This is the perfect storm for the Steelers.
Ben Roethlisberger is coming back and is fired up to play. Cleveland is starting a rookie quarterback and is banged up. And the Steelers are coming off a bye.
Add to that the fact the Browns embarrassed the Steelers in Cleveland in their last meeting and you have all the makings of a rout.
For some reason, the spread in this game opened at 14 and has actually gone down to 13 points.
Don't people pay attention to the warning signs?
This has all the makings of a classic Browns-Steelers blowout, which is what I expect to happen.
Take Pittsburgh, 38-6.
11 comments:
wow. I don't expect that big of a blowout. The browns defense hasn't been too bad this year, and it is ben's first game
though, with McCoy starting that could lead to many turnovers returns for points
we'll see. But I think the steelers score more around the 20-27 range
The Browns know they are facing an uphill battle here. They also know Cribbs had some nice success last year. Expect them to try and run the ball with Cribbs and Hillis to try and mix it up and hold the ball. I also expect them to come after Ben with everything they've got.
Before the season started I had this as a blowout. And I still think thats possible. But this has all the makings of a giant Steelers let down too. If the Browns can get 1st downs with rushing yards, limit mistakes, and get some ST plays they have a chance. (and if Jim Brown returns to form). The Steelers making mistakes always helps out too.
I don't see the Steelers completely blowing it though but I also don't think the Steelers will have a chance to put up over 30. I'll say Steelers 27-13.
Let down from what? The bye? Losing to the Ravens before that?
This team is amped up to have its QB back.
They are going to put nine in the box and force the kid to throw the ball to his pedestrian receivers. If Cleveland finishes with 150 yards of offense, I'll be surprised.
I've seen this dance before, again and again.
let down as in, we expect them to have an easy win and they blow it.
See KC, Oak, Cleveland games of last year. Did anyone expect losses in ANY of those? Were they not let downs?
You've see this dance again and again but as far as I'm concerned this is essentially the same team that played down to competition on a weekly basis last year. So we've seen that dance too. Even before last year, I feel like we've seen the Steelers blow easy ones almost annually.
Hopefully we see a blowout, but I'm not counting on anything with this team.
Well, as you've said it Patrick, that was last year. No Polamalu, no Aaron Smith, Timmons wasn't playing close to the level he is playing now and well, the o line as well as the special teams were a complete different story.
They don't even need to throw the ball that much, the way Mendenhall is running. I expect the defense to be prepared for the wild cat and Cribbs. Besides that I would be really amazed if it is a close game.
I followed McCoy while on Texas really closely and he ain't nowhere close to ready for this kind of matchup. The aisle leading from the Browns locker room to the playing field should say: "Abandon hope all those who enter this place". Let's smoke the Clowns. Pitt 31 - Cle 7
This team put up 14 against Baltimore. There is no way they only score 20 against Cleveland. They had Batch at QB, Mendenhall facing 9 in the box, and faced a much better defense than they will face this week. Even a rusty Ben is better than what we got at the QB position in the first 4 weeks. I expect we get 7-10 points off of turnovers at a MINIMUM. Throw in 2 TDs and 2 FGs from the offense, and this team scores in the 30s this week.
This is the football equivalent of an uncontested layup. Every now and then you see a guy blow an uncontested layup. The Steelers can't be that guy.
I agree w/ Patrick that the Steelers will blow an "easy" one but not this week.
Maybe the still-winless Bills in a weird weather / special teams/ turnover disaster?
It's a rookie QB making his first start.
The Browns had about nine starters missing practice time this week with various injuries.
The Steelers are coming off their bye.
Ben Roethlisberger is coming back.
And did I mention it's a rookie QB making his first career start?
This is going to be ugly.
"Maybe the still-winless Bills in a weird weather / special teams/ turnover disaster?"
oh man, am I the only one who'd prefer to lose to the browns than to the bills. At least the browns are a division rival- there's always a chance there to win
A loss to the bills could kill a team's morale. They are THAT bad
Geez what a bunch of rainy day naysayers! The Steelers are coming off of a non-playoff season. They're hungry, focused and pissed off that they lost to the Ravens. they have a lot of rest, a lot of payback to give and solid shot at winning the Division. Steelers 37 Brownies 3.
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