Game 10: Browns at Pittsburgh

First, a shout-out to our friends, 

Fan Club Francais des Steelers de Pittsburgh. 

Courage.

It's Browns Week. Always reason to get up for this one.

Cleveland Browns quarterback 
Johnny Manziel

With the 2-7 Browns coming to Heinz Field, we'll see if Mike Tomlin continues his penchant for losing to bad teams quarterbacked by crummy QBs led by lousy coaches.

Make no mistake about it: The Browns are a bad team, just as they were last season, when Mike Pettine's squad embarrassed Tomlin's team in Cleveland, 31-10.

Johnny Manziel

Cleveland's Defense is Awful
This year, Cleveland ranks dead last (32nd) in rushing defense, surrendering a whopping 147.6 yards rushing per game, including 11 runs of 20 yards per more and four runs of at least 40 yards. Cleveland has yielded nine touchdowns on the ground.  By comparison, the middling Steelers' run defense, ranked 12th in the NFL, has surrendered 101.7 yards per game on the ground and three touchdowns.

Bigger picture, Cleveland's defense has surrendered 401.6 total yards per game (29th in the NFL) and 27.4 points per game (26th). They've allowed at least 30 points to five of their nine opponents.

Nine games into the season, Cleveland has allowed 18 passing TDs but  tallied just 15 sacks, seven of which were put down in just one game, vs. the woeful Titans.

With just five interceptions (and just two INTs over the past seven weeks), the Browns' secondary today will be without their star cornerback (Joe Haden) and most experienced, hardest-hitting safety (Donte Whitner). Their secondary has allowed nine pass plays of more than 40 yards. The Browns have been outscored by 53 points their last three games.

It's a bad defense. 

Johnny Manziel, on the right, partying
with Floyd Mayweather, Justin Bieber.

It's almost as bad on offense. Their running game has been limp, ranking 31st in the NFL at just 82.3 yards per game and 3.5 yards per carry, with only two rushing touchdowns but four fumbles. Twice as many fumbles as rushing touchdowns.

Granted, Cleveland's 15th-rated passing offense out-ranks Pittsburgh's 19th ranked passing offense, but ... much of Cleveland's success was due to the surprisingly effective Josh McCown, who likely won't play today.

Instead, the Steelers will face the reckless, feckless and immature party boy, Johnny Manziel, who, on the field, is skittish, manic, diminutive and inaccurate. Johnny Manziel? Puh-lease.

If Mike Tomlin's Steelers lose today, at home, to this edition of the Cleveland Browns ... no, that just cannot happen. Can it?

The Lack of Mack

It's the Steelers' bye week but also time to pay close attention to the competition. Maybe no team this season has been more interesting than the Cleveland Browns.

After center Alex Mack went down with a knee injury on Oct. 12 when the Browns trampled the Steelers, 31-10, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls couldn't help but wonder how his absence would affect the Browns. Guys like Mack aren't replaced easily. When healthy, he is arguably the best center in the NFL.

How key is Mack to the Browns? If there was a player besides Brian Hoyer the Browns couldn't afford to lose, it was Mack. Since Mack's injury, Cleveland is 3-2, with the two losses being to Jacksonville and Houston.

More importantly, as noted by ESPN.com's Pat McManamon, here is how Cleveland's running game has fared since Mack went down:

"The Browns averaged 146. 4 yards per game 

and 4.4 yards per carry with Alex Mack, 

but 77.2 per game and 2.4 per carry since Mack was hurt."

Say no more. Even with Josh Gordon's return from suspension, the Browns are going to have a tough time, if they can't run the ball.

Add these numbers to the equation: Four of Cleveland's final six games will be on the road, and four of those six games will be against opponents with a record of .500 or better.

The Browns Lost at Home to the Texans

J.J. Watt catches a TD pass over Karlos Dansby

The Browns took a major step back today with a 23-7 loss to the Houston Texans in Cleveland. The Texans played without Arian Foster, but still racked up a whopping 214 yards on the ground, as rookie tailback Alfred Blue out of LSU ran for 156 yards on 36 carries.

Thirty-six carries by a rookie running back starting his first game. Fifty-four rushing attempts in all. That is Commitment to the Run. Thirty-six carries by a rookie tailback starting his first game. For the Texans, too, Ryan Mallett made his first start and did okay, throwing two TD passes, including one to J.J. Watt.

Cleveland made too many mistakes. Cleveland gave Houston four first downs on penalties, Paul Kruger dropped an interception, and Brian Hoyer was off his game. He tripped over the feet of his own linemen on more than one occasion, and he missed open receivers multiple times.

The Texans ran for 214 yards against the Browns.

Hoyer threw 50 times -- which was about 25 too many attempts for him. He completed 30 of the 50 attempts and had one interception and one TD pass.

Watt hounded Hoyer all day. As reported on NFL.com, "Watt was all over the field. Along with his TD, he recorded a strip sack, made five tackles - three for a loss - recovered a fumble and hurried Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer into several bad throws. Watt provided more proof he's the NFL's best defensive player."

Adding injury to the insult of the loss, defensive leader Karlos Dansby suffered a knee injury. No word yet on how severe the injury is.

Chalk Talk: Mike Mitchell was out of the picture

Steelers' radio broadcaster Tunch Ilkin does a fantastic job in the booth every week, on his radio talk show, and also in his weekly Chalk Talk video-breakdowns of key plays every week on Steelers.com.

Mike Mitchell is on far left of screen, moving toward
Travis Benjamin, who is being trailed by Cortez Allen and
Troy Polamalu in the big circle in the center of the screen,
while Jordan Cameron, in the small circle near the
40-yard marker, make his way to the far sideline.

