October 9, 2025 • 27 mins
Ed Troup and Jacob Recht get you ready for when the Steelers take on the Browns this Sunday in Pittsburgh following two weeks off thanks to the bye week.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
One of the NFL's fiercest and oldest rivalries, the Cleveland
Browns versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. For ever seventy years, this
border war has delivered hard hitting football, with the Steelers
dominating for decades. Recently, it's been more about the home
team that has taken advantage of home field, with that
team winning the last three years. This is the Steelers
standard on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network.
(00:29):
I am at troupe and joining me is Jacob Brect.
Jacob the legendary names like Odo Graham, Terry Bradshaw of
Mardern Day stars such as Miles Garrett and TJ.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Watt.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
This history is rich with drama, and with the Browns
coming off a loss last Sunday and the Steelers eager
to shut down a rookie quarterback, the next chapter in
this historic feud is about to be written this Sunday
at Akushorre Stadium between the Browns and the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, I mean it's one that we're very familiar with.
You mentioned Auto Graham, historic player for the Browns, and
and there's just a litany of them, Jim Brown of
course being probably the best one. Ever, but really, no
Browns that have stood out in the last twenty five years. Really,
the only ones you can say are guys that really
weren't at at Cleveland for the peak of their careers,
(01:16):
Guys like Odell Beckham, guys like Baker Mayfield. They just
kind of came and went because the Browns did the
Cleveland thing and just and mishandled a good team and
let them go on to bigger and better things. So yeah,
it's it's as of recently, a more one sided rivalry,
but historically, I mean, these teams both go back decades
(01:40):
upon decades.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
If the Steelers win on Sunday and go to four
and one, their chances of making the playoffs will go
to ninety three percent, which is almost a guarantee, right,
almost a guarantee. Nothing's a guarantee in life, but at
ninety three percent, that's pretty darn good. If they lose
and go to three and two, it would drop to
fifty five percents, almost in half. If the Black Gold
lose on Sunday. Twenty one regular season win streak at
(02:04):
home against the Browns, that's what we're talking about here today.
The Steelers have won twenty one straight at home during
the regular season, not counting the playoff loss at home
in twenty twenty against the Cleveland Browns and Mike tomlin
twenty six and six lifetime record against rookie quarterbacks in
the NFL. That's pretty darn good too, Jacob. So when
you put that all together, the earrow is pointing up
(02:26):
and then a big way for the Steelers this Sunday.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
I do think there are a lot of stars aligning
for the Steelers to win this game. The big fear
is just that they don't mishandle it, that they don't
overlook the Browns as an opponent, that they don't fall.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Into that trap game.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Situation, which they have done in the past, but rarely
have they done it against the Browns at home. We
know that they struggle on the road playing in Cleveland
as of recently, but at home, even without Big Ben
Ben never lost against Cleveland at home in their regular season.
Since he's retired, this team has not lost at home
(03:07):
in the regular season against the Browns. Ben only had
three losses against Cleveland in Cleveland during his time there.
Of course, the team has struggled winning in Cleveland. I
think you mentioned that they've lost three in a row
when playing on the road against the Browns. But this
game is at home. It should be it should be
(03:28):
a victory. I wasn't gonna say it should be an
easy victory. There is no such things as easy wins
when it comes to ABC North Division games, but I
do think the Steelers have enough to get the win here.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
On Sunday yesterday, we talked about some of the highlights
during this series between the Browns and Steelers. Let's revisit
a few of those before we get into our scouting
report on the one in four Browns for this upcoming Sunday.
Early dominance. The Browns dominated the early years in this series,
winning thirty two of the first forty games against the
Steelers between nineteen fifty nineteen sixty nine. The Steelers lead
the all time series, as we talked about yesterday eighty two,
(04:03):
sixty four and one. The Steelers began the tide a
shift in this series back in the nineteen seventies under
head coach Chuck Nole, winning four Super Bowls during that
decade and dominating the Browns. Some notable moments during this series,
and we talked about a few of these yesterday, but
just a few more to note. In nineteen seventy six,
Browns defensive end Joe Turkey Jones and famously body slammed
(04:26):
Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw. I remember seeing that highlight in
the Steelers offense and defense took exception to that. That
kind of set the tone for this series back in
the seventies when Bradshaw took that shot from Joe Turkey Jones,
I didn't know his nickname until yesterday when I looked
it up.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
A great nickname there with Jones.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
The two thousand and two wild Card game that we
talked about as well, the Browns held a twenty four
to seven lead in the third quarter before the Steelers
came back and won thirty six to thirty three. In
that playoff game back in two thousand and two. Two
thousand and seven, the Steelers took the first lead all
time in the series against the Browns, which they have
held since so since two thousand and seven. Before two
(05:03):
thousand and seven, the Browns actually led the all time series,
and that just shows you how dominant they were early
on before the Steelers went on their runs in the
seventies and later on the nineties in two thousands, but
it was two thousand and seven when the Steelers took
their first lead in the all time series. Twenty nineteen
was the famous brawl game between Miles Garrett and Mason
Rudolph when he got his helmet thrown off in Cleveland.
(05:26):
And then the twenty twenty Wildcard game that we spoke
of just a little bit ag that's the Browns secured
their first playoff victory ever against the Steelers forty eight
to thirty seven. So that's a glimpse a little bit
of the pass between these two teams and another chapter
to be written this week, Jacob. Between the Browns and
the Steelers, it's always a good rivalry, you know. The
Ravens have kind of replaced the Browns as far as
(05:47):
the marquee robery for the Pittsburgh Steelers the Bengals, that's
always a heated battle in the AFC North. But Cleveland
and Pittsburgh have a lot of history.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I mean these two teams are as I mentioned, two
or historic and long lasting franchises. I know Cleveland's history
is a little rocky simply because of the movement from
Baltimore and back, but Still, you know, the Browns legacy
lasts much longer than just SIMP, dating back to the
late nineties when they were re.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Established in Cleveland. I think.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
I mean, you could argue that the Browns were the
more successful franchise, or you couldn't even argue it is.
It is fact that the Browns were by far the
more successful franchise before the seventies dynasty came around. As
I mentioned before, Jim Brown is considered the greatest football
player of all time. I think modern people would look
at Tom Brady, but historians such as as our good
(06:44):
friend Bob Labriola, would tell you that Jim Brown is
by far and away the best player to ever play
in don an NFL uniform. But then the seventies came
around and the Steelers kind of tipped the tide there.
