(Photo: WKYC)
AFC Game Of The Week
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers
Browns (5-2):
Myles Garrett was traded from a last-place team to another last-place team. Anyway, there’s no way you could’ve told me this football team would have five wins through its first seven games, but here we are. A few weeks ago, I was asked who I would vote for as Coach of the Year if I had to cast my vote that day. I immediately said Todd Monken. Of course, someone debated me and suggested John Harbaugh, which isn’t a bad choice. He’s done a great job with the New York Giants, but they were expected to be a much-improved team. You can’t necessarily say the same about the Cleveland Browns, especially after they traded away their best player and entered the season with question marks at quarterback. Todd has done wonders with this football team, and this is the best I’ve seen them look in quite some time. I know people won’t give him his due, but Deshaun Watson has been pretty solid for them. They aren’t asking him to do too much, but he’s managing games, controlling the offense, and, most importantly, protecting the football. Limiting turnovers has been one of the most important factors in their success. I’ve also been impressed with their rookies. I enjoyed watching KC Concepcion during his time at Texas A&M, and Deshaun has developed a nice connection with Denzel Boston. These two rookie receivers have given the franchise something to build around in the receiver room. The running game is also finding a rhythm with Dylan Sampson and Quinshon Judkins, which is important, especially when the passing attack isn’t clicking. On the other side of the ball, the defense continues to make winning plays. What has impressed me the most is how they’ve been able to come back in games. In years past, those comeback opportunities would have turned into losses. This Sunday, the Browns make their way to Pittsburgh for a huge showdown in the AFC North.
Steelers (5-2):
As the season approached, I didn’t know what to make of this football team, and quite frankly, I still don’t. I knew this would be a new chapter for them, entering their first season without Mike Tomlin, who had been there for the previous 19 seasons. The reason I’ve had some uncertainty about this team is that they seem to believe Aaron Rodgers can turn back the clock and win games for them the same way he did with the Green Bay Packers. However, reality needs to set in, and they need to accept that isn’t necessarily the case. Since last season, I’ve said that for the Steelers to win, Aaron can’t throw the ball more than 30 times per game. That means they must play a more balanced style of football offensively. What does that mean? Running the football. I feel this is a much better offense when Jaylen Warren is on the field. He brings a different energy and can create explosive plays when his number is called. He’s also capable of making plays in the passing game as another receiving option, particularly when they need someone to check the ball down to. This isn’t a consistent offense, but they’ve done just enough to move the ball. I can admit they’ve shown flashes of what they can be, but that hasn’t always been the case. I will say, however, that their defense is still one of the best in the league, and they’ve been a huge part of the team’s success up to this point. I said this on Monday Evening Quarterback, and I’ll repeat it here: the Steelers are a quiet 5-2, meaning not many people are talking about them. They return to North America on Sunday for a divisional tilt against the first-place Cleveland Browns.
Browns X-Factor: Quinshon Judkins
I followed Quinshon during his college days with the Ole Miss Rebels, and he was also a member of the 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes team that won the National Championship. Now, he’s become a key piece of a Cleveland offense that does just enough to stay afloat. Quinshon can take pressure off Deshaun Watson, and the last thing the Browns want is for Watson to find himself in obvious passing situations with long yardage to go. That’s exactly where the Steelers want him to be. Judkins can also keep Rodgers and the Steelers’ offense on the sidelines while wearing down the opposing defense. Additionally, he can open things up for both Boston and Concepcion in the passing game if Pittsburgh overcommits to stopping the run.
Steelers X-Factor: Jaylen Warren
As I mentioned earlier, this is a much better Pittsburgh offense when Warren is on the field and contributing to the running game in some capacity. In a huge divisional matchup like this one, his impact could be significant. Jaylen has the potential to take what looks like a small gain and turn it into a huge chunk play. Those are the types of plays the Steelers need rather than relying on Aaron’s arm to carry them to victory. Jaylen is also a threat in the passing game, and that’s something the Browns must pay attention to on Sunday. Sustaining drives and forcing Cleveland to respect the run could create opportunities for Metcalf and the rest of the Steelers’ receivers downfield.
Final Thoughts:
This is a rivalry that dates back to 1950, which means these two franchises have plenty of history against one another. They met earlier in the season in Week 4 on a Thursday night, and Cleveland came away with the victory. I don’t know what it is, but the Browns always seem to find a way to play the Steelers tough, especially at home in the Dawg Pound. Four weeks later, here we are for another battle, and first place is on the line in the AFC North. One of these teams will leave this game sitting at 6-2. The Browns will be facing one of the toughest run defenses in Pittsburgh, and the first order of business should be leaning on the screen game and quick passes. They need to attack the Pittsburgh linebackers, who can struggle in coverage against pass-catching running backs. They also need to contain Jaylen Warren and force Aaron Rodgers to beat them through the air without allowing him to dictate the game. For the Steelers, they must come out and disrupt Watson, who has struggled when forced to depend on his pocket passing. They need to commit to Jaylen early and often, especially if he’s able to average five yards per carry. Pittsburgh must also bottle up Cleveland’s running game and force the Browns to become one-dimensional offensively.
