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Steelers-Browns Preview: The Rivalry that Isn’t

Yinzer Crazy • October 15, 2020
I knew I'd always preferred Heinz over Hunts.

This quote by Browns starting running back Kareem Hunt simply missed the mark. Fortunately, just like Myles Garrett did with his incredibly dangerous helmet swing at Steelers Quarterback Mason Rudolph last season that you've now seen a thousand times.

Garrett is coming off an attempted murder.

I’m a firm believe in second chances - but lets not make this out to be some story of epic heroism.

This one isn’t for Myles.

This one is for Ben.

Just like they’ve all been for Ben. 

Roethlisberger missed both Browns games last year as he was out with the elbow injury and the Steelers went 1-1. 

A 21-7 loss to the Browns in Week 11 with Mason as starting QB in a game that will go down in Steelers lore' for all of the wrong reasons.

And a sweet-revenge victory at Heinz Field in Week 13, the last time these two teams met. A 20-13 Steelers victory with Duck Hodges besting Baker Mayfield.

Prior to last season, here is how current Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has fared against the Browns.

He’s taken the Browns to the Super Bowl consistently - if you catch my drift. 

His career record against the team across the turnpike is 23-2-1.

He has never lost to them at Heinz Field.

Until last week, Ben had won the most games started by a QB at the Browns home, First Energy Stadium.

He was finally eclipsed by a player wearing their own colors - starting Quarterback Baker Mayfield.

It’s not just Ben’s dominance that makes this a rivalry that isn’t.

Daniel Valente, the Sports Editor for the Score tweeted this yesterday:

@StatsGuyDaniel

"Last time the Browns beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh?

6220 days ago.

Roethlisberger was still playing college football. Baker Mayfield was just 8 years old. Chase Claypool was 5 & likely in preschool.

Sean Paul had the #1 song & School of Rock was the #1 movie.

Been a while."


The biggest rivalry is not Steelers-Browns.

It’s Sean Paul vs. Ja Rule. That's how lopsided this has been.

With all of that said, I firmly believe the Browns have a chance at winning on Sunday.

Currently, they are the top scoring team in the AFC at 31.2 points per game.

The Steelers just allowed 29 points to an Eagles team who had you and I out there playing wide receiver.

Now the black and gold will face premiere NFL pass-catchers in receivers Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry, as well as tight-end Austin Hooper.

You would think the Steelers defensive backs have to be motivated.

I wrote after the Eagles game that this defense wouldn’t be mistaken anytime soon for the 76’ version (named the greatest defense of all time by ESPN.com back in 2007).

But can we at least see some semblance of the 2019 version? 

The secondary has been called out on television, radio and social media by former players among many others.

Including former starting Safety Ryan Clark who tweeted:

@Realrclark25

Oct 11
"Ummmm this Steelers defense is not the Steelers defense I thought we would see in 2020."

That about sums it up. 

Ummmm, I did not think that entering week six I would be more concerned about the Steelers defense than I am their offense, but that’s the case.

2020 remains weird.

The D should be really motivated to change the narrative this weekend against Browns QB Baker Mayfield and company.

One thing the unit remains is opportunistic.

The Steelers defense has forced a turnover in 20 straight games, and in 16 of those 20, they have forced multiple turnovers. 

Since the start of the 2019 season, they lead the NFL in forced turnovers with 45.

Mayfield threw the second most interceptions in the league last year with 21.

My confidence is about at a 7 out of 10 that the Steelers secondary will intercept Baker a few times, and just like always Pittsburgh will find a way to come out on top.

But it seems Las Vegas, who I often turn to in times of trouble - is not nearly as confident.

The Steelers currently sit as a -3.5 favorite over the Browns in the Sports-Betting world.

Odds-makers will tell you that being the home team is good enough for a 3 point swing in the number generators sector.

That means on a neutral field - the data-driven analytics experts see the Steelers and Browns as pretty much even football teams.

Ummmmmmm.

I’m not saying Vegas is always right, but there's a reason the gambling addiction hot-line is saved as one of the phone numbers on your speed dial.

Numbers don’t lie. 

But neither does history.

For the meat and potatoes of this thing - of course the key matchup will be the Browns receivers against the Steelers secondary, as I eluded to earlier.

Pittsburgh just made Eagles fifth-string wide receiver Travis Fulgham the hottest waiver wire claim in your fantasy league.

Is there a chance the secondary just didn’t get up for their opponent?

In the same way that if you were interviewing for a job at YinzerCrazy.com you would likely be more motivated to listen to the podcasts, read the feature stories, and know the background of the interviewees a tad more than if you were interviewing for another blog-site?

I think the presence of Odell and Jarvis could inspire the Steelers secondary.

It better.

Steelers corner Steven Nelson had two interceptions last Sunday - but don’t let that fool you.

He was shredded by dudes with less track records than Kanye West has in politics.

Late in the fourth quarter with the Steelers leading 31-29 and the game on the line, Nelson had his ankles broken on a double-move deep post by Fulgham. If not for Stephon Tuitt sacking Carson Wentz on the play it would have went for an easy score - giving the Eagles the lead and forcing the Steelers to put together a TD-drive to win the game instead of just milking the clock.

After the game Nelson commented on the huge day by the unheralded Eagles:

"I don't think they did anything spectacular. If anything, if they did do something it was self-inflicted (by us)."

That’s one creative way to say I played like shit. 

If the Steelers secondary continues to be ill-prepared, or create self-inflicted wounds this week the story should be how poorly they are playing - not how great OBJ and Landry are as a receiving tandem.

As for our prediction, I’ll stick with the right side of history.

WPIAL teams like South Allegheny and Aliquippa have had far more wins than the Browns have at Heinz Field.

And oftentimes have felt like a more worthy opponent for the Steelers.

This time it won’t be as easy - but at the end of the day the Steelers are the Steelers and the Browns are the Browns.

Like Red Sox Pitcher Pedro Martinez once said, “just tip our caps and call the Yankees our Daddy.”

The Steelers will win 27-24. 

Every week we've predicted a Steelers victory, and every week we've been pretty damn close with our scores (check in with your bookie).

Terrell Edmunds will intercept Baker Mayfield at a key spot and my head will explode.

It will all spoil the heart-warming Myles Garrett story.

And spoil the Browns chances at being tied for 1st place in the AFC North.

The closest they’ll get all season.

This story is paid for by Kanye West for President.

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