same record after five games in 2009. Are they any better?
This team is 1-4 but have improved from what they were last season. Coach Mangini has established an identity to this football team but just doesn’t have quite enough talent to win on a weekly basis just yet. The team has been in every game so far and just makes one to many mental mistakes to win football games. The mistakes the team are making are all correctable and should be corrected this week in Pittsburgh. The wins and losses might not show it, but this football team isn’t that far away from being a contender.
4. Is this going to finally be the week for Josh Cribbs to get 10-20 touches on offense?
I think Josh Cribbs is going to need the touch the football 20 times for this team to have a shot against the Steelers this weekend. Josh is the Steeler killer and we need him to make some big plays this weekend. He hasn’t looked the same this season for whatever the reason is but I hope this week is going to be his 2010 coming out party. Anytime Josh touches the football he can make a game changing play. The Steelers defense might be licking there chops as Colt McCoy making his debut but are losing sleep over the thought of Josh Cribbs in Pittsburgh, this Sunday.
5. Final score prediction and why
Cleveland Browns 17 Pittsburgh Steelers 7
Nobody is giving the Brown and Orange a shot this week with Colt McCoy starting for the Browns. The Browns have nothing to lose this weekend against the Steelers with them having everything to lose. Ben Roethlisberger is making his 2010 debut and what would the reaction be in Pittsburgh, if the Browns do beat the Steelers? I also think the Browns aren’t as bad as they seem and the Steelers aren’t as good as they come off to be. The Browns should be able to stop the Steelers running attack and pressure Roethlisberger into making some bad decisions.
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Wes
October 14, 2010 at 5:43 pm
ARE you freaking retarded? Colt is a paperboy! The steelers defense will kill him, he will never again want to be on the field! We own the CLOWNS! Hillis? An old FB is going to run on this defense? But Chris Johnson cant? RIGHT!!!! lmao! This is an UGLY GAME! 45-10 and Colt or OTTO GRAM it wont madder! Steelers are KILLING CLOWNS! We remember last year with ALL THE SMACK TALKING you did! PAY BACK TIME!
Here we go Steelers!!!
mark
October 14, 2010 at 7:42 pm
17-7 Browns??? Does he really believe this, or is it that he gets paid to believe this? At least I am going to sleep with a smile tonight!
PhilDinAK
October 15, 2010 at 4:15 am
Check out the “Browns Gab” web site…they have this exact same article posted but say it’s from an interview with Matt Loede, Steelers Gab editor….somebody better do a little better error checking content before they post it!!
George H
October 15, 2010 at 9:18 am
There goes any credibility Brownsgab had if there was any. This game will be hard to watch if you live in Cleveland. Colt McCoy will be shaking in his boots and Woodley and Harrison will have a field day. The Browns will always be the mistake by the lake.
Gerald
October 15, 2010 at 1:05 pm
What are you smoking? The browns are who we know they are and will never be what they want to be. If it’s brown flush it down!
DrGeorge
October 15, 2010 at 4:19 pm
I for one am willing to cut Loede and Ward a little slack. It isn’t easy coming up with content day after day, and insights are few and far between. This article is merely an attempt to stir up some fan interest. The Browns can’t be as bad as fans think they are; they gave the Ravens a tough game. On the other hand, the Steelers could be a whole lot better this Sunday than they were against the Ravens. Like everyone else, I pick the Steelers to win big, but not without a few concerns:
1. My biggest concern is whether Ben’s layoff rust will show up in interceptions. His timing and passing skills have to be diminished at least a little from missing five weeks of game action. It will take him at least a half and maybe a whole game to catch up to the speed of the game. Expect the Browns front seven to blitz often and try to force Ben into bad decisions.
2. My second concern is B. Arians: will he respect the running game that got us to this point, or will he revert to his beloved aerial circus? I hope Tomlin has a grip on this aspect of Arian’s play calling. Running against the Cleveland D won’t be easy, but we will need to do it well and on demand to avoid being one dimensional.
3. A third concern is our defense’s ability to stop the run. While our defensive run stats look good, before the Titans and T. Bay got behind, they ran against us effectively. Our D contained the Ravens running game fairly well, and we must do as well against the Browns. Colt McCoy runs better than he throws; he is elusive. Stopping the Browns rushing game will force McCoy to throw — and that’s when the fun for the Steelers should begin.
On balance, I expect the Steelers to win decisively, but I don’t expect Ben to be able to deliver a “blow out” his first game back. Like Tomlin, I’ll be content with a W, even an ugly one. And that’s usually what you get when these two teams meet.
Gerald
October 15, 2010 at 7:24 pm
You make some valid points however I believe Ben will adjust quickly to game speed. This guy has been doing the impossible since he is been in Pittsburgh. As far as the run defense: I only remember to big runs against our D all year. These guys have been playing their butts off. Now with the offense sustaining drives I believe they will anchor even deeper. One more thing we are only allowing teams 12.5 points a game. I will take that any day. You can bet alot of interest will be on this game due to Big Ben’s return.
The Tony
October 17, 2010 at 9:29 am
The points per game is vastly skewed. Keep in mind the Steelers let off two late touchdowns, both of which should have never of happened
Brownsgab
October 15, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Nobody gave the Browns a shot last year and look what happend!!! Go Browns!!!!!
James Mitchell
October 16, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Anything can happen, but a 17-7 Browns win? Wow. Steelers win 30-16.
DrGeorge
October 18, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Post Game: On balance, my pre-game comment above proved fairly accurate: it did take Ben all of a half to get used to game speed again and begin looking like his old self; the defense did stop the run, although the secondary gave up a red zone TD to a rookie QB. So points 1 and 3 played out about as expected. As for Arians, he still has an annoying habit of calling passes in the red zone when he should be running, but the injury to Kemoeatu may have had something to do with that. Over all, as I predicted, it was a solid game, not the ‘blow out’ the media expected. We’ll take the W and move on.