Steelers Today – A Pittsburgh Steelers blog

As the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to play the Cleveland Browns, I started thinking about the reasons why the Browns will lose.  Here are my top 10 reasons why the Browns will lose to the Steelers.

#10) Bruce Gradkowski is from Pittsburgh. He may be playing for Cleveland, but his heart will always be in Pittsburgh.  He hates the Browns as much as we do.

#9) Hines Ward. The only thing standing between Hines Ward and his fifth 1,000 yard season is the Cleveland Browns.  I’d hate to be the Browns.

#8) The Browns were shut out by the Bengals. That’s right, the Bengals!  14-0.  It’s hard to lose to the Bengals, but getting shut out by them is nearly impossible.

#7) Any team that’s named after a color deserves to lose. Teams should be named after animals.  Or clever references to the town in which they play.  Or racist nicknames for native americans.  But teams should NOT be named after colors.  How would the Los Angeles Lime Greens sound?  About as silly as the Cleveland Browns.

#6) It’s one of the Ten Commandments

Thou shalt not steal

Thou shalt not kill

Cleveland shalt not defeat Pittsburgh

#5) Kellen Winslow Jr.

#4) Mike Tomlin won’t let the Steelers take the game for granted. Meaningless game?  Use that term in front of Mike Tomlin, and you might just get punched in the face.  Mike Tomlin plays to win.  Period!

#3) Eleven is the Browns’ lucky number. Why stop at 10 straight losses to the Steelers?

#2) Braylon Edwards.

#1)  Inferior coaching. Romeo Crennel is the Elmer Fudd of coaching.   Who else could take the Browns’ roster and get shut out by the Bengals?  Crennel belongs in the Hall of Fame of bad coaches.

As you can see, the Browns have no chance of beating the Steelers.  Besides, they’re more comfortable losing.  Kellen Winslow Jr. is a born loser.  So is Braylon Edwards.  Why change now?

Generations of Cleveland fans have grown up losing to Pittsburgh.  It’s now genetically encoded into their DNA.  Cleveland losing to Pittsburgh is like The Penguin losing to Batman; it’s inevitable.

Losing to Pittsburgh is practically a law in Cleveland.  Fighting it would be like fighting gravity.  Some things are just meant to be.

So let’s watch and enjoy the game despite its inevitable conclusion.  Go Steelers!!!!

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12/28/08
By Donald Starver

Today the Steelers play the Cleveland Browns in what should be a meaningless game.  However, we’ve all learned by now that Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t allow his team to become complacent.  Not even for a meaningless game.  So Tomlin is using the goal of sweeping the AFC North as motivation to make sure that his team doesn’t have a letdown.

I’ve heard differing opinions about Coach Tomlin, but this writer really likes him.  I love the way that he makes sure the Steelers stay focused.  Can anyone even imagine Coach Tomlin allowing his team to lose on purpose?  Neither can I.  Even if the Steelers had one of the worst records in the NFL, I think Tomlin would still want to win, rather than lose intentionally to get a better draft pick.  Some would say that would be poor strategy.  Perhaps they’re right.  But I still love the fact that he wants to win, no matter what.  In my opinion, that unquenchable urge to win is a consistent trait of champions.  Michael Jordan had it.  Derek Jeter has it.  Tom Brady has it.  And Mike Tomlin has it.

Because of Tomlin’s desire to win, we will probably see Ben Roethlisberger start the game.  So will Willie Parker.  So will Hines Ward.  Tomlin will not use this as an opportunity to get Limas Sweed some catches.  Or to see what Tony Hills can do in the starting lineup.  He won’t use it as an opportunity to see what Gary Davis could do if he got 20 carries.

The one thing that’s for sure is that Tomlin will rest safety Ryan Clark who injured his shoulder during the Tennessee Titans game.  Ryan will be needed for the playoffs, so he will get some much needed rest.  But everyone else will probably play.  Even linebacker James Harrison, who injured his hip during the Titans game.  Knowing Silverback, he wouldn’t want to sit out the game even if Coach Tomlin suggested it.  Harrison would probably prefer to add to his sack total, which is already a Steelers’ record.

If the Steelers get a lead, we will probably see Byron Leftwich replace Big Ben.  But other than that, don’t expect to see anything but the Steelers fighting to win another game.

The game won’t be meaningless to the Browns either.  Their fans are already disappointed enough with their team.  They came into the season as the favorites to win the AFC North.  The NFL thought that they had so much potential that they scheduled them for at least 5 nationally televised games.  That never happens to a team that didn’t even make the playoffs the previous season.  To salvage a very disappointing season, the Browns need a win over the Steelers.

Browns head coach Romeo Crennel is definitely on the hot seat.  His team has underperformed more than any other team this year except the Dallas Cowboys.  Crennel had better start updating his resume, because he is probably going to need it if the Browns lose today.