Following Sunday's game against the Browns, Tunch took a look at the key 45-yard pass play to Cleveland tight end Jordan Cameron immediately following Pittsburgh's botched field goal attempt early in the second quarter.

The Browns set up the Steelers for this misdirection play by their previous commitment to the run (including prior games); their earlier play calls in this game; the three tight-end formation; effective play-action; the movement off the line of scrimmage; and the absolutely perfect execution by Brian Hoyer, Jordan Cameron, Travis Benjamin and everyone else in a Cleveland uniform. Flawless execution on a well-schemed play.

On the Steelers' side of the ball, eh, confusion reigned, and the execution was, shall we say, less than perfect.  In his excellent review of the video, Tunch points out the position of several Steelers and says, "I am not sure who was supposed to be covering him (Jordan Cameron)."

That's because it looks like there were 10 defenders on the field. Why? Safety Mike Mitchell was so far downfield and moving in the wrong direction to boot that he was literally out of the screen on the video. You'll see at about at the 2:33 mark of the video, Mitchell's shadow shows up on the far left of the screen, though, so we know he was actually on the field.

Mitchell just wasn't anywhere near where the ball ended up -- he was moving to the complete opposite side of the field away from Cameron -- along with fellow safety Troy Polamalu and cornerback Cortez Allen. With those two already covering Benjamin, why was Mitchell also going there? And why did leave his side of the field completely wide open? What was he thinking?

Not good judgment or instincts, apparently, on the part of Mitchell.

Lots of wide-open pasture for Jordan Cameron.
Mike Mitchell, meanwhile, is to the far left of the screen , moving in the opposite direction

Again, to review: It was first and 10 at the Steelers' 47-yard line. Cleveland sets up in a three tight end formation, giving the appearance of a running play, with wide receiver Travis Benjamin split wide right. Jordan Cameron is the near tight end off the left tackle. As the ball is snapped, the line flows right, but Benjamin streaks downfield on a slant post while Cameron meanders sneakily on a cross in the opposite direction across the back of the line behind the linebackers. Cameron pivots and makes his way downfield along the right sideline. He gets wide open. Why?

Because, if you look at Tunch's video, in the pre-snap formation, Mike Mitchell had lined up 20 yards downfield on Benjamin's side, where Cameron ended up. As the soon as the ball was snapped, Mitchell immediately started dropping back even further and moving to his right. In other words, he followed Benjamin, who was streaking across the field toward the far corner, providing unneeded backup to both Cortez Allen and Troy Polamalu, who were also in trail.

Despite all the attention, by the way, Benjamin was still wide open, and Hoyer could have hit him just as easily as Jordan. That's because neither Cortez Allen nor Troy Polamalu could keep up with the speedy Benjamin, and Mitchell was nowhere near him, either.

By the time Hoyer released the ball, Mitchell was so far downfield, about 40 yards, he was completely out of the picture. His shadow was still there, on the far left side of the screen, so you could see that he was moving in the direction of Benjamin -- and completely in the opposite direction of Cameron.

And that's how Jordan Cameron got so wide open. A breakdown in the Steelers' secondary, and to our untrained eye, it looks like Mike Mitchell should have stayed on his side of the field and at least tried to close some ground to cover the wide-open Jordan Cameron.  Had he been over there, Mitchell might have at least stopped some of the yards after catch. That 45-yard completion completely turned the momentum of the game, and it was all downhill from there.

You can watch Tunch's entire "Chalk Talk" video of the play at this link. It's instructive, revealing and ultimately dismaying. As Tunch said, "After that, it was Katie bar the door."

A Lot of "Obviously" and Do Tell?

Odds and ends, dissa and datta ...

Mike Tomlin offered much of the familiar blah, blah, blah during his weekly media session, with a lot of "obviously."

Remember last week, before the game, when Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine hinted that the Browns were aware of several "tells" from Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers' offense? Everybody dismissed that talk as so much gamesmanship, but ... 

Following Sunday's loss to the Browns, Cleveland linebacker Karlos Dansby had this to say:

“We were out-executing them,” said Dansby. “We were beating them to the punch. We knew how they wanted to attack us. We were just well prepared.”

Hmmm, maybe there was something to all those veiled references about Roethlisberger's "tells," and maybe Todd Haley's play-calling tendencies, too.

Dansby finished the game with 11 tackles and his 40th career sack. He's provided smarts, toughness and veteran leadership for the Browns, kind of how James Farrior was for the Steelers. Too bad the Steelers didn't sign Dansby when he became a free agent after Arizona let him walk two years ago. He would have been a perfect fit.

For that matter, veteran safety Donte Whitner has also added toughness and leadership to Cleveland's secondary. He would look good in a Steelers' uniform about now, too. Mike Mitchell, the free-agent safety the Steelers signed in the off-season doesn't seem to be working out too well, with just one example to follow in our next post examining the first big pass to Jordan Cameron.

A new era in Steeler football

Over the past six quarters vs. the Cleveland Browns, the Steelers have been outscored 55-13.

A new era in Steeler football has begun. Sunday's 31-10 drubbing that the Steelers "swallowed" (to use Mike Tomlin's term) makes the .500 Steelers 19-19 over the past 38 games (nearly two-and-a-half years). That record provides enough of a sample size to allow only one conclusion: The Steelers are mediocre at best. And that's being generous.

Actually, they're a bad football team right now, and the future looks unpromising. So much for "stacking wins."

Jordan Cameron scorched Cortez Allen, et al

"We have to swallow this one and we will," Mike Tomlin said after the fiasco.