They won for Super Bowls in six years, and then,
of course or they had success in the odds, winning
two Super Bowls and five and o waiting getting to
a third in twenty ten. The Browns have really had
(07:07):
no playoff success. They've had one playoff win in the
last twenty five years or so. Of course, that one
came against Pittsburgh. But I really beyond that. As I
said earlier, the Browns are just in recent history known
for fumbling their team away, whether it's a successful season,
(07:29):
making it to the playoffs and just getting bounced in
their first game, or just having a legitimate team that
the coaches just can't handle, and they eventually trade away
guys like like I mentioned, Odell Nick Chubb who's no
longer there, Baker Mayfield who's no longer there. I mean,
we thought up until a couple months ago that Miles
Garrett was going to be wearing a different NFL uniform.
(07:49):
He put out that statement himself, saying, I didn't come
into the NFL just to play in Cleveland. I came
to win Super Bowls, and he didn't think that was
going to happen during his time in Cleveland. And he
eventually just made the financial move to stay in Cleveland
because of the.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Money that they offered him.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
But you've seen what he's said so far after the
losses that they've sustained this year.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
He's embarrassed by his team.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
So yeah, he's getting paid a lot of money, but
he knows he's not in a winning situation in Cleveland.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
The Browns made another trade yesterday, the Jaguars and Browns
swapped corners as Tyson Campbell and Greg Newsom will trade places.
Greg Newsom is a pretty big name with Cleveland in
that secondary. He was drafted back in twenty twenty one
as the twenty sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft.
He was on his fifty year option which was paying
him thirteen point thirty eight million in Cleveland, and he
(08:41):
was scheduled to become a free agent this upcoming offseason.
So Newsom, Greg Newsom is now a Jaguar. He wore
number zero for the Browns, so that can give you
a little visual on who you've seen made a lot
of plays over the years, and like I said, was
a pretty decent corner for the Browns.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
He goes to Jacksonville.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Jacksonville sends their corner, Tyson Campbell as well a twenty
twenty six sixth round draft pick as well that they
acquired from the Jets that now goes to the Cleveland Browns.
So Cleveland making a little bit of noise this week.
Joe Flacco also traded two days ago to the Cincinnati Bengals.
That was announced yesterday as well. Jacob that Flacco is
(09:17):
gonna start for Cincinnati this upcoming weekend for the Bengals
when they take on Green Bay. So some movement in
the AFC North, but Cleveland again making some big moves.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
Two starters.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I mean, they benched Flacco, but you know he was
their starting quarterback a couple of years ago and throughout
this season as well. He now goes to Cincinnati as
they go with the younger quarterback, Dylan Gabriel.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I mean, we talked at length yesterday with Ray fil
o'pado about the move by the Bengals to acquire Flacco
away from the Browns. To me, the bigger story here
is Greg muses, I'm getting traded away for Tyson Campbell.
The Browns have had a pretty good secondary over the
course of I mean really ever since Howson has come
into the league. And you remember two a couple of
(09:59):
years BEFO for that. When the Browns took Baker Mayfield
first overall on twenty eighteen, three picks later they had
the fourth overall pick. They picked Denzel Ward, who's been
in a complete stalwart for them and one of the
best members of any secondary in the NFL for the
last seven or eight years or so since he's come
into the league, so those two guys have really been
(10:20):
number one and number two there, so it was kind
of shocking. I know, Newsom wasn't having as good of
a season start of a season compared to years pass
and I guess that's why Cleveland thought they needed to
make that change. But just like you said, Newsom is
an in addition to Denzel Ward, a former first round
draft pick. Tyson Campbell hasn't really been someone who's made
(10:42):
a lot of splash in Jacksonville. But I guess they
just felt that they needed the change, and maybe it's
going to be beneficial to the Steelers for the Browns
to have to put someone in new into that equation
of the secondary and had to work that out so
late into the You remember that that news broke yesterday.
So this guy, Tyson Campbell will only have at maximum
(11:06):
two full practices between Thursday and Friday to get acclimated
and with his new team. So I don't assume that
he'll just come out and be a complete difference maker.
Of course, you know, I could eat my words and
he could pick apart.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
You know, like I.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Said, he's a viable option for the Jags. Or he's
been a viable option for the Jags, but certainly didn't
come out of college with the same pedigree that Newsom did. Yeah,
Like I said, I think this is a much bigger
deal than the Flacco thing. Flacco is what forty years
old or thirty nine years old and has bounced.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Around the NFL a lot, between.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Baltimore in Cleveland and Indianapolis, then back to Cleveland now
in Cincinnati, So I don't think it's as big of
a deal, and Cincinnati is only using him just because
Jake Browning is so bad. This to me, the secondary
swap and the pick swap as well, is a much
bigger deal in my opinion.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
I was listening to the DV morning show that you
produce on the Way in this morning, and you guys
had Guy Junker on it. The guy made the point
about what I was talking about yesterday too, with when
you trade a player within your division, it's a very
rare occurrence.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
He mentioned it.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
It's only the third time in NFL history that a
quarterback has been traded within a division overall, so very
rare indeed. But he goes to Cincinnati, and I agree
with you, Newsom's the bigger impact player here for Cleveland
that they moved this week to go to Jacksonville, Not
so much Flacco. The Flacco part that's interesting me. It's
within the division at this point. Yeah, easonally, but as
(12:32):
Ray Filipado told us yesterday, and he's right, they don't
play again until the end of the season, the very
last game and they played the first week, so really
it's not a direct impact with Cleveland sending him over
to Cincinnati and they're one and four and they continue
to do their rebuild. Let's get into our scouting report
for the one in four Browns currently on the season.
Last week losing the Minnesota in London twenty one to seventeen.
(12:54):
The Vikings come back at the end, but the Browns
did lead that game through three quarters most of that
game until minnesot To have pulled it out at the end.
The Browns offense features their rookie quarterback Dylan Gabriel, who
made his first NFL start in Week five against the Vikings,
completing nineteen of thirty three passes for one hundred and
ninety yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. And of course,
the Browns get rid of Joe Flacco this week. Running wise,
(13:17):
their top rusher is rookie quin Shawn Jenkins, the draft
pick from Ohio State, had a career high one hundred
and ten rushing yards in Week five against the Vikings.