Not only have the Browns lost when they were expected to win, but Crennel has also become known for making baffling coaching decisions.  Unusual play calls can make a coach look like a genius if they work, and if the team wins.  But when the team loses, and the plays don’t work, the coach ends up looking like an idiot.  That’s where Crennel finds himself.  Idiot is tattooed on his forehead.

Despite desparately wanting a win over the Steelers, it won’t be easy for the Browns.  They have already lost 10 games in a row to the Steelers.  Despite having many talented players on their roster, the Browns found a way to get shut out by the Cincinnati Bengals last week.  That’s right, they were shut out by the Bungles.  There is only one logical conclusion to draw from that; the Browns suck!

To make things even worse, the Browns are going to have to face the Steelers with their 4th starting quarterback of the season.  Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn are both on injured reserve (IR).  Ken Dorsey got hurt last week, and he won’t be able to go today.  So the Browns are forced to start Bruce Gradkowski, who wasn’t even on the Browns’ roster in November.

Gradkowski is a Pittsburgh native who played high school football at Seton-LaSalle.  I’m sure that as a kid growing up in Pittsburgh, he probably fantasized about being on the field with the black and gold.  But in those fantasies, he probably wasn’t playing for the Browns.  And he probably wasn’t running for his life from Steelers’ linebackers.  Gradkowski’s dream has somehow morphed into his worst nightmare.

Some of the Steelers also have something special to play for.  Wide receiver Hines Ward needs just 27 receiving yards to break 1,000 yards for the season.  This would be Ward’s fifth 1,000 yard season of his career.  Not bad for a guy who was always thought to be too small and too slow.  Take that, Troy Edwards!

Though Mike Tomlin will strive to get another Steelers’ victory today, I believe that we will see some players that we haven’t seen much of.    Why not allow Lawrence Timmons to start, and possibly even play the entire game?  Let’s see what the former #1 draft pick can do when given the opportunity.  He’s shown us glimpses already.  Why not turn him loose on the Browns.  Same thing with Limas Sweed.  Throw the kid some balls and see if he can catch or not.

One Steelers rookie who just might see some playing time today is QB Dennis Dixon.  The Steelers have had Dixon imitate Cleveland’s Joshua Cribbs during practice.  Cribbs is the Browns’ featured player when they go to their “wildcat” offense.  Dixon was apparently so effective running the offense in practice, that several Steelers defensive players requested that the Steelers use him during the game.  They said that if the Steelers’ defense couldn’t stop Dixon, the Browns’ defense won’t be able to either.

“I think we can make plays with him on offense,” inside linebacker James Farrior said of Dixon. “The man’s a great athlete”.  That’s pretty high praise coming from the Steelers’ defensive captain.

The Steelers’ offense has struggled this year, and I don’t think they should ignore any opportunity to add a spark to their offensive attack.  More importantly, this is their final opportunity to fine tune their offense before the playoffs start.

The Steelers must get their running game on track.  The Steelers, who have historically been a running team, have struggled to run the ball this year.  Even running back Willie Parker has said that the Steelers have gone away from playing “Steelers football”.  The running game is going to be vital for the Steelers in the playoffs.

Hopefully, we will see the Steelers working to impose their will on the Browns’ defensive line.  The Steelers have to find a way to get short yardage when they need it.  They haven’t been able run the ball effectively in short yardage situations for most of the year.  I’m sure that I’m not the only one who is getting tired of seeing the Steelers running game get stuffed on 3rd downs.

So, both the Steelers and the Browns have something to play for this week.  This might not be a meaningless game afterall.

Also please see our Top 10 Reasons the Browns Will Lose To The Steelers found here.

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While it may seem like you are Bill Murray, and you are trapped in an endless loop of recurring Groundhog Days, this is actually real life. The Steelers beat the Browns. Again. Ho hum.

Beating the Browns is becoming so routine that it’s not even enjoyable anymore (okay, maybe it IS still enjoyable). Sure the Steelers and Browns are a legendary rivalry. Sure they’ve been playing each other since the dawn of time. Yes, the two cities are only 114 miles apart, which leads to a natural rivalry. But let’s face it, after 10 straight wins, the shine is off of this rivalry. If most Steelers fans were honest, they’d probably admit that they hate the Baltimore Ravens more than they hate the Browns. I know that sounds like blasphemy, but it’s true. When we play the hated Ravens, the outcome is always in doubt. When we play the Browns, well……….

For those of you who missed the first of the Steelers’ two semi-annual Browns beatings, here is a brief recap:

The Steelers beat the Browns 10-6 in their first of two meetings this year. The teams had to deal with winds that gusted up to 50 MPH during this wet, rainy game in Cleveland. The Steelers established their dominance early on defense. During the 1st half, the Browns had to punt on their first 4 drives. Then, on their next two drives, Derek Anderson threw two consecutive interceptions. This led to the Browns going to their locker room at halftime to a chorus of boos from the frustrated Browns fans in the stadium.

