Steelers vs Browns: 3 Key Matchups to watch on Thursday Night Football

Alejandro Villanueva vs. Myles Garrett

There’s a reason Myles Garrett was drafted #1 overall. He is a beast.

Last season, he racked up 13.5 sacks, including 3 in two matchups against the Steelers. This season he has already recorded 10.

The man tasked with taming the beast is none other Alejandro Villanueva. Last year, Big Al got beat a few times against Garrett. He’ll need to have a better outing this go around.

Villanueva currently grades in with 71.6 on PFF compared to last year’s 78.1. It’s a significant drop-off, but it’s a reflection of the offensive line.

Yes, the Steelers have one of the lowest sack counts allowed in the NFL, but it doesn’t paint the whole picture. Often, the offensive line has struggled.

With an inability to have a consistent ground game, the Steelers have been forced to go to the passing game, enabling their opponents to tee off on Mason Rudolph. The good news is the quarterbacks are getting rid of it quickly, but the offense isn’t looking pretty with the pressure.

The Steelers have got to the point they are reshuffling the offensive line in hopes to get things going again,

If Villanueva and company can’t create more consistent pockets to allow the plays downfield, you’ll see a lot more of the results like we saw last week against the Rams: inconsistent offense, sprinkled in with a lot of penalties, and limited production.