(Photo: Pittsburgh Post -Gazette)

AFC Game Of The Week 

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns 

Steelers: I’ll forever laugh at the people I see that say they want Mike Tomlin fired. Whenever I read that, I will always respond to their outrageous statement with a question: Who are you going to find that’s better than Mike? Since taking the Pittsburgh job, he’s won two AFC titles, several division titles and most importantly, the man has never recorded a losing record as the Head Coach. This is year two of life without Ben Roethlisberger and he still has this team afloat. If I were playing today, he’d be one of the guys I’d love to play for because not only is Mike a true players coach, he’s a leader of men who will show you how to conduct yourself as a man off the field. The Steelers are 6-3 and are the quietest 6-3 team I’ve ever witnessed. Yes, other teams may have better records, but they are in the mix of things believe it or not in a wild AFC North, yet alone the AFC as a whole. Sunday against the Packers was the best I’ve seen them look all year. Yes, it was a game they had to grind out and the defense did what I expected of them. This is one of those teams I can always pencil in to have an elite defense on a yearly basis. A few weeks back when I called their offense out, I remember saying to stop putting everything on Kenny Pickett and get back to basic Pittsburgh Steelers football which is running the ball. I’ve even said go back to the style of play they incorporated with a young Big Ben. Run the football, let the Quarterback control things, but he can still make a throw when necessary. The Steelers ran the football for over 200 yards on Sunday and I couldn’t be more proud of them. Kenny only threw the football a total of 23 times which is perfect for him until he further develops. Never throw the towel in on this football team because they’ll find a way to win games nonetheless. On Sunday, they will do battle in Cleveland.

Browns: I’ve enjoyed watching them this year. On Sunday, the odds were stacked against them in Baltimore and as to be expected because the Ravens were one of the hottest teams in football and many, myself included were considering them to be the best team in the AFC, maybe even in the NFL. It looked ugly at first, but what’s the saying? It isn’t how you start, it’s how you finish and they erased a 15 point lead to win a two point game against the Ravens. I’ll tell you what the difference is in this game compared to the first meeting when the Ravens just stomped all over the Browns. Deshaun Watson was the starting Quarterback. Remember, he didn’t play in the first meeting due to a shoulder injury. It truly makes all the difference in the world when a key piece of the puzzle is healthy and on the field. In the second half in Baltimore, Deshaun couldn’t have played any better and that’s the best I’ve seen him look in a while. He completed every pass he threw in the second half and was one of the main reasons for the comeback. Sunday was a statement win for the Cleveland Browns and they made things a bit more interesting in a division that’s been the best in the NFL this year. This is hands down Kevin Stefanski’s best job since 2020, his first year when he won Coach of the Year. This is a gritty football team that won’t go down without a fight because I remember the days when they would just lay down and throw the towel in. I think those days are all behind us. They return home for a huge divisional showdown against the Steelers on Sunday.

Steelers X-Factor: Larry Ogunjobi– He is one of the best run stoppers in this league. At 6’3 and 305 pounds, Larry is a quick man with an electric first step from the interior of the defensive line. I’ve always been a fan of his pursuit of the ball whether he’s looking to stop the run or even trying to bring down the Quarterback. This is also his third stint in the AFC North. He played with the Browns for the first four seasons of his career, then played for the Bengals for a season and now, he’s playing for the black and yellow.

Browns X-Factor: Za’Darius Smith– This was a sneaky move the Browns made to acquire Za’Darius. I loved him in Green Bay and loved what he did the one season he played in Minnesota for the Vikings. Za’Darius is the typical energy guy. He’s helped take an enormous amount of pressure off of Myles Garrett which has been showing. He can pressure the Quarterback at anytime and impact his pocket and throw. The Steelers will do everything to make sure Myles Garrett is contained at all times which will open up lanes for Za’Darius.

Final Thoughts: This is a rivalry that dates back to the 1950s and there’s been many memorable matchups between these two. When they met earlier in the year, that was the game when Nick Chubb tore ligaments in his knee and he was lost for the season. I remember the Browns defense did all they could to keep the team in that game and it was the offense that couldn’t get much going. This game featured two of the very best defensive players in our league in T.,J. Watt and Myles Garrett. It’s key for the Browns to never sleep on T.J. nor Alex Highsmith. Alex is just as impactful on the field and can create havoc when necessary. They each have a strong ability to force fumbles and whoever lines up on them can’t take a rep off. I’m not expecting much from this Steelers offense. They’ve yet to accumulate 400 yards of offense in each game this year. For the Steelers, the defensive philosophy changes with Deshaun Watson being out. The next key is to contain Amari Cooper. Once he gets it going, he’s a tough out for any secondary and the Browns best offensive weapon since Nick Chubb has been out. Lastly, Pickett must protect the football and he’s done just that! This game will be decided by who makes the fewest mistakes. I like Cleveland to keep winning here. I trust their offense more than I do the Steelers at this point.

Prediction: Browns 20, Steelers 17