The team averages eighty seven point three rushing yards per
game and three point eight yards per carry, ranking them
among the league's lowest in both categories. With the Pittsburgh Steelers,
they're right there with them as far as those number goes.
(13:37):
And finally, on the receiving end, they got Jerry Judy,
who of course comes over from Denver. I think that
was what two years ago they acquired him. He comes
over from Denver. He's been their primary target, averaging six
point six receptions for one hundred and twenty two point
eight yards per game. And that was with Dylan Gabriel
last week, targeting him early and often against the Vikings.
(13:58):
And their tight end is a good one, and David Najuko,
he had a strong performance last week with nine catches
for fifty two yards and two touchdowns and seventeen on
seventeen targets. Listen, Najoku's a very good tight end. The
Steelers cannot lose track of him. Jerry Judy is a
Jerry Judy is a very good wide receiver. This offense
has some playmakers. They haven't performed, their numbers aren't there,
(14:20):
but they do have some playmakers that could burn you
throughout a game.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Yeah, Jerry Judy is by far their best offensive skill player.
I think you have to look at Judkins, like you mentioned,
he got over one hundred yards last week against the Vikings,
who we went into that game thinking that the Vikings
were going to be a stout run defense.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
And then you also have to look at David and Joku.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
I think he's probably the second best offensive weapon they
have there. Junkins may by the end of the season
establish himself as that number two guy, but and Djoku's
been around for a long time and he's one of
the He's one of those guys in like that second
tier behind the Kittles and the Kelseys and the Andrews
of the world, who are elite pass catchers ass tight ends,
(15:03):
not really blockers. But I mean you look at the
size of David and Joku. He could be like a
mini version of Darnelt Washington. He is a big dude,
but they used that size to their advantage in the
passing game, not so much using him as an additional blocker,
as an additional offensive lineman, but Jerry Judy kind of
slowing down and in Joku also slowing down. But that's
(15:23):
no fault of their own. It's just the quarterback carousel
that they've been dealt with in Cleveland. Last year when
they had Jamis Winston, who was a gun slinger, right.
The guy is the only member of the thirty thirty club,
only guy to ever throw thirty touchdowns and thirty interceptions
in a single year. He slings it. And because of
that they were having good years last year. But now
(15:44):
with Joe Flacco, who's a lot older and his arm
was a lot weaker, and then this past week with
Dylan Gabriel, who when we talked about it with Ray
Fitopaldo earlier this week, was talking about the strategy that
Kevin Stefanski, that Brown's head coach was was trying to
implement Gabriel, not letting him be a big risk taker.
They were similar to the strategy that Mike Tomlin had
(16:06):
with his rookie quarterback and Kenny Pickett. You remember Kenny
Pickett only had seven touchdown passes his rookie year that
was it so the only Gabriel kind of having the
leash on him, it's not really allowing for an explosive
pass game.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Granted, it's only been one.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Week, so we'll have this week also to see the
tape of the new look Brown's offense. But yeah, I
do think there are talented players on that offense. It's
just they haven't really been able to get things going
in the numbers Biak for themselves. They rank either last
or near last and pretty much every statistical category when
it comes to the offense. So should be an easy
(16:44):
day for the Steelers slowing them down unless Stefanski kind
of lets the chains off of Gabriel and he really
lets it loose.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
But I just don't foresee that happening.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
I think Stefanski respects this rivalry and respects this defense
too much to just say, hey, kid, here's the ball'll
get the win for us.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
I think it's going to be a.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Much more tactical approach for the offense in Cleveland this week.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
The offensive line for the Browns has also struggled to
protect their quarterback throughout the season, much like the Steelers,
raking as the fourth worst in the NFL in that area,
allowing fifth or excuse me, giving up the fourth most
sacks so far this season. The Browns also have a
negative eight turnover differential this season. They've generated ten takeaways
(17:27):
while throwing twelve interceptions so far this season, so that's
not great either on that end of things with the offense.
But Jacob, I quite agree with you more. I think
David Najoku at the tight end position good comparison to
Darnell Washington. He is, he's big, he's built like that,
and he's athletic, and he can burn you and he's
going to take some shots I'm sure down the middle
of the football field. A weakness for the Steelers throughout
(17:49):
the first four games was controlling and covering the middle
of the football field.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
To look out for Najoku there.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
And as we've been talking about all week long, with
the rookie running back Jenkins hundred and ten yards last week,
he can also you know, he's starting to get going again.
Only a rookie only won game, so not a lot
of tape on him yet, but if last week is
any indication, he can certainly get things going on the
ground as well. Let's talk Browns defense, now ranked twenty
eighth overall, nineteenth against the run and thirtieth against the pass.
(18:19):
We talked about this with Ray Filpaldo yesterday. They give
up They don't give up a lot of yards, but
they've given up a lot of points in the red zone.
Teams have scored a lot of points on this defense
this year. They have struggled when you've been able to
get down the field. Overall yard is not too bad,
but when you look at those numbers twenty eighth overall,
nineteenth against the run and thirtieth against the pass, they
are vulnerable.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
I know, this Browns defense is really good at controlling
the pace of the game. They are top two, if
not top three, in yards allowed passyards allowed, run yards allowed.
But like you said, Ed, for some reason, it just
doesn't add up. The scoring defense is really bad. It's
pretty much bottom third. I believe the Steelers are kind
(19:04):
of in the same position when it comes to their
scoring defense. But it's just a very puzzling defense that
you have against Cleveland or that you have in Cleveland,
simply because if you're so good at stopping the pass
and stopping the run and just and halting your opposing offenses,
pretty much all game. How do you let up all
(19:24):
these points they've played. Now, you also have to recognize
they've played some of the better offenses in the league
at the time. Baltimore with Lamar Jackson when he was
fully healthy, they were able to put a forty one.