That sentiment is unacceptable. We've heard Tomlin say that sort of thing before, and it's getting old. It sounds very much like Tomlin and the players and coaches are willing and able to accept losing. How about rejecting, or regurgitating, losses like this, eh, Coach? How's that for a concept?

"Hopefully it will be a learning experience for us moving forward," Tomlin added.

Apparently not. Haven't the Steelers had enough "learning experiences" over the past two-and-a-half years? How many more "learning experiences" do they need?

The on-field ineffectiveness that is becoming chronic reflects poor talent, poor preparedness and poor coaching. There's no other way to explain it.

Once again, they were lousy in the red zone (0-3) and goal-to-go efficiency (0-2). Todd Haley, do you have a clue?

The Stupid Penalties Continue
Here's a question for Coach Tomlin: What happened to the emphasis on averting pre-snap and post-snap penalties?

Bob Labriola on Steelers.com makes the following salient points about some of the stupid yet hurtful six penalties the Steelers incurred:

• "The first quarter ended with the Steelers having a first down at the Cleveland 24-yard line. Following the television timeout, the Steelers had to burn a timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty."

• "Pittsburgh’s next offensive possession ended in a three-and-out, and then Sean Spence was flagged for a false start, which meant Brad Wing ended up punting from the Steelers 15-yard line."

• "On a third-and-5 from the Steelers 34-yard line, Troy Polamalu got good pressure on Brian Hoyer, whose hurried throw to Jordan Cameron became a first down when safety Mike Mitchell was flagged for pass interference." 

• "First-and-goal at the Browns 1-yard line. After a slant pass to Antonio Brown that was incomplete, Kelvin Beachum was flagged for a dead ball personal foul that pushed the ball back to the 16-yard line. After two mis-fires between Ben Roethlisberger and Markus Wheaton in the end zone, the Steelers ultimately turned the ball over on downs at the Cleveland 9-yard line."

Where's the Talent?

Brian Hoyer had a clean pocket and plenty of time to throw.

The lack of talent is glaring. The secondary is awful. The front seven is just bad.

How about those off-season free-agent additions? Whatever other skills safety Mike Mitchell may have, pass coverage isn't one of them. And neither is tackling. Cam Thomas is a fat slob who looks lazy, soft and slow. If he's a "space-eater," why were the Browns able to run through gaping holes up the middle after Steve McClendon left with injury? Wide receiver Lance Moore is dissed by his own coaching staff and dropped a critical pass early in the third quarter.

Why did they sign these guys?

The judgment shown in evaluating personnel merits scrutiny and second-guessing. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls keep bringing this up, and it goes back to 2012, but ... Josh Victorian over Brian Hoyer?

Maybe Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin should have signed Vic So'oto instead of James Harrison. As great as Harrison has been throughout his illustrious career, maybe the Steelers should have allowed him to stay retired.

This was a crossroads game for both teams, and it's clear: For the Steelers, "the arrow is pointing down."

Game 6: Steelers at Cleveland

Pittsburgh, by Peter Max

Today's game between the Steelers and Browns features two quarterbacks who were spurned by the team on the opposite sideline.

On 24, 2004, with the sixth overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns passed on the opportunity to select Ben Roethlisberger. Instead, the Browns put their chips on tight end Kellen Winslow, Jr., who is out of football.

Cleveland has not had more than five wins in a season since 2007, and Roethlisberger has helped the Steelers win two Super Bowls.

Roethilsberger''s career record vs. the Browns is 18-1.

On Dec. 8, 2012, the Steelers released quarterback Brian Hoyer, who had been on their roster for two-and-a-half weeks. Instead of keeping Hoyer as a backup to Charlie Batch (after Byron Leftwich was put on injured reserve), the Steelers opted to promote reserve defensive back Josh Victorian, who is out of football. The Detroit Lions released Victorian just this past week.

In retrospect, it is mind-boggling that the Steelers kept a fringe-undrafted-free-agent-backup defensive back instead of a three-year veteran NFL quarterback who had been the understudy to Tom Brady and in the tutelage of Bill Bellichick and quarterbacks coach Tom O'Brien in New England.  Hoyer is proving this year that he is without a doubt a starting-caliber NFL quarterback. Why the Steelers discarded him for Victorian is a question only Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and Todd Haley can answer.

"We really got kind of excited about Brian while he was here,'' Haley said this week. "He is a really smart guy. He was well prepared. He brought a lot to the meetings and out on the field. He has real good football intellect as far as the feel and what was going on.''

If he was so impressive in 2012, Todd, why then did the Steelers release Hoyer? Was Josh Victorian that much more impressive?

No doubt the Brown wish they had selected Roethlisberger. And the Steelers must surely regret they allowed Hoyer to slip away and become the starting quarterback for division rival Cleveland, leading a resurgence for the Browns.

Brian Hoyer has marginalized Johnny Football

Brian Hoyer (No. 3), on the Steelers'
practice field with Charlie Batch (No. 16), in 2012

Sunday will be Brian Hoyer's last day as a 28-year-old.

Born Oct. 13, 1985, the former Steeler will take the field as the undisputed on-field leader of the Cleveland Browns. And, if a team with a 2-2 record can be perceived as an upstart, it is this year's Browns, and that is largely due to Hoyer.

The world no longer waits with bated breath for Johnny Manziel. Unless he does something stupid that lands him on TMZ between now and Sunday afternoon, America's breathless fascination with Johnny Football has ebbed.

The cool, level-headed play of Hoyer, the sober one of the two quarterbacks, has quelled virtually all talk of Manziel taking over as Browns' starting quarterback anytime soon.

Brian Hoyer

Hoyer's been more than solid. He ranks ninth among NFL quarterback in Quarterback Rating, at 97.3, which is not far off Ben Roethlisberger's sixth-rated 100.1.

