The Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon for the first time during the 2020 NFL season. The Steelers are currently 4-0, while the Browns have a 4-1 record.
Those who pay attention to the NFL know all about last year’s incident at the end of the Steelers vs. Browns game in November at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Towards the end of the game, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was ejected after a fight broke out with Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.
Garrett accused Rudolph of using a racial slur after he was taken down during a play.
It appeared as though Rudolph tried to take off Garrett’s helmet on the ground, but Garrett beat him to it. The defensive end ripped Rudolph’s helmet off and hit him over the head with it.
Several Steelers and Browns players joined the pile as the fight continued.
The game this Sunday will be the first time that Garrett will face the Steelers since the incident. As a result of the incident, Garrett was suspended during the teams’ second matchup last season at Heinz Field.
However, this time it will be Ben Roethlisberger taking the field at quarterback. Garrett and Rudolph will likely not see the field at the same time.
The Steelers have yet to face any of their division opponents so far this season.
The AFC North is typically a competitive division, and this year is no different. Both the Baltimore Ravens and the Browns are amongst the top competitors in the league and have strong chances of making the playoffs.
David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey, two crucial members of the Steelers’ offensive line, are dealing with minor injuries this week. Although, according to head coach Mike Tomlin, the injuries might not be severe enough to keep them out of Sunday’s game.
Roethlisberger’s plans for the week involve continuing to practice throwing deep balls.
“I’m not shying away from throwing [the ball],” Roethlisberger said in a press conference. “I just want to connect on them more. I want to connect on every pass I throw, though, short or long.”
Many Steelers fans are probably expecting the team to be a little bit worried about Garrett being back on the field. However, Tomlin mentioned in his weekly press conference that he doesn’t feel like he needs to talk to his team about this.
“We’re not looking for that low hanging fruit or reality TV storyline,” Tomlin said.
Heading into Sunday’s matchup, there are a few keys to the game.
While Cleveland’s starting running back Nick Chubb is injured, the Steelers defense will still have to find a way to stop Kareem Hunt. Hunt led the league in rushing in 2017 and has consistently been a problem for opposing defenses.
Tomlin’s team is also aware of the strengths that the Browns defense presents. Key players like Garrett and cornerback Denzel Ward create problems for offensive schemes.
While the Steelers offense has significantly improved this season, they will need some big plays this weekend.
Pittsburgh is currently undefeated, but the teams they have played so far have a combined record of 3-15-1. A win over the Browns could prove that the Steelers will continue to be strong competitors in the AFC this season.
Featured Image Courtesy of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
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