The Lions, who are I think the highest scoring offensive
football right now, put up thirty four.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
It just doesn't make sense that they were able to stop.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
I think the outliers there are the Baltimore and Detroit
game because if you look at the stats between the
Browns game when they faced the Bengals in Week one
and Week three that upset win, and then last week
against Minnesota in London, they did a great job of
stopping those offenses. It was just those those two outliers
(20:10):
between Detroit and Baltimore. So maybe that's maybe that data
is a little skewed there when it comes to the
points against. But still, this team is only a one
win team, and that one win they had against green
Bay nobody saw coming and it was kind of gifted
to them. If you remember Jordan Love through that late
game interception, and then green Bay, who was set to
(20:32):
win the game to go up thirteen ten, had their
field goal blocked, and then Cleveland was the one that
had the field goal in position and kicked it to
win thirteen ten on their end. So without either of
those two plays, Green Bay probably wins that game, and
this team is an zero to five instead of one
and four. The formula is hard to really predict what
(20:54):
best way, what is the best way to approach beating
this defense, simply because it's so good to up to
bottom and we know it's led by Miles Garrett. We
talked about Denze war Or earlier in the secondary. I
think the Stailers have a legitimate threat, a legitimate foe
when it comes to the Browns this week, even though
they're one and four and could have been zero to five.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
This defense is legitimate.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
It's just that offense for Cleveland is so bad, it's
so slow that that's the only reason they've lost all
these games.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
Their offense can't keep up.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
The rush defense has given up ninety point five rushing
yards per game.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
Excuse me, Jacob, hold on for a second. There we go.
We're back.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
I'm so choked up about the rush defense I had
to get a drink. Fifty six percent of the time
teams are running against them as far as between the
tackles and the passing. Defense has allowed the highest average
completion rate in the NFL at twelve point nine yards
per catch, the highest yards per catch two wide receivers
at sixteen point four in the NFL. However, they are
(21:57):
among the league leaders in terms of opponent's completion percentage allowed.
So that secondary that you spoke of earlier has had
some strengths. But now they've made the big trade with
Greg Newsom, who again had twenty three tackles, two tackle
for losses, three pass deflections so far this season. He
now goes to Jacksonville. Miles Garrett another strong season, twenty
one tackles so far on the season with four sacks,
(22:21):
leads the Browns in sacks with four eight tackle for losses,
and again he's their big target off Frank. Guess who
is second on the team in total tackles with thirty six.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
Devin Bush? Remember him? Yeah, of course you remember Devin Bush, right,
that's right.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
He is part of this defense and he's currently number
two on the team with thirty six tackles and he
has two tackle for losses and a sacks so far
this season.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
A special shout out as well a local.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Guy on the Browns team. Donovan McMillan from Peters Township,
a whippild product played at Pitt. He is a rookie
safety with the Browns, plays a lot of special teams,
and I know his mom is a teacher at cecil
Ormediate School, which is one of my son Brendan's teachers.
But Donovan McMillan, again a Peters Township Whipil product, Pitt
rookie currently on the Browns team. As far as special
(23:10):
teams go, for the Browns, their punt returns opponents gained
an average of forty point seven yards a field position
per punt, so much like the Steelers. Their coverage has
also been leaking so far this year. As far as
punt returns and kick returns, maybe another area in which
the Steelers can generate an advantage on Sunday. They got
to get better there, Jacob, We've mentioned about the Steelers
(23:31):
kickoff coverage and punt returns only average I think four
yards per carry. Maybe an opportunity this Sunday against the
special teams like the Browns.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
That is vulnerable, yeah, I would hope.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
So however, you have to remember the Twoers will not
be trotting out their number one returner, and Calvin Austin
he'll be unavailable to them, so it'll be I think
Scotty Miller out there and then a combination of whoever
they won for the kickoff returns that obviously is in
a state of disarray because you can't put Caleb Johnson
back out there, you don't have Calvin Austin available, So
(24:04):
I don't know who's gonna be returning kickoffs weaving forward,
but I know it's Scotty Miller on the punt return
So even though, like you said, the Browns return coverage
isn't great, I don't know if the Steelers are going
to be able to take advantage of that this week,
just because of how completed they are at that position.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
And they got to get healthy.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
We're gonna have our injury report in our next segment
to get you updated on what happened yesterday on the
first official day of the practice week.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
But Steelers Browns this week. Just one other note too.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
On this game, we talked about what the movement that
Cleveland has made this week with the trades, and you know,
you start to wonder, are they punting on their season,
or are they giving up on their season? They're one
and four, they're starting to move players. Are there more
trades to come for Cleveland? They're a young roster, but
it seems like they're starting to dump some of their
veteran leaderships. So does that also come into play this weekend?
(24:54):
A lot of younger guys playing for the first time
or second time early on in the season, Well, that
possibly give the Steelers advantage, I would think so, Jacob,
especially as a player, when you start seeing your front
office make these moves, it's got to be in the
back of your head.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
And you heard Kevin Stefanski, the head coach, say, we
didn't see this trade coming for Joe talking about it,
so we know that this is just another example of
the Browns organization, the Browns front office just kind of
operating on their own. If you recall during the NFL
Draft back in April, the video footage of the Browns
(25:29):
green room when they made the selection for Shador Sanders
in the fifth round.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
You saw it.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Kevin Stefanski kind of have a bland reaction simply because
it looked that it wasn't his pick. It looked like
the owner got in his ear and said, hey, this
is the pick you're going to be making, or you know,
or else kind of kind of deal. So Sefanski made
the call, and the GM made the call, and they
made the pick for Shador. But just it's a weird organization.
(25:58):
It's obviously not unwell. And not to say that dealing
away Joe Flacco is another example, but just the lack
of communication from top to bottom is really for me
if I was a Browns fan concerning Yeah, it's just
it's not getting in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
It's it's not getting much better.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Like I said, I don't think they'll turn things around
from this one and four record. I don't think Gabriel
nor Shoudoor Sanders is going to be the guy that
to save them down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
They have still not named Sanders the backup quarterback. It's
Zappi as number two. Yeah, Zappi.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
He just got elevated from the practice squad.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Now remember Bailey Zappi when he was the quarterback for
the Patriots peoples that on that Thursday night. So yeah,
Sanders officially not the backup quarterback for Sunday. But what
does that tell you about him and his current State
with the Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
Browns, Browns and Steelers.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Sunday at one o'clock when Jacob and I come back,
we're going to dive into our three Rivers Confluence segment
where we'll get our injury news and our five keys
of the game on offense in our five games, our
five keys to the game on defense. It is the
Steelers Standard with Ed Troup and Jacob Brett here on
Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network.