Hoyer has completed 82 of 132 passes (62.1%). Roethlisberger has completed 122 of 177 passes (68.9%).

Keeping in mind that the Browns have played just four games vs. five games played by the Steelers ... Why in the name of Todd Haley have the Browns averaged more points than the Steelers?

Yes, the Browns have scored 25.8 points per game vs. Pittsburgh's 22.8 points per game.

The one thing that concerns us about this game is that Cleveland has a superior offensive line. Their O-line gets a good push for the running game and typically sets a clean pocket for Hoyer, who is decisive and releases the ball quickly. He doesn't take many sacks (just five in four games, vs. Roethlisberger's 15 in five games), and he makes good decisions. He's thrown just one interception in four games and hasn't fumbled.

On defense, though, Cleveland's surrendered more points than Pittsburgh: 26.3 vs. the Steelers' 21.6 points per game allowed.

Looking at stats and numbers all day can make your head spin. They can also lead to misleading conclusions.

Long-suffering Cleveland fans have every right to be excited about the direction of their team. Joey Porter's Pit Bulls suspect they are going to be disappointed on Sunday when the overly amped Browns make too many mistakes and find a way to lose to the Steelers on a windy day in Cleveland.

It says here the Steelers will win in Cleveland. On Monday, Brian Hoyer's 29th birthday will not be entirely candles and cake.

A Crossroads Game

There may not be a more fascinating contest in the NFL this season. The Steelers vs. Browns on Sunday in Cleveland is sure to be full of intensity, drama and twists 'n turns nobody can predict.

This is a crossroads game for the Browns. Win, and they may confidently build on the momentum they've gained so far this year. Lose, and it's more of the same ole same old.

It's a pivotal game for the Steelers, too. Todd Haley's offense MUST score more than 10 points, which is all they managed in Jacksonville. That's ridiculous.

And Dick LeBeau's defense must withstand an aggressive uptempo, no-huddle offense fueled by Cleveland's impressive running game. As noted previously on Joey Porter's Pit Bulls, the Browns are No Longer a Running Joke.

The Browns run the ball even when they are way down on the scoreboard.

Fueled by their running game, the Browns have proven the ability come back from large deficits: 24 points in Pittsburgh and 25 points in Nashville. In last Sunday's game vs. the Titans, Cleveland ran the ball 25 times after they'd fallen behind by 25 points. Their run/pass ratio for the game was balanced: 36 runs and 37 passes.

• In Jacksonville, Steelers' running backs had 25 rushing attempts, and Ben Roethlisberger dropped back to pass 41 times, which includes five sacks and 35 pass attempts.

• Against Tampa Bay, Steelers' running backs had 24 carries, and Ben Roethlisberger dropped back 45 times, including five sacks.

• In the convincing win over Carolina, the running backs (Bell and Blount) had 31 carries, and Ben Roethlisberger dropped back 31 times. An even 50-50.

Which Team Runs More?
For all the talk about Cleveland's commitment to the run and Todd Haley's spotty run/pass ratios, it should be noted: Pittsburgh has more rushing attempts than Cleveland: 136 (11th in the NFL) to 127 (17th in the NFL) this year.

Questions abound: Which team on Sunday will be more successful running the ball? Will Roethlisberger exploit a Cleveland secondary likely to give substantial playing time rookie Justin Gilbert, the first-rounder who has been less than impressive so far, even according to Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine?

Lots of questions, but one thing is certain: The Steelers' offense MUST put more than 10 points on the scoreboard.

How different things might be today ...

Think how different things might be today if the Steelers had not released quarterback Brian Hoyer on Dec. 8, 2012.

Considering the Steelers had just signed Hoyer two-and-a-half weeks earlier, on Nov. 20, it was a curious move, but Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin felt they just had to have an extra defensive back for depth in an ailing secondary.

Quick quiz: Who was that extra defensive back the Steelers added to the roster on Dec. 8, 2012? That was the day they released Hoyer.

Josh Victorian, in a Steelers uniform in 2012

It was Josh Victorian, who was released just yesterday by the Detroit Lions to make room for somebody named Mike Harris, a cornerback promoted from Detroit's practice squad. And if you know anything about Detroit's secondary this year, well, getting released by the Lions at this point cannot bode well for Mr. Victorian's future in the NFL.

Victorian, dreadlocks and all, wore No. 35 for the Steelers during those last four games of the 2012 season, three of which were losses.

He got in on 10 tackles. The three losses started the very next day after the Steelers released Hoyer: Horrifically, to the Chargers at home in the snow; to the Cowboys at Dallas, where Tony Romo absolutely lit up the Pittsburgh secondary; and also an ugly last-minute loss to the Bengals at Heinz Field. We have vague but unpleasant memories of Victorian struggling in those losses, particularly against the Chargers.

What may have happened had the Steelers kept Hoyer and released another player instead from that roster?

Who knows? Maybe Bruce Gradkowski would be the starting quarterback for the Browns on Sunday instead of Hoyer. Maybe even Johnny Manziel?

One thing is certain, though: The Browns wouldn't be enjoying the resurgence of hope and spark of life Hoyer has injected into that long-dormant, miserable life form of a franchise. Hoyer's played extremely well this year and has quieted virtually all talk of Johnny Football taking over. In four games this year, Hoyer has been crisp and efficient, completing 62.1% of his passes, throwing just one interception and getting sacked just five times. His QB rating is 97.7. He's thrown for 1,008 yards.