Things didn’t change much in the second half, although the Browns did manage to sustain two long drives near the end of the game. Momentum seemed to be shifting in the Browns direction, but the Steelers’ defense, and bad play calling by Romeo Crennel, forced the Browns to settle for two field goals.

The second Browns field goal was particularly surprising. With the Browns trailing 10-3 late in the game, Crennel chose to kick a field goal rather than go for a first down, even though the Browns had been enjoying offensive success, and the clock was working against them. A field goal would have only made it 10-6, which would have still required the Browns to score another touchdown in order to win. By going for the touchdown, they would have only required a field goal in order to win the game. But Crennel is an NFL coach, and I’m not, so who am I to question his judgment?

On the offensive side of the ball, Ben Roethlisberger’s shoulder was still sore from the injury that he sustained against the Texans. That, combined with gusting winds, led the Steelers to focus on the run. Roethlisberger did pass for 186 yards, including a touchdown pass to Hines Ward. However, the winds made for less-than-ideal passing conditions.

Willie Parker ran for his second consecutive 100 yard game, gaining 105 yards on 28 carries. This is particularly good news since there were doubts coming into the season about how Parker would recover from the broken leg that ended his season last year. Parker’s second consecutive 100+ yard performance has put any lingering doubts to rest.

Another good sign for the Steelers was DE Aaron Smith’s performance. Smith was stout against the run, and he also managed to sack Derek Anderson twice. This is particularly impressive since in Dick LeBeau’s 3-4 defense, the linebackers accumulate most of the sacks.

Despite many experts picking the Browns to win the AFC North this year, they are off to an 0-2 start. Meanwhile, the Steelers are 2-0, and in first place in the AFC North after beating the Cleveland Browns……… again.

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The Steelers play their arch-rival, the Cleveland Browns, tomorrow in Cleveland. The game is a nationally televised contest that many thought would be the first step in the Browns’ inevitable unseating of the Steelers from the AFC North throne. However, injuries have changed the complexion of the game. Moreover, the Steelers aren’t going to give up their crown without a fight.

Following last week’s Steelers win, and the Browns’ dismantling at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys, many may have changed their opinion of just how ready the Browns are to take down the reigning champs. The Browns looked weak in all aspects of the game, but don’t let last week fool you. The Browns get pumped up when it’s time to play the Steelers. Moreover, the Browns have tons of injuries right now. This game is probably not going to be reflective of what the Browns can truly do. I am looking forward to the two team’s second battle later this year. Perhaps both teams will be healthy during that game.

Here are what I consider to be the key match-ups of the game:

Steelers receivers vs. Browns secondary

The Browns secondary is really banged up right now. They were torched last week by Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys for 70,000 yards. Okay, maybe not that many, but it certainly seemed like it.

The Browns will be playing without starting safety Sean Jones who is out 3-5 weeks with a knee injury. Cornerback Dave Holley has a torn ACL and is out for the entire season. Safety Brodney Pool is suffering from a concussion, but he is expected to play. The Browns two healthy cornerbacks, second year players Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald, are going to have their hands full.

Steelers receiver Hines Ward is a former Pro Bowler, and Santonio Holmes led all NFL receivers last year in yards per catch. Both players, along with “Big Ben” Roethlisberger, must have been salivating when they watched film of the Browns’ secondary this week. Advantage Steelers.

Justin Hartwig vs Shaun Rogers

Last year’s Steelers center Sean Mahan was sent packing, partially because he couldn’t handle the monster nose tackles in the AFC North. Cleveland Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers may be the most monstrous. at 6′ 4″ and 350 lbs., Rogers is a human anvil. Hartwig is going to have to bring his “A” game in order to win this match-up. Of course, practicing everyday against Steelers’ nose tackle Casey Hampton has probably prepared Hartwig. Advantage Browns.

James Harrison vs. Joe Thomas

Last year, James Harrison went from back-up to Pro Bowl linebacker. In his first game as a starter he totally dominated Browns rookie LT Joe Thomas. After that game, Thomas also developed into a Pro Bowler. This may be the most interesting battle of the game. Draw.

LaMarr Woodley vs. Kevin Shaffer

Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley was drafted in the 2nd round in the 2007 NFL draft. After sitting and learning during his rookie year, Woodley has emerged as the Steelers starter this year. During training camp, Woodley looked practically unstoppable. Last week against the Texans, Woodley had a sack, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Shaffer is an experienced veteran, but he will have his hands full with Woodley. Advantage Steelers.

Braylon Edwards vs. Steelers secondary

Braylon Edwards is one of the most dynamic receivers in the NFL. He made his first Pro Bowl last year, and is a tough match-up for any cornerback. Edwards is tall, fast, and he has good hands. To make matters worse, Steelers starting cornerback Deshea Townsend is out with an injury (heel contusion), and backup Bryant McFadden will be getting the start. Advantage Browns.

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