One of the NFL's fiercest and oldest rivalries, the Cleveland
Browns versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. For ever seventy years, this
border war has delivered hard hitting football, with the Steelers
dominating for decades. Recently, it's been more about the home
team that has taken advantage of home field, with that
team winning the last three years. This is the Steelers
standard on Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network.
(00:29):
I am at troupe and joining me is Jacob Brect.
Jacob the legendary names like Odo Graham, Terry Bradshaw of
Mardern Day stars such as Miles Garrett and TJ.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Watt.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
This history is rich with drama, and with the Browns
coming off a loss last Sunday and the Steelers eager
to shut down a rookie quarterback, the next chapter in
this historic feud is about to be written this Sunday
at Akushorre Stadium between the Browns and the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, I mean it's one that we're very familiar with.
You mentioned Auto Graham, historic player for the Browns, and
and there's just a litany of them, Jim Brown of
course being probably the best one. Ever, but really, no
Browns that have stood out in the last twenty five years. Really,
the only ones you can say are guys that really
weren't at at Cleveland for the peak of their careers,
(01:16):
Guys like Odell Beckham, guys like Baker Mayfield. They just
kind of came and went because the Browns did the
Cleveland thing and just and mishandled a good team and
let them go on to bigger and better things. So yeah,
it's it's as of recently, a more one sided rivalry,
but historically, I mean, these teams both go back decades
(01:40):
upon decades.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
If the Steelers win on Sunday and go to four
and one, their chances of making the playoffs will go
to ninety three percent, which is almost a guarantee, right,
almost a guarantee. Nothing's a guarantee in life, but at
ninety three percent, that's pretty darn good. If they lose
and go to three and two, it would drop to
fifty five percents, almost in half. If the Black Gold
lose on Sunday. Twenty one regular season win streak at
(02:04):
home against the Browns, that's what we're talking about here today.
The Steelers have won twenty one straight at home during
the regular season, not counting the playoff loss at home
in twenty twenty against the Cleveland Browns and Mike tomlin
twenty six and six lifetime record against rookie quarterbacks in
the NFL. That's pretty darn good too, Jacob. So when
you put that all together, the earrow is pointing up
(02:26):
and then a big way for the Steelers this Sunday.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
I do think there are a lot of stars aligning
for the Steelers to win this game. The big fear
is just that they don't mishandle it, that they don't
overlook the Browns as an opponent, that they don't fall.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Into that trap game.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Situation, which they have done in the past, but rarely
have they done it against the Browns at home. We
know that they struggle on the road playing in Cleveland
as of recently, but at home, even without Big Ben
Ben never lost against Cleveland at home in their regular season.
Since he's retired, this team has not lost at home
(03:07):
in the regular season against the Browns. Ben only had
three losses against Cleveland in Cleveland during his time there.
Of course, the team has struggled winning in Cleveland. I
think you mentioned that they've lost three in a row
when playing on the road against the Browns. But this
game is at home. It should be it should be
(03:28):
a victory. I wasn't gonna say it should be an
easy victory. There is no such things as easy wins
when it comes to ABC North Division games, but I
do think the Steelers have enough to get the win here.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
On Sunday yesterday, we talked about some of the highlights
during this series between the Browns and Steelers. Let's revisit
a few of those before we get into our scouting
report on the one in four Browns for this upcoming Sunday.
Early dominance. The Browns dominated the early years in this series,
winning thirty two of the first forty games against the
Steelers between nineteen fifty nineteen sixty nine. The Steelers lead
the all time series, as we talked about yesterday eighty two,
(04:03):
sixty four and one. The Steelers began the tide a
shift in this series back in the nineteen seventies under
head coach Chuck Nole, winning four Super Bowls during that
decade and dominating the Browns. Some notable moments during this series,
and we talked about a few of these yesterday, but
just a few more to note. In nineteen seventy six,
Browns defensive end Joe Turkey Jones and famously body slammed
(04:26):
Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw. I remember seeing that highlight in
the Steelers offense and defense took exception to that. That
kind of set the tone for this series back in
the seventies when Bradshaw took that shot from Joe Turkey Jones,
I didn't know his nickname until yesterday when I looked
it up.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
A great nickname there with Jones.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
The two thousand and two wild Card game that we
talked about as well, the Browns held a twenty four
to seven lead in the third quarter before the Steelers
came back and won thirty six to thirty three. In
that playoff game back in two thousand and two. Two
thousand and seven, the Steelers took the first lead all
time in the series against the Browns, which they have
held since so since two thousand and seven. Before two
(05:03):
thousand and seven, the Browns actually led the all time series,
and that just shows you how dominant they were early
on before the Steelers went on their runs in the
seventies and later on the nineties in two thousands, but
it was two thousand and seven when the Steelers took
their first lead in the all time series. Twenty nineteen
was the famous brawl game between Miles Garrett and Mason
Rudolph when he got his helmet thrown off in Cleveland.
(05:26):
And then the twenty twenty Wildcard game that we spoke
of just a little bit ag that's the Browns secured
their first playoff victory ever against the Steelers forty eight
to thirty seven. So that's a glimpse a little bit
of the pass between these two teams and another chapter
to be written this week, Jacob. Between the Browns and
the Steelers, it's always a good rivalry, you know. The
Ravens have kind of replaced the Browns as far as
(05:47):
the marquee robery for the Pittsburgh Steelers the Bengals, that's
always a heated battle in the AFC North. But Cleveland
and Pittsburgh have a lot of history.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I mean these two teams are as I mentioned, two
or historic and long lasting franchises. I know Cleveland's history
is a little rocky simply because of the movement from
Baltimore and back, but Still, you know, the Browns legacy
lasts much longer than just SIMP, dating back to the
late nineties when they were re.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Established in Cleveland. I think.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
I mean, you could argue that the Browns were the
more successful franchise, or you couldn't even argue it is.
It is fact that the Browns were by far the
more successful franchise before the seventies dynasty came around. As
I mentioned before, Jim Brown is considered the greatest football
player of all time. I think modern people would look
at Tom Brady, but historians such as as our good
(06:44):
friend Bob Labriola, would tell you that Jim Brown is
by far and away the best player to ever play
in don an NFL uniform. But then the seventies came
around and the Steelers kind of tipped the tide there.