Just for fun, check out the series of roster moves the Steelers made during that ill-fated 2012 season, courtesy of Wikipedia:

• On September 7, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers signed free agent (CB) DeMarcus Van Dyke to a 1-year contract.^[39]

• On October 16, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers signed (DE) Corbin Bryant to the active roster, signed (G) Jacques McClendon to the practice squad and released (TE) Jamie McCoy.^[40]

• On October 16, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers suspended (NT) Alameda Ta'amu for two games.^[41]

• On October 20, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers promoted (OL) John Malecki to the active roster and released (DE) Corbin Bryant.^[42]

• On October 27, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers promoted (S) Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith to the active roster and released (OL) John Malecki.^[43]

• On October 29, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers reinstated (NT) Alameda Ta'amu.^[44]

• On October 31, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers released (S) Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith.^[45]

• On November 12, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers promoted (WR) David Gilreath to the active roster and released (NT) Alameda Ta'amu.^[46]

• On November 15, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers promoted (LB) Marshall McFadden to the active roster and signed (TE) Jamie McCoy to the practice squad.^[47]

• On November 20, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers signed unrestricted free agent (WR) Plaxico Burress and free agent (QB) Brian Hoyer to 1-year contracts and also released (RB) Baron Batch and (LB) Marshall McFadden.^[48]

• On November 26, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers promoted (OL) John Malecki to the active roster and released (WR) David Gilreath.^[49]

• On December 8, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers promoted (CB) Josh Victorian to the active roster and released (QB) Brian Hoyer.^[50]

• On December 11, 2012 the Pittsburgh Steelers suspended (RB) Rashard Mendenhall for one game for conduct detrimental to the team and promoted (RB) Baron Batch to the active roster.^[51]

Credit Where Credit is Due

We take it back. In the week preceding the season opener, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls asserted the Cleveland Browns weren't built to come from behind.

We were wrong, clearly, in the wake of the Browns' 24-point second-half rally at Heinz Field and also in light of this past Sunday's 29-28 win in Nashville, where the Browns scored the biggest comeback by a road team in NFL history, coming from 25 points behind to beat the Titans.

How wrong we were. In their first four games, the Browns have trailed by an average of 9.8 points at halftime in each game this year. Yet they gave the Steelers all they could handle; they beat the Saints; they battled the Ravens till the very end; and they gave the Titans more than they could handle.  It turns out the Browns can play catch-up in the second half of games. Who knew?

Karlos Dansby's fumble recovery in Week 1

If their first four games are an accurate indication, Cleveland has a resilient, determined team that is mentally and physically tough. How did that happen, besides the influence of first-year head coach Mike Pettine?

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have always liked linebacker Karlos Dansby and safety Donte Whitner, the two big free-agent signings this past off-season. These two have added veteran leadership, grit, passion, tenacity, determination and toughness to an otherwise anonymous defense that's been developing young talent for the past two or three years. Dansby and Whitner lead the Browns in tackles, with 31 and 30, respectively.

Travis Benjamin, after a TD at Heinz Field, Week 1

On offense, who would have figured the team could consistently battle back from second-half deficits without star wide receiver Josh Gordon. In stepped Travis Benjamin, fresh off a year lost to an ACL injury, and he has been a revelation so far this season. He caught the game-tying touchdown in Pittsburgh and the game-winner in Nashville. He's good.

Without Gordon, we wouldn't have figured Brian Hoyer to try to throw deep very often. But he's not been shy about going deep, even if only to keep defenses honest. Benjamin's speed helps in that department.

No Longer a Running Joke 
Another surprising thing about the Browns is the success of their running game. They racked up a staggering 191 yards on the ground vs. the Steelers, including runs of 29 and 25 yards, and 6.1 yards per rush. They've been running ever since. The Browns rank fourth in the NFL in rushing at 143.2 yards per game. The Steelers are seventh in rushing, at 137.2 yards per game -- and why the Steelers' pass/run ratio went back to out-of-whack mode last Sunday is another topic for another day.

We saw in the season opener that the Browns would run the ball even when they're behind. One reason they are willing to do that is they have an excellent offensive line. They haven't been afraid to flex their muscles behind Pro Bowlers Joe Thomas and Alex Mack, veteran guard John Greco and rookie standout Joel Bittonio,  from Nevada, who has stepped in at guard as if he's a younger Logan Mankins.

On Sunday, the Steelers are going to have to prove they can stop the run. The converse is true, too: The Browns are going to have to stop the Steelers' running game. It will be interesting to see who is more committed to sticking with the run.

STOMP, Stomped, and then a Win. "Obviously."

Antonio Brown stomps Spencer Lanning.
Photo Credit: Gene Puskar / AP

The final score almost doesn't matter.  Yes, it was a win, thankfully, but the second half is pretty much all anybody will talk about, and it was alarming. As ESPN.com's Scott Brown wrote, "The Steelers were unstoppable in the first half and unwatchable in the second half."

Final score: 30-27, in favor of the Steelers, but ... mistakes, 11 penalties, poor choices, plays allowed and plays not made, including Ike Taylor's trademarked interception-drop to be followed by an opponent's touchdown a few plays later.

It almost doesn't matter what the Steelers did in the first half. They stunk up their own stadium in the second half. The defense let the Cleveland Stinking Browns come back from a 24-point halftime deficit. That was Disgusting.

Good defenses don't blow 24-point halftime leads.

Granted, there were numerous good plays by more than a few Steelers, and several players were downright outstanding: Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Heath Miller, LeVeon Bell, Justin Brown and Ben Roethlisberger.  Even the Special Teams were mostly good.

In some positions, however, maybe the Steelers just don't have the right talent. The front office gave contract extensions to Cortez Allen (why?), Maurkice Pouncey (?) and Marcus Gilbert (??). The offensive line anchored by Pouncey and Gilbert allowed four sacks, which is too many. "Obviously."

