How in the Hell did it get to be Week 14 already? Here we are either way! Here’s everything you need to know about the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North matchup.
What: Cleveland Browns 3-9 at Pittsburgh Steelers 9-3
Where: Acrisure Stadium Pittsburgh, PA
When: Sunday December 8th, 2024
Weather: 43 degrees and sunny at kickoff. Winds around 9mph.
Surface: Natural Grass (The area between the hash marks has been replaced as is the custom following the WPIAL High School games)
Wagering Information: Steelers -6.5 O/U 44
Last Week: The Browns lost a shootout in Denver 41-32 while the Steelers won a shootout in Cincinnati 44-38.
TV: CBS Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Tony Romo (analysis), Tracy Wolfson (field reporter)
TV Coverage in Your Area (courtesy 506sports.com): Steelers coverage is in RED.Radio: Steelers Nation Radio/WDVE Rob King (play-by-play), Craig Wolfley (analysis). Max Starks (field reporter)
ESPN Radio: Steve Levy (play-by-play), Harry Douglas (analysis)
Head Official: Land Clark. He’s a chief building official from Sevier Valley Tech. In his fifth season as a head official, Clark called the Steelers’ loss in Indianapolis earlier this season. In that game his crew had 10 accepted penalties. His crew has called the 13th most penalties in 2024 and the sixth most DPI penalties.
Key Injuries/Game Status (courtesy steelers.com) PIT: No. 14 WR George Pickens (Hamstring) – Questionable, ** No. 57 DT Montravius Adams (Knee) – Out CLE: No. 26 CB Myles Harden (Tibia) – Questionable, No. 90 DT Maurice Hurst (Ankle) – Out, No. 92 DE Sam Kamara (Concussion) – Out, No. 10 WR Cedric Tillman (Concussion) – Out
No. 1 S Juan Thornhill (Calf) – Questionable, No. 80 WR Jamari Thrash (Shoulder) – Questionable, No. 71 T Jedrick Wills (Knee) – Out
**In 21-day window to return from IR.
Injury Notes: Pickens being on the list is obviously concerning. Let’s hope it’s nothing… Wills was also out in the first matchup but the Steelers still struggled to get to the QB… Hurst being out is significant. He’s a solid run stuffer for them.
2024 NFL Ranks:
Total Offense: PIT 12th CLE 30th
Passing Offense: PIT 21st CLE 15th
Rushing Offense: PIT 9th CLE 30th
Total Defense: PIT 5th CLE 25th
Passing Defense: PIT 17th CLE 18th
Rushing Defense: PIT 4th CLE 22nd
AFC North Standings:
Pittsburgh 9-3
Baltimore 8-5
Cincinnati 4-8
Cleveland 3-9
This Week in the AFC North: Baltimore BYE, Cincinnati at Dallas (MON) 815pmET
What You Need to Know: The Browns haven’t swept the Steelers since 1988… Cleveland has not won a regular season game in Pittsburgh since 2003… The Steelers have surrendered 16 points in the third quarter all season… Pittsburgh is 50-21-1 at home versus the Browns all-time…
Tomlin Time: Mike Tomlin is 26-8-1 all-time versus the Browns… Coach T is now 104-64-2 in one score games. That’s the best record (min. 100 games) since the 1970 merger… He needs one more victory to tie Tom Landry at 183 career victories. The ninth most since the 1970 merger.
Cleveland Browns Names to Know: QB Jameis Winston, TE David Njoku, DE Myles Garrett, CB Denzel Ward, RB Nick Chubb, WR Jerry Jeudy, S Grant Delpit, CB Greg Newsome II, K Dustin Hopkins
What’s at Stake: The Browns have the tiniest of postseason hopes still remaining but for all intents and purposes, their season is over. They are playing for pride, period. For the Black and Gold, it’s a chance to stay ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North race with several crucial tests awaiting.
All-Time Series: Steelers Lead, 79-63-1
Last Meeting: November 2024 in Cleveland. Browns 24 Steelers 19
Postseason History: PIT leads 2-1
Steelers Game Highs vs CLE:
PASSING: 501 yards Ben Roethlisberger 01/10/2021
RUSHING: 223 yards Willie Parker 12/07/2006
RECEIVING: 187 yards Antonio Brown 01/03/2016
SACKS: 4.0 Jerrol Williams 12/22/1991, T.J. Watt 01/03/2022
INTERCEPTIONS: 3 Darren Perry 09/11/1994, Richard Shelton 12/22/1991
Donnie Shell 11/22/1981
Check out the latest Steel City Blitz Steelers Podcast for more on the Steelers.
Three Things We Need to See for a Steelers’ Victory:
1. It Starts With Myles. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year was a game wrecker in the earlier matchup sacking Russell Wilson and causing fumbles as well. That flat-out cannot happen on Sunday. How the Steelers go about preventing him from a repeat performance starts with Dan Moore. He has to play better and it will begin with balance and technique. Garrett is physically more gifted than Moore but Moore has also proven able to handle Garrett in the past. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Darnell Washington positioned near Moore some too, but it comes down to Moore in my mind period.
2. Rock With Najee and Roll With Warren. All of us need to let go of the fact that the Steelers passed on Najee Harris’ fifth-year option. He’s done nothing but work his ass off and be everything he can be for the offense. We’ll let next year take care of itself. Warren seems to finally be healthy and his presence is massive as a pass protector, receiver and change of pace back. Arthur Smith needs to get this offensive line lathered up and let both of these guys do their thing.
3. Stay Squared Up. If you can stomach it, go back and watch those big runs that Chase Brown had last week against the Steelers’ D. One of the first things you’ll notice is how some guys on the defensive front “got turned.” In other words, blockers were able to get inside and turn the defenders’ shoulders perpendicular to the line of scrimmage which created two things. First, it opened lanes for Brown to run through and second, it created opportunities for linemen to climb to the next level and engage the Steelers’ linebackers. This is a perfect formula for big runs. Cam Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi and company have to stay squared and make things tougher for the Browns and easier for the linebackers.
The ‘X’ Factor: Each week I will select a player from each team who I believe will need to play above and beyond in order for his team to win.
X-Factor Steelers: George Pickens. The star wide receiver is your “X-Factor?” What gives? Look, it isn’t that hard. After Pickens received two 15-yard penalties in Cincinnati… After he blamed the weather for the loss in Cleveland… After he called the Browns a “bad team…” He is a marked man not just by the officials but by the Browns’ secondary as well. If he doesn’t keep his shit together when opposing players get under his skin then he could be looking at an early exit. He has to overcome this and let his play do the talking.
X-Factor Browns: David Njoku. The Browns athletic tight end could find himself the focus of their passing game following Jerry Jeudy’s huge day in Denver. It’s only natural for the Steelers to focus their attention on him which therefore could open things up for Njoku. That likely means Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott and Payton Wilson will be tasked with limiting his impact. A big game from him doesn’t bode well for the Steelers.
Prediction: Last week’s 44-point outburst was more of a ‘one-off’ for me than it was anything we should get used to. The Bengals’ defense wasn’t just bad, it was really bad. That said, I think games like that can also increase confidence and I think we will see some of that Sunday. Just as importantly though is how the defense responds to giving up all those points to Joe Burrow and company. I believe we see T.J. Watt have a big afternoon and all three phases do more than enough to get a win.
Steelers 26 Browns 16
Season Prediction Record: 6-6