They won for Super Bowls in six years, and then,
of course or they had success in the odds, winning
two Super Bowls and five and o waiting getting to
a third in twenty ten. The Browns have really had
(07:07):
no playoff success. They've had one playoff win in the
last twenty five years or so. Of course, that one
came against Pittsburgh. But I really beyond that. As I
said earlier, the Browns are just in recent history known
for fumbling their team away, whether it's a successful season,
(07:29):
making it to the playoffs and just getting bounced in
their first game, or just having a legitimate team that
the coaches just can't handle, and they eventually trade away
guys like like I mentioned, Odell Nick Chubb who's no
longer there, Baker Mayfield who's no longer there. I mean,
we thought up until a couple months ago that Miles
Garrett was going to be wearing a different NFL uniform.
(07:49):
He put out that statement himself, saying, I didn't come
into the NFL just to play in Cleveland. I came
to win Super Bowls, and he didn't think that was
going to happen during his time in Cleveland. And he
eventually just made the financial move to stay in Cleveland
because of the.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Money that they offered him.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
But you've seen what he's said so far after the
losses that they've sustained this year.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
He's embarrassed by his team.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
So yeah, he's getting paid a lot of money, but
he knows he's not in a winning situation in Cleveland.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
The Browns made another trade yesterday, the Jaguars and Browns
swapped corners as Tyson Campbell and Greg Newsom will trade places.
Greg Newsom is a pretty big name with Cleveland in
that secondary. He was drafted back in twenty twenty one
as the twenty sixth overall pick in the NFL Draft.
He was on his fifty year option which was paying
him thirteen point thirty eight million in Cleveland, and he
(08:41):
was scheduled to become a free agent this upcoming offseason.
So Newsom, Greg Newsom is now a Jaguar. He wore
number zero for the Browns, so that can give you
a little visual on who you've seen made a lot
of plays over the years, and like I said, was
a pretty decent corner for the Browns.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
He goes to Jacksonville.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
Jacksonville sends their corner, Tyson Campbell as well a twenty
twenty six sixth round draft pick as well that they
acquired from the Jets that now goes to the Cleveland Browns.
So Cleveland making a little bit of noise this week.
Joe Flacco also traded two days ago to the Cincinnati Bengals.
That was announced yesterday as well. Jacob that Flacco is
(09:17):
gonna start for Cincinnati this upcoming weekend for the Bengals
when they take on Green Bay. So some movement in
the AFC North, but Cleveland again making some big moves.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
Two starters.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I mean, they benched Flacco, but you know he was
their starting quarterback a couple of years ago and throughout
this season as well. He now goes to Cincinnati as
they go with the younger quarterback, Dylan Gabriel.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I mean, we talked at length yesterday with Ray fil
o'pado about the move by the Bengals to acquire Flacco
away from the Browns. To me, the bigger story here
is Greg muses, I'm getting traded away for Tyson Campbell.
The Browns have had a pretty good secondary over the
course of I mean really ever since Howson has come
into the league. And you remember two a couple of
(09:59):
years BEFO for that. When the Browns took Baker Mayfield
first overall on twenty eighteen, three picks later they had
the fourth overall pick. They picked Denzel Ward, who's been
in a complete stalwart for them and one of the
best members of any secondary in the NFL for the
last seven or eight years or so since he's come
into the league, so those two guys have really been
(10:20):
number one and number two there, so it was kind
of shocking. I know, Newsom wasn't having as good of
a season start of a season compared to years pass
and I guess that's why Cleveland thought they needed to
make that change. But just like you said, Newsom is
an in addition to Denzel Ward, a former first round
draft pick. Tyson Campbell hasn't really been someone who's made
(10:42):
a lot of splash in Jacksonville. But I guess they
just felt that they needed the change, and maybe it's
going to be beneficial to the Steelers for the Browns
to have to put someone in new into that equation
of the secondary and had to work that out so
late into the You remember that that news broke yesterday.
So this guy, Tyson Campbell will only have at maximum
(11:06):
two full practices between Thursday and Friday to get acclimated
and with his new team. So I don't assume that
he'll just come out and be a complete difference maker.
Of course, you know, I could eat my words and
he could pick apart.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
You know, like I.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Said, he's a viable option for the Jags. Or he's
been a viable option for the Jags, but certainly didn't
come out of college with the same pedigree that Newsom did. Yeah,
Like I said, I think this is a much bigger
deal than the Flacco thing. Flacco is what forty years
old or thirty nine years old and has bounced.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Around the NFL a lot, between.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Baltimore in Cleveland and Indianapolis, then back to Cleveland now
in Cincinnati, So I don't think it's as big of
a deal, and Cincinnati is only using him just because
Jake Browning is so bad. This to me, the secondary
swap and the pick swap as well, is a much
bigger deal in my opinion.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
I was listening to the DV morning show that you
produce on the Way in this morning, and you guys
had Guy Junker on it. The guy made the point
about what I was talking about yesterday too, with when
you trade a player within your division, it's a very
rare occurrence.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
He mentioned it.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
It's only the third time in NFL history that a
quarterback has been traded within a division overall, so very
rare indeed. But he goes to Cincinnati, and I agree
with you, Newsom's the bigger impact player here for Cleveland
that they moved this week to go to Jacksonville, Not
so much Flacco. The Flacco part that's interesting me. It's
within the division at this point. Yeah, easonally, but as
(12:32):
Ray Filipado told us yesterday, and he's right, they don't
play again until the end of the season, the very
last game and they played the first week, so really
it's not a direct impact with Cleveland sending him over
to Cincinnati and they're one and four and they continue
to do their rebuild. Let's get into our scouting report
for the one in four Browns currently on the season.
Last week losing the Minnesota in London twenty one to seventeen.
(12:54):
The Vikings come back at the end, but the Browns
did lead that game through three quarters most of that
game until minnesot To have pulled it out at the end.
The Browns offense features their rookie quarterback Dylan Gabriel, who
made his first NFL start in Week five against the Vikings,
completing nineteen of thirty three passes for one hundred and
ninety yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. And of course,
the Browns get rid of Joe Flacco this week. Running wise,
(13:17):
their top rusher is rookie quin Shawn Jenkins, the draft
pick from Ohio State, had a career high one hundred
and ten rushing yards in Week five against the Vikings.