Let's see, four sacks a game for 16 games = 60 sacks. Obviously. Numbers like that rarely extrapolate so neatly, but, still, the idea is to protect Ben, isn't it?

And the defense? Ugh. In Joey Porter's Pit Bulls' posts during the week before the game, it was noted the Steelers must stop the run. They didn't.

The Browns racked up 183 yards on the ground, including runs of 29 and 25 yards, and 6.1 yards per rush.

Allowing 183 yards on the ground is unacceptable by anybody's criteria.

The porous defense allowed running back Terrance West, a small-college (Towson) rookie playing his first NFL game, to run for 100 yards, and another small-college rookie, Isiah Crowell (Alabama State), to score two touchdowns. West averaged 6.8 yards per carry; Crowell averaged 6.4 yards per carry, and starter Ben Tate averaged 6.8 yards per carry before leaving with an injury.

Mike Mitchell, in trail

Backup and no-name receivers running free made us wonder why Cortez Allen got an extension.

And, we have to ask, where was Mike Mitchell, the big-money free agent safety? He was in on seven tackles, but if anybody thinks he had anything resembling a good game, uh, no. Same goes for Ike Taylor, Jason Worilds, Cam Thomas and Steve McClendon.

Each of the linebackers had at least one good, noteworthy play, but there were plays and tackles left unmade, and that was obvious by the numbers.

The Steelers had better get their act together by Thursday.

Next game: Thursday night in Baltimore vs. the Ravens, who clearly have problems of their own.

Game Day 1: Browns at Steelers. "Singular Focus. Obviously."

You'd think, hope and expect the Steelers will be ready to start the 2014 season today. At home. Versus the stinking Cleveland Browns, the Black 'n Gold's historical and geographical arch-rival, never mind the 24-4 record vs. the Browns since 2000.

The Steelers should stomp this team.

Then again, you'd think the Steelers would have been ready to open the season in 2013. At home. Versus a mediocre Tennessee Titans team that had no business coming into Pittsburgh and beating the Steelers.

The Steelers also lost their 2012 season opener, 31-19, in Denver. And they got walloped in an ugly, 35-7 beating by the Ravens in the 2011 season opener in Baltimore.

The concern for today's game, though, goes back to last year. There's no disputing the Steelers weren't ready for the 2013 season. They went 0-4 to start the regular season.

And the Steelers didn't look particularly crisp this pre-season.

The Browns have been worse than the Steelers in season openers. In fact, the Browns have lost nine season openers in a row. When they lose their 10th today, it will set an NFL record. For what it's worth, Vic Carucci on the Browns' website noted, "the last time the Browns began a season in Pittsburgh, 1989, they also had a first-year head coach in Bud Carson. They won, 51-0. "

On the other hand, Mike Pettine, Cleveland's rookie head coach, surely is aware that the last seven Browns head coaches have lost their debut with Cleveland.

What about today?
To win today, the Steelers must stop the run. Last year, opponents averaged 4.4. yards per carry vs. the Steelers. The Browns are going to try to run the ball. It's all they have on offense. The Steelers must stop the run.

On offense, the Steelers would do well to score early and force the Browns to play catch-up, on the road in a noisy, hostile environment, with a new coaching staff and a squad comprised of 12 rookies, 23 undrafted free agents, numerous first-time starters, and a whopping 26 players who weren't on Cleveland's roster at the end of last season.

The Steelers can and should win this game ... IF Mike Tomlin has them ready this time around.

Browns Week: With Baltimore looming, let's not look past the Browns, although they stink

As bad as the Browns have been in recent years and, more crucially, with Game 2 vs. Baltimore looming just four days after the season opener vs. Cleveland, let's all hope that nobody on the Steelers is looking past the Browns, as incredible and absurd as that sounds for a home opener vs. the team's historical and geographical rival.

The Steelers have lost their past three season openers, however, and came out flat last year in their loss to the Titans at Heinz Field.  If there was ever a team to stomp, it is this year's Browns.

Cleveland Browns fans

The Browns have been a rolling clown car of a franchise for quite a while now and this past off-season in particular.  Their quarterback situation has received so much focus, it's easy to overlook some of their better attributes. Their defense was in the NFL's top 10 last year. The offensive line is anchored by two Pro Bowlers, tackle Joe Thomas and center Alex Mack. Their running game could be good. Tight end Jordan Cameron is a Pro Bowler and is a capable receiving threat.

Their wide receivers, though, are question marks, and some observers have derided this corps as the worst receiver group in the NFL. Starters Miles Austin and Andrew Hawkins have had some success in the NFL, but Austin has been slowed by injuries the past couple of years, and Hawkins has always played in the slot.  He will start on the outside for the Browns. The third receiver, Travis Benjamin, is a smallish, pure speedster (4.29) who is coming off a year lost to an ACL. He has mostly specialized in kick/punt returns. He will get some snaps at wide receiver, but Hawkins is their most dangerous receiver right now.

One thing about the pre-season games: The Browns' quarterbacks, Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel, took almost no shots downfield.  We're not sure they can. Neither have cannon arms, and Cleveland's scheme may not be set up for long downfield passes.  That's the perception, anyway, as most observers assume the Browns will rely mostly on their running game and quick, relatively safe passes to sustain drives and eat up the clock. They'll try to and avoid sacks and turnovers, which could be a real bugaboo for the Browns this year, given their QBs.

Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is aware of all this, of course, and Joey Porter's Pit Bulls expect that he will indeed have Hoyer try to get the ball to Hawkins, occasionally. The 5'7" Hawkins (a Johnstown, Pa. native) is one of those quick, slippery, nimble guys with short strides and a good, explosive first step. Whether he has long speed? Maybe. Whether he can battle a cornerback all the way downfield and out-jump or battle for a long pass is another thing. He is, after all, just 5'7" tall.

“You need a lot of speed to play outside,” Shanahan said of Hawkins. “He’s got the speed. You’ve got to have quickness to play inside. He’s got the quickness.

Shanahan continued: "You can’t just go out and run, run, pass every play. I don’t think you’re going to do well. The key to this league is keeping defenses off balance. If you’re one dimensional – I don’t care how good you are in that dimension – defenses will find a way to stop you. The players are too good. The coaches are too good. You have to do everything.”

Whether the Browns can do everything isn't what they should be worrying about. It's whether they can do anything.

The Browns aren't equipped to play catch-up

It will serve the Steelers well to get off to a fast start on Sunday. 

Here's a suggestion, Mike Tomlin: If your team wins the coin toss, accept the kick for a change.

We all know Tomlin will defer, if he gets the chance, figuring it smart to put Cleveland's shaky offense on the field first in front of a hostile and hopefully noisy Heinz Field crowd. And maybe that is the conventionally "football-smart" thing to do.

But Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would love to see Dri Archer have a chance to return the kickoff all the way and really set the tone.

C'mon, Steelers, if there was ever a game to be aggressive, this is it: Administer a beat-down on the Browns so bad, it will make Cleveland fans long for 43-0 (the 1999 "return of the Browns" season opener) and 41-0 (Christmas Eve, 2005, when James Harrison body-slammed a Cleveland fan running around on the field)

The Cleveland Browns are not built to play catch-up football. Opening on the road with a first-time head coach, a new starting quarterback, and a new set of receivers, the Browns hope to play a ground-it-out game of attrition: Pound the ball on the ground with running back Ben Tate, eat up clock, hope its defense can force the Steelers into a series of three-and-outs, keep the game close and hope to find a way to pull it out at the end.

Stop the Run
The Steelers cannot allow any of that. On defense, the Steelers' run defense -- which allowed an alarming number of big plays last year and an uncharacteristic number of plus-100-yard rushing games both last year and this pre-season -- must stop the run. It's all the Browns have (besides tight end Jordan Cameron).

On offense, the Steelers need to stomp the Browns early and often, and then put the pedal to the metal. Get up early, and the Browns will panic. And make mistakes. And fold.

To counter the Steelers' passing game, the Browns are going to lean heavily on its pass rush. Kevin Jones, a staff writer on the Browns' team website, makes this point:

"The Steelers posted a 3-6 record in 2013 when their quarterback was sacked three times or more. The team who dropped Big Ben to the floor the most? The Buffalo Bills sacked Roethlisberger four times and of course the unit was led by Mike Pettine. ... A strategy the Browns might employ in sacking Roethlisberger is attacking Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert. The fourth-year pro gave up 11 total sacks in 2013, third worst in the entire NFL. Even though Cleveland is fond of rotating their outside linebackers on various sides, the Browns coaching staff should go into the game with an idea of whether Paul Kruger, Barkevious Mingo or Jabaal Sheard presents the toughest challenge for Gilbert." 

That may be, but the Steelers still have enough firepower to keep the pressure on a Browns' defense that finished in the top 10 last year, but which Joey Porter's Pit Bulls suspect is over-rated and will struggle this year, in part because Cleveland's offense will not be able to sustain drives or control time of possession.

Here's another thing the Browns have going against them: History. The Browns have had no stability in the coaching ranks over the past decade, and the fact is, the last seven Cleveland head coaches have lost their debut NFL game. Rookie head coach Mike Pettine brings a Cleveland squad into Heinz Field that has a whopping 22 undrafted free agents and question marks all over the roster, especially at quarterback.

After last Saturday's "final" roster cutdown, the Browns were still scrambling to fill holes and promptly made four additional roster moves. There are a lot of moving parts on that team, and a lot of question marks, and that is not usually a good sign for any team.

It's been 11 years since the Browns won a game in Pittsburgh, and the Steelers should be primed and ready to break their own ignominious and inexcusable streak of losing their last three season openers. The Steelers, shamefully, weren't ready to open last season, losing at home to Mike Munchak's Tennessee Titans and then going 0-4. There is no reason for them not to be ready this time around.

This is one game the Steelers should not fool around with.

Something you may not know about the Browns ...

Twenty-two (22!) players on Cleveland's 53-man roster are undrafted free agents (UFAs). Yikes. By comparison, the 2014 Steelers have 10 UFAs.

Somebody else can look this up, but Joey Porter's Pit Bulls wouldn't be surprised if Cleveland's 22 UFAs are an all-time NFL high.

Alejandro Villaneuva: A Tight End in the Making?
Speaking of undrafted free agents, one of the Steelers' new practice squad members is 25-year-old Alejandro Villaneuva, 6'9", 277, who is listed as an offensive tackle but sounds like he has the makings of a tight end (and target in the red zone).

Alejandro Villaneuva, as a wide receiver for Army.
Photos courtesy of MMQB.SI, which provided the following caption:
"As a receiver at Army, Alejandro Villanueva pulled in a one-handed grab against VMI in November 2009 (left) and soared against Navy a month later. (Frank DiBrango/Icon SMI and Matt Slocum/AP)"

A graduate of West Point, Villaneuva spent three tours of duty in Afghanistan, where he was awarded a Bronze Star for valor. Currently, he is a captain in the U.S. Army Rangers Reserve. Here's what ProFootballTalk.com had to say about him:

"Villanueva, who played at West Point and served as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan before returning to football, has been added to the Steelers practice squad. The Steelers list Villanueva as an offensive lineman, which he played in college before making the rare move from tackle to wide receiver, while the Eagles were trying the 6-foot-9 prospect as a defensive lineman."

