All that’s standing in the Steelers’ way of an AFC North title is rookie QB Shedeur Sanders and the Browns—if even that. Pittsburgh could win the division before even taking the field Sunday, but if not, well, the goal is clear. Beat the Browns, as the Steelers usually do, but this time with a new, more viral quarterback.
The Browns drafted Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round, two rounds after they drafted Dillon Gabriel. The Steelers have already beaten Gabriel, so they have a chance to beat two Browns rookie quarterbacks in a single season.
The Steelers beat the Browns back in Week 6, but both teams have changed a lot since then, with Cleveland’s change at quarterback to Shedeur Sanders being the most significant. Well—maybe, maybe not. Certainly not in the win column, as the Browns are 3-12 on the season. And he has five starts, losing his last four games. So what are they focusing on to face Pittsburgh?
“I think it’s going to be building off of all the things that we’re doing right now, and the really good things that we’re doing”, HC Kevin Stefanski said, via Cleveland’s website. “Then it’s going to be a matter of understanding this Pittsburgh defense, which is different than the team we played before. Obviously, Shedeur did not play in the first Pittsburgh game, so first time versus that group. You really have to spend a lot of time this week getting to know this defensive front, their coverages, those types of things”.
Since the Browns last played the Steelers, with Sanders on the bench, Pittsburgh’s defense has changed. The biggest differences by far are in the secondary, where the Steelers have shaken things up quite a bit. Since that game, S DeShon Elliott suffered a season-ending injury and the team parted ways with S Juan Thornhill and CB Darius Slay.
Pittsburgh also acquired S Kyle Dugger via trade and moved DB Jalen Ramsey from slot to safety, though he remains versatile. Joey Porter Jr. has been the mainstay, but the Steelers have since used James Pierre and now Asante Samuel Jr. at outside cornerback. In the slot, Brandin Echols had taken over, but he suffered an injury on Sunday.
If Echols is out, Shedeur Sanders will face yet another iteration of the Steelers’ defense. Will Samuel play in the slot, assuming Pierre is back, or will Ramsey slide down? Then either Chuck Clark or Jabrill Peppers—or a combination of the two—will play next to Dugger.
Of course, another significant difference for the Steelers since Sanders last studied them is the absence of T.J. Watt. Once upon a time, they couldn’t win without him, but they are 2-0 in their past two games. Watt remains sidelined after suffering a partially collapsed lung during a dry-needling session. Though reports indicate he may practice this week, actually playing Sunday in Cleveland feels like a longshot. Maybe more of a longshot than Shedeur Sanders beating the Steelers.