The team averages eighty seven point three rushing yards per
game and three point eight yards per carry, ranking them
among the league's lowest in both categories. With the Pittsburgh Steelers,
they're right there with them as far as those number goes.
(13:37):
And finally, on the receiving end, they got Jerry Judy,
who of course comes over from Denver. I think that
was what two years ago they acquired him. He comes
over from Denver. He's been their primary target, averaging six
point six receptions for one hundred and twenty two point
eight yards per game. And that was with Dylan Gabriel
last week, targeting him early and often against the Vikings.
(13:58):
And their tight end is a good one, and David Najuko,
he had a strong performance last week with nine catches
for fifty two yards and two touchdowns and seventeen on
seventeen targets. Listen, Najoku's a very good tight end. The
Steelers cannot lose track of him. Jerry Judy is a
Jerry Judy is a very good wide receiver. This offense
has some playmakers. They haven't performed, their numbers aren't there,
(14:20):
but they do have some playmakers that could burn you
throughout a game.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Yeah, Jerry Judy is by far their best offensive skill player.
I think you have to look at Judkins, like you mentioned,
he got over one hundred yards last week against the Vikings,
who we went into that game thinking that the Vikings
were going to be a stout run defense.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
And then you also have to look at David and Joku.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
I think he's probably the second best offensive weapon they
have there. Junkins may by the end of the season
establish himself as that number two guy, but and Djoku's
been around for a long time and he's one of
the He's one of those guys in like that second
tier behind the Kittles and the Kelseys and the Andrews
of the world, who are elite pass catchers ass tight ends,
(15:03):
not really blockers. But I mean you look at the
size of David and Joku. He could be like a
mini version of Darnelt Washington. He is a big dude,
but they used that size to their advantage in the
passing game, not so much using him as an additional blocker,
as an additional offensive lineman, but Jerry Judy kind of
slowing down and in Joku also slowing down. But that's
(15:23):
no fault of their own. It's just the quarterback carousel
that they've been dealt with in Cleveland. Last year when
they had Jamis Winston, who was a gun slinger, right.
The guy is the only member of the thirty thirty club,
only guy to ever throw thirty touchdowns and thirty interceptions
in a single year. He slings it. And because of
that they were having good years last year. But now
(15:44):
with Joe Flacco, who's a lot older and his arm
was a lot weaker, and then this past week with
Dylan Gabriel, who when we talked about it with Ray
Fitopaldo earlier this week, was talking about the strategy that
Kevin Stefanski, that Brown's head coach was was trying to
implement Gabriel, not letting him be a big risk taker.
They were similar to the strategy that Mike Tomlin had
(16:06):
with his rookie quarterback and Kenny Pickett. You remember Kenny
Pickett only had seven touchdown passes his rookie year that
was it so the only Gabriel kind of having the
leash on him, it's not really allowing for an explosive
pass game.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Granted, it's only been one.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Week, so we'll have this week also to see the
tape of the new look Brown's offense. But yeah, I
do think there are talented players on that offense. It's
just they haven't really been able to get things going
in the numbers Biak for themselves. They rank either last
or near last and pretty much every statistical category when
it comes to the offense. So should be an easy
(16:44):
day for the Steelers slowing them down unless Stefanski kind
of lets the chains off of Gabriel and he really
lets it loose.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
But I just don't foresee that happening.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
I think Stefanski respects this rivalry and respects this defense
too much to just say, hey, kid, here's the ball'll
get the win for us.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
I think it's going to be a.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Much more tactical approach for the offense in Cleveland this week.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
The offensive line for the Browns has also struggled to
protect their quarterback throughout the season, much like the Steelers,
raking as the fourth worst in the NFL in that area,
allowing fifth or excuse me, giving up the fourth most
sacks so far this season. The Browns also have a
negative eight turnover differential this season. They've generated ten takeaways
(17:27):
while throwing twelve interceptions so far this season, so that's
not great either on that end of things with the offense.
But Jacob, I quite agree with you more. I think
David Najoku at the tight end position good comparison to
Darnell Washington. He is, he's big, he's built like that,
and he's athletic, and he can burn you and he's
going to take some shots I'm sure down the middle
of the football field. A weakness for the Steelers throughout
(17:49):
the first four games was controlling and covering the middle
of the football field.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
To look out for Najoku there.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
And as we've been talking about all week long, with
the rookie running back Jenkins hundred and ten yards last week,
he can also you know, he's starting to get going again.
Only a rookie only won game, so not a lot
of tape on him yet, but if last week is
any indication, he can certainly get things going on the
ground as well. Let's talk Browns defense, now ranked twenty
eighth overall, nineteenth against the run and thirtieth against the pass.
(18:19):
We talked about this with Ray Filpaldo yesterday. They give
up They don't give up a lot of yards, but
they've given up a lot of points in the red zone.
Teams have scored a lot of points on this defense
this year. They have struggled when you've been able to
get down the field. Overall yard is not too bad,
but when you look at those numbers twenty eighth overall,
nineteenth against the run and thirtieth against the pass, they
are vulnerable.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
I know, this Browns defense is really good at controlling
the pace of the game. They are top two, if
not top three, in yards allowed passyards allowed, run yards allowed.
But like you said, Ed, for some reason, it just
doesn't add up. The scoring defense is really bad. It's
pretty much bottom third. I believe the Steelers are kind
(19:04):
of in the same position when it comes to their
scoring defense. But it's just a very puzzling defense that
you have against Cleveland or that you have in Cleveland,
simply because if you're so good at stopping the pass
and stopping the run and just and halting your opposing offenses,
pretty much all game. How do you let up all
(19:24):
these points they've played. Now, you also have to recognize
they've played some of the better offenses in the league
at the time. Baltimore with Lamar Jackson when he was
fully healthy, they were able to put a forty one.