Let's see: A 6'9", 277-lb. guy who has experience playing both tackle and wide receiver? To Joey Porter's Pit Bulls, that sounds like: "Tight end and red zone target."

Browns Week: Hello, Cleveland.

What do we really know about the 2014 Cleveland Browns? ... other than that, from top to bottom, they are probably the most dysfunctional organization in the NFL and that they had probably the most tumultuous off-season of any franchise. On the field, however, what can we expect to see on Sunday at Heinz Field?

What we do know is that the Browns have a rookie head coach, Mike Pettine, about whom questions are already being asked.  And it is fair to question the way he's handled the two-headed quarterback monster that is the combination of Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel.

As for the coordinators, Cleveland's offensive coordinator is the polarizing Kyle Shanahan.

The Browns have some good personnel on defense, but, in Jim O'Neil, they have a first-time NFL defensive coordinator. Nobody knows how he's going to handle the defense, which also happens to be Pettine's specialty, so we can expect to see his stamp on it to some extent.

Back on offense, this will be the first time former Steeler (for about 20 minutes) Brian Hoyer opens a season as an NFL starting quarterback. The Browns plan to do a "running back by committee" approach, according to Pettine, and they have a pretty good offensive line.  But they have a receiving corps that is questionable, at best, except for Jordan Cameron, who is a very good tight end.

For what it's worth, Vic Carucci on the Browns' website noted, "the last time the Browns began a season in Pittsburgh, 1989, they also had a first-year head coach in Bud Carson. They won, 51-0. "

The last time the Browns beat the Steelers was in 2012, in Cleveland, when they forced eight turnovers on a windy day with Charlie Batch at QB for the Steelers.

The Steelers should win this game, but what do we really know about the 2014 Pittsburgh Steelers? ...  If they don't win this game, at home, look out below.

It all starts with the quarterback ...

In Cleveland, the Browns have had 20 starting quarterbacks since 1999. That's right, 20 starting quarterbacks.

In the past six years, the Browns have had five different opening day quarterbacks.

This year, the Browns will open with former Steeler Brian Hoyer at QB. Hoyer was with Pittsburgh for about 20 minutes, you might recall, in 2012.

Turnabout is fair play, and it's worth noting (or not) that current Steelers' backup QB Bruce Gradkowski started for Cleveland against the Steelers in Week 17 of the 2008 season.  Gradkowski completed 5 of 16 passes for 18 yards. He three two interceptions and had a quarterback rating of 1.0. The Browns lost, 31-0.

It will be interesting to see whether Hoyer fares better against the Steelers this Sunday than Gradkowski did against the Steelers in 2008.

Since 2008, the Browns have had the following head coachs: Mike Pettine (2014), Rob Chudzinski (2013), Pat Shurmur (2011-12), Eric Mangini (2009-10) and Romeo Crennel (2008).

The Browns' offensive coordinators: Kyle Shanahan in 2014, Norv Turner in 2013, Pat Shurmur in 2011-12; Brian Dabol in 2009-10.

In Cleveland, the Factory of Sadness grinds on.

Looking forward to the season opener

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We're so happy the Cleveland Browns have Johnny! Johnny!! Johnny!!! Manziel. On Monday night vs. the Washington Redskins, Manziel was the player we'd thought he was: scrawny, manic, skittish and inaccurate.  Better yet, he flashed the finger on national television. Classy.

Manziel looked unready for NFL competition. He appeared as if, instead of working out and readying himself mentally during the months following the NFL draft ... well, he looked as if maybe he'd been partying hard right up to the beginning of training camp. But that couldn't be right, could it?

Johnny Manziel's swan dive

Monday night, Manziel flashed the finger immaturity evident in earlier displays this summer, from the "money phone," to the champagne swan, to the highly publicized trip to Vegas and the rolled-up $20 bill in a bathroom, to his partying-with-the-Bieb escapades and antics on TMZ, Twitter and Instagram. So far as we're concerned, it's all good. We're Steelers fans.

After Monday night's display, when Manziel was consistently off-target and throwing behind receivers on mostly short routes, it seems doubtful Manziel will play much, if at all, in the season opener in Pittsburgh. Against the Redskins, Manziel went 7-16 passing for just 65 yards. The middle-finger flash was icing on the excrement. His performance reflected poorly on the Browns, and himself.

“It did not sit well,” Browns coach Mike Pettine said of Manziel’s gesture. “I was informed of it after the game and it’s disappointing. Because what we talk about is being poised and being focused — that you have to be able to maintain your poise.”

Steeler Nation cannot help but watch with fascination what is happening in Cleveland. The Browns have had an off-season marked by turmoil, chaos, turbulence and discord, not to mention false steps, mis-steps, blatant incompetence, tomfoolery, chicanery, skulduggery and hijinks of the most eyebrow-raising, head-shaking sort, from the firing of head coach Rob Chudzinski, CEO Jim Banner and general manager Mike Lombardi, to the clownish buffonery and legal troubles of owner Jimmy Haslam, to the flirtation with Jim Harbaugh, to the delayed hiring of a rookie head coach (Mike Pettine) and then a first-time general manager (Ray Farmer); the off-season antics of players like Josh Gordon (DUI, etc.), Davone Bess, etc., ad infinitum, ad nauseum.  

The big story, of course, has been all the drama wrapped around Johnny Sporkball. Rookie coach Mike Pettine has not handled the quarterback situation well, and it doesn't look like it's going to get better anytime soon in Cleveland.