Steelers Stars Set the Tone on Defense
The Cleveland Browns are set to take on a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that is predicated on the play of its stars. Cameron Heyward has been a dominant defensive lineman for years while T.J. Watt is coming into his own, having a monster year, currently near the top of the league with 9.5 sacks. Those two have been a part of the Steelers, even if Watt is still relatively recent.
The two moves the Steelers made that completely transformed their defense for this year were trading up for Devin Bush in the NFL Draft and then trading next year's first round pick for Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick addressed a weakness on the back end of the defense, giving them someone who plays with tremendous instincts and intelligence. He's been able to generate six turnovers since he arrived in Pittsburgh, including five interceptions. Fitzpatrick has been the biggest reason the team averages causing three turnovers per game.
Devin Bush is extremely talented, but he's still figuring things out as a rookie. He's benefited from some good fortune in some of his impact plays, but he is a good, rangy linebacker that gives them the presence they've been missing since Ryan Shazier's injury.
The Steelers have an impact player at every level of the defense and it reduces the amount the rest of the defense needs to do, elevating their play. And when those guys step up and make plays, Joe Haden as an example had a big game in their win against the Los Angeles Rams, it stands out that much more.
Heyward can dominate on the interior. Watt is going to be a particular problem as he will almost exclusively be lined up against Chris Hubbard, so the Browns coaching staff is going to have to come up with a plan to help him. Bush has the athleticism to be great in coverage, but he's still learning. And then Fitzpatrick is just this omnipresent threat that can change the game.
The best thing the Browns can do to the Steelers is run the ball effectively and let that create opportunities in the passing game, especially playaction. The Steelers haven't been great dealing with the type of zone running the Browns employ, which has Nick Chubb third in the league in rushing, averaging 102 yards per game.
Kareem Hunt adds an extra element the Steelers may have trouble accounting for on such short notice. His lead blocking was impressive in his debut and he becomes another running threat. They also employed him in the passing game effectively.
If the Browns can force Bush and Fitzpatrick to be honest to the run, it should enable the Browns to isolate their receivers, particularly Odell Beckham on their corners, which is the weakest part of the defense. It's critical that the Browns not put themselves in a position where the Steelers defense can dictate the game, because that will allow them to overwhelm them with their pass rush and enable Fitzpatrick to make plays on the ball.
The biggest unknown in this type of contest is how each team will bounce back from a truncated timeline. Both of them played games that came down to the wire on Sunday and if guys are still battered and bruised, it could dramatically impact their effectiveness.
The Steelers defense presents challenges the Browns have struggled against this season, especially before the bye week. The past three games have been better, so this will be a good test so see if they can maintain, reducing their turnovers and limiting negative plays. If they can do that, they will beat the Steelers.
