Steelers expect hostile reception
CLEVELAND – The Steelers expect something different when they visit Cleveland Browns Stadium today.
With the Browns off to a 2-2 start and coming off a 25-point comeback last week at Tennessee – the largest regular-season road comeback in NFL history – the Steelers believe the home crowd will have something different with the Browns hosting Pittsbugh – hope.
The Steelers are 3-2, with one of those victories a season-opening win over Cleveland at Heinz Field, a game in which Pittsburgh led 27-3 at the half only to see the Browns rally and force Shaun Suisham to kick a game-winning field goal as time expired.
It was the first of four Browns games decided by three or fewer points. Forget the Cardiac Kids Browns of the early 1980s, these Browns are the Barbasol Boys.
Every game is a close shave.
“We’ve only had one successful (comeback),” Cleveland offensive tackle Joe Thomas said. “So far, we have been close on a couple other ones. When you look at our offense, the guy who’s running the show, Brian Hoyer, he’s got a calm confidence about him and a steady hand. And I think he kind of allows that personality to seep through the rest of the offense.”
With the steady Hoyer, who has thrown six touchdown passes and just one interception, and the way the rest of the Browns have played, the Steelers expect a raucious home crowd.
“I hope it’s hostile,” said Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward. “That’s when we play our best.”
The Steelers will need to play their best if they expect to win for the 27th time in 32 meetings in what was once one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL. They are underdogs against the Browns for the first time since 2003.
“This is as big of a game in Cleveland as they’ve had in a while,” said Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is 18-1 against the Browns, the best of any quarterback against one team since 1950.
“Just because of their record, our record, us coming in there, AFC North (and) the rivalry, I anticipate it being a hostile environment, maybe like nothing I’ve ever seen there before.”
It didn’t appear as if the Browns would challenge the Steelers at all in the opener when Roethlisberger threw for 278 yards in the first half and Pittsburgh built a 27-3 lead.
But Cleveland began the second half using a fast-paced, no-huddle offense that caught the Steelers off-guard and quickly scored on its first two possessions to steal the momentum.
Hoyer, who spent two games on the Steelers’ roster in 2012, tied the score with a touchdown pass to Travis Benjamin with 11:15 remaining, before Roethlisberger got Pittsburgh into field-goal range in the final 47 seconds.
The Steelers said the fast pace of Cleveland’s hurry-up offense caused them communcation issues on defense. They believe they are better prepared this time. The Browns hadn’t shown that style of play in the preseason.
“A lot of times, when you look at film, you’re almost guessing in the first game,” said Heyward. “There’s so much that goes into it, a different team, different (offensive coordinator), different guys. You can see what they’re running now, who their favorite targets are, how they want to run the ball, where they want to run the ball. You just have a better feel for them.”
A win over the Steelers would not only erase the sting of that opening loss, it also would set up the Browns for a strong stretch. Cleveland’s next three opponents – Jacksonville, Oakland and Tampa Bay – have combined to win one game.
“We know we’re close,” said first-year Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine.
The Steelers are coming off a similar stretch and head into a more difficult portion of their schedule. After playing the Browns, Pittsburgh hosts Houston, Indianapolis and Baltimore the next three weeks.
But their focus is solely on Cleveland.
“It’s an AFC North game,” said cornerback William Gay. “You can throw the records out. We don’t have to worry about records. It’s going to be an exciting game because it’s Cleveland versus Pittsburgh.”
Cleveland will be without starting defensive linemen Ahtyba Rubin and Phil Taylor because of injury. Cornerback Joe Haden and linebacker Paul Kruger are questionable to play. … Steelers receiver Antonio Brown averaged five catches for 87 yards with four touchdowns in his past six games against Cleveland. … Brown and Roethlisberger lead the NFL with eight passing plays of 25 or more yards.