The Lions, who are I think the highest scoring offensive
football right now, put up thirty four.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
It just doesn't make sense that they were able to stop.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
I think the outliers there are the Baltimore and Detroit
game because if you look at the stats between the
Browns game when they faced the Bengals in Week one
and Week three that upset win, and then last week
against Minnesota in London, they did a great job of
stopping those offenses. It was just those those two outliers
(20:10):
between Detroit and Baltimore. So maybe that's maybe that data
is a little skewed there when it comes to the
points against. But still, this team is only a one
win team, and that one win they had against green
Bay nobody saw coming and it was kind of gifted
to them. If you remember Jordan Love through that late
game interception, and then green Bay, who was set to
(20:32):
win the game to go up thirteen ten, had their
field goal blocked, and then Cleveland was the one that
had the field goal in position and kicked it to
win thirteen ten on their end. So without either of
those two plays, Green Bay probably wins that game, and
this team is an zero to five instead of one
and four. The formula is hard to really predict what
(20:54):
best way, what is the best way to approach beating
this defense, simply because it's so good to up to
bottom and we know it's led by Miles Garrett. We
talked about Denze war Or earlier in the secondary. I
think the Stailers have a legitimate threat, a legitimate foe
when it comes to the Browns this week, even though
they're one and four and could have been zero to five.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
This defense is legitimate.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
It's just that offense for Cleveland is so bad, it's
so slow that that's the only reason they've lost all
these games.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
Their offense can't keep up.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
The rush defense has given up ninety point five rushing
yards per game.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
Excuse me, Jacob, hold on for a second. There we go.
We're back.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
I'm so choked up about the rush defense I had
to get a drink. Fifty six percent of the time
teams are running against them as far as between the
tackles and the passing. Defense has allowed the highest average
completion rate in the NFL at twelve point nine yards
per catch, the highest yards per catch two wide receivers
at sixteen point four in the NFL. However, they are
(21:57):
among the league leaders in terms of opponent's completion percentage allowed.
So that secondary that you spoke of earlier has had
some strengths. But now they've made the big trade with
Greg Newsom, who again had twenty three tackles, two tackle
for losses, three pass deflections so far this season. He
now goes to Jacksonville. Miles Garrett another strong season, twenty
one tackles so far on the season with four sacks,
(22:21):
leads the Browns in sacks with four eight tackle for losses,
and again he's their big target off Frank. Guess who
is second on the team in total tackles with thirty six.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
Devin Bush? Remember him? Yeah, of course you remember Devin Bush, right,
that's right.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
He is part of this defense and he's currently number
two on the team with thirty six tackles and he
has two tackle for losses and a sacks so far
this season.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
A special shout out as well a local.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Guy on the Browns team. Donovan McMillan from Peters Township,
a whippild product played at Pitt. He is a rookie
safety with the Browns, plays a lot of special teams,
and I know his mom is a teacher at cecil
Ormediate School, which is one of my son Brendan's teachers.
But Donovan McMillan, again a Peters Township Whipil product, Pitt
rookie currently on the Browns team. As far as special
(23:10):
teams go, for the Browns, their punt returns opponents gained
an average of forty point seven yards a field position
per punt, so much like the Steelers. Their coverage has
also been leaking so far this year. As far as
punt returns and kick returns, maybe another area in which
the Steelers can generate an advantage on Sunday. They got
to get better there, Jacob, We've mentioned about the Steelers
(23:31):
kickoff coverage and punt returns only average I think four
yards per carry. Maybe an opportunity this Sunday against the
special teams like the Browns.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
That is vulnerable, yeah, I would hope.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
So however, you have to remember the Twoers will not
be trotting out their number one returner, and Calvin Austin
he'll be unavailable to them, so it'll be I think
Scotty Miller out there and then a combination of whoever
they won for the kickoff returns that obviously is in
a state of disarray because you can't put Caleb Johnson
back out there, you don't have Calvin Austin available, So
(24:04):
I don't know who's gonna be returning kickoffs weaving forward,
but I know it's Scotty Miller on the punt return
So even though, like you said, the Browns return coverage
isn't great, I don't know if the Steelers are going
to be able to take advantage of that this week,
just because of how completed they are at that position.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
And they got to get healthy.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
We're gonna have our injury report in our next segment
to get you updated on what happened yesterday on the
first official day of the practice week.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
But Steelers Browns this week. Just one other note too.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
On this game, we talked about what the movement that
Cleveland has made this week with the trades, and you know,
you start to wonder, are they punting on their season,
or are they giving up on their season? They're one
and four, they're starting to move players. Are there more
trades to come for Cleveland? They're a young roster, but
it seems like they're starting to dump some of their
veteran leaderships. So does that also come into play this weekend?
(24:54):
A lot of younger guys playing for the first time
or second time early on in the season, Well, that
possibly give the Steelers advantage, I would think so, Jacob,
especially as a player, when you start seeing your front
office make these moves, it's got to be in the
back of your head.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
And you heard Kevin Stefanski, the head coach, say, we
didn't see this trade coming for Joe talking about it,
so we know that this is just another example of
the Browns organization, the Browns front office just kind of
operating on their own. If you recall during the NFL
Draft back in April, the video footage of the Browns
(25:29):
green room when they made the selection for Shador Sanders
in the fifth round.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
You saw it.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Kevin Stefanski kind of have a bland reaction simply because
it looked that it wasn't his pick. It looked like
the owner got in his ear and said, hey, this
is the pick you're going to be making, or you know,
or else kind of kind of deal. So Sefanski made
the call, and the GM made the call, and they
made the pick for Shador. But just it's a weird organization.
(25:58):
It's obviously not unwell. And not to say that dealing
away Joe Flacco is another example, but just the lack
of communication from top to bottom is really for me
if I was a Browns fan concerning Yeah, it's just
it's not getting in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
It's it's not getting much better.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Like I said, I don't think they'll turn things around
from this one and four record. I don't think Gabriel
nor Shoudoor Sanders is going to be the guy that
to save them down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
They have still not named Sanders the backup quarterback. It's
Zappi as number two. Yeah, Zappi.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
He just got elevated from the practice squad.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Now remember Bailey Zappi when he was the quarterback for
the Patriots peoples that on that Thursday night. So yeah,
Sanders officially not the backup quarterback for Sunday. But what
does that tell you about him and his current State
with the Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
Browns, Browns and Steelers.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Sunday at one o'clock when Jacob and I come back,
we're going to dive into our three Rivers Confluence segment
where we'll get our injury news and our five keys
of the game on offense in our five games, our
five keys to the game on defense. It is the
Steelers Standard with Ed Troup and Jacob Brett here on
Steelers Nation Radio, part of the Steelers Audio Network.
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