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PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Cleveland Browns waited almost 20 years to return to the playoffs. To increase their breakthrough season, they’ll need to do it with out their unflappable first-year coach in a spot the place the franchise’s shortcomings are put into stark aid:
Pittsburgh.
Possibly it’s becoming. The Browns (11-5) and Kevin Stefanski have spent the final 4 months turning Cleveland from a perennial punchline to a official contender. An opportunity to supply an exclamation level awaits at Heinz Discipline on Sunday evening, the place the AFC North champions and longtime nemesis Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) await.
If solely it had been that reduce and dried. Not in 2020. Or 2021 for that matter. When the Browns run out of the tunnel, Stefanski can be again house in Ohio after testing constructive for COVID-19. Particular groups coordinator Mike Priefer can be in cost, with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt taking up play-calling duties.
“Hopefully there’s not too many occasions he’s yelling on the TV, ‘What the heck is happening?!’” Van Pelt mentioned with amusing.
Stefanski could be in good firm. The Browns have been largely exasperating since returning to the NFL in 1999 generally and chronically overmatched in Pittsburgh particularly. The Steelers are 20-1 towards Cleveland at Heinz Discipline, together with a 36-33 victory within the wild-card spherical within the 2002 playoffs and a 38-7 beatdown in October during which Stefanski pulled quarterback Baker Mayfield following a depressing two-interception efficiency.
No marvel the Steelers, whereas respectful of the strides Cleveland has made, stay assured regardless of a rocky 1-4 end following an 11-0 begin.
“I believe they’re nonetheless the identical Browns groups I play yearly,” Pittsburgh extensive receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster mentioned. “I believe they’re anonymous grey faces. They’ve a pair good gamers on their staff, however on the finish of the day, I don’t know. The Browns is the Browns. It’s a kind of issues, AFC North soccer. They’re a very good staff. I’m simply blissful we’re enjoying them once more.”
With good motive. Pittsburgh took Cleveland to the ultimate two minutes final Sunday regardless of letting Roethlisberger, exterior linebacker T.J. Watt and defensive deal with Cam Heyward keep house with nothing greater than playoff seeding on the road.
If they’ll carry that effort once more on Sunday evening even in a largely empty stadium after officers denied the staff’s request to permit a small subset of followers in, they may decide up their first playoff victory in 4 years. But given all of Pittsburgh’s success when the Browns are on the opposite aspect of the road of scrimmage, the 38-year-old Roethlisberger is making an attempt to remind his youthful teammates to take nothing without any consideration.
“It’s fascinating as a result of is there actually a home-field benefit? I don’t know. It’s only a completely different yr altogether,” Roethlisberger mentioned. “We now have to enter with the mindset that we have to play our greatest soccer and we’re going to get their finest.”
BACKFIELD BLUES
The Steelers completed with the worst dashing offense within the NFL, ending lifeless final in each yards dashing (1,351) and yards per carry (3.6). Regardless of the battle to generate any momentum on the bottom, Pittsburgh did discover a bit of room towards the Browns, working for 129 yards within the first assembly and 85 within the second — thanks partially to a cameo from third-string quarterback Josh Dobbs, who ran for 20 yards on a few read-option appears to be like the staff hadn’t proven all yr.
Offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner thinks it’s not a coincidence given the familiarity between division rivals.
“I believe there’s a way that (we) know the place they’re going to be,” Fichtner mentioned, “and therefore I’ll be capable to come off a bit of firmer and which may lend to a few of that (success).”
TAKING OVER
Van Pelt likened the Browns being with out Stefanski to a bunch of youngsters leaving house for the primary time.
“It’s robust whenever you lose your chief,” mentioned Van Pelt, who hasn’t referred to as performs since he was Buffalo’s coordinator in 2009. “It’s like being a father or mother and sending your child to school. Hopefully, you’ve completed sufficient to get him prepared for what’s forward.”
Van Pelt was born in Pittsburgh and performed at Pitt. He joked that this homecoming may not be very heat.
“I gained’t have any pals within the stands,” he mentioned.
SUTTON STARTS
The Browns aren’t the one membership coping with COVID-19 points. The Steelers can be with out veteran cornerback Joe Haden, who’s on the reserve/COVID-19 listing. Cam Sutton will fill in. Sutton has developed a behavior of being across the ball, making an interception and recovering three fumbles whereas serving in a wide range of roles.
“Cam has discovered the protection, he is aware of the protection,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler mentioned. “He is aware of what everyone is doing, what his assistance is. … That at all times helps when you could have gamers like that.”
O-LINE SHUFFLE
Bitonio’s loss was a merciless private blow to the Browns’ longest-tenured participant. Drafted in 2014, Bitonio endured a 16-loss season and fixed change to lastly make the playoffs, solely to be flattened by COVID-19 earlier than his largest sport.
“We all know what Joel would give to be on the market,” mentioned extensive receiver Jarvis Landry. “That is undoubtedly one for Joel.”
Bitino’s absence weakens Cleveland’s offensive line, which just lately misplaced prime backups Chris Hubbard and Nick Harris to season-ending accidents. As late as Thursday, the Browns nonetheless weren’t saying who would substitute Bitonio and face Steelers stud, Cam Heyward.
(Copyright 2021 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials will not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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