4 winners and 2 losers from Steelers 38-7 win vs. Browns

Loser: JuJu Smith-Schuster

While he has remained the consummate teammate, JuJu Smith-Schuster’s role has seen a reduction with the Steelers. While he sees a large number of double coverages due to his talent, he still hasn’t found a way to be truly dominant. While he started off the season on a hot streak, he has cooled off in recent weeks. Through the past two weeks, he has caught eight passes for only 34 yards.

As a starting receiver, that isn’t going to cut it. The double teams are worth pointing out, but they aren’t an exoneration for his play. Elite players can beat being planned against, and Smith-Schuster hasn’t done that in the past few weeks. Considering the cap struggles this team will likely have next year, Smith-Schuster needs to return to his elite form if he wants to return to the Steelers next year.

Like Ebron, Smith-Schuster was involved in a passing offense that didn’t throw the ball much in this game. That said, two receptions for six yards won’t cut it, especially when other receivers are making strides in this offense. Assuming the coverage spreads out a little more, Smith-Schuster will likely see more opportunities in the passing game. Unless he gets back to his dominant ways though, he may be playing in his final season with the Steelers.