4 biggest causes of concern Steelers vs. Browns in Week 18

Nick Chubb

It makes no sense to me that the Browns only gave Nick Chubb the ball 14 times in their previous game. Despite his success on the day and the fact that the Browns were leading for the majority of the game, they seemed to limit his touches. While they have always mixed in Kareem Hunt, it was baffling to see the team limiting Chubb so much. Despite his weird usage, he is still the single biggest threat of this game.

Chubb runs with an incredible amount of power, but he has elite athleticism that makes him a threat to take any run to the house. The worst aspect of his game is the limits in the passing game, but even that seems more due to the team having a better receiving back in Hunt on the roster. While the Browns possess plenty of weapons on their team, the Steelers have to be able to limit Chubb. They didn’t last week despite the limited touches, and it made winning that game even more difficult.

The only way Chubb isn’t the top threat this week is if the Browns opt to keep him limited in the game plan. That said, with it now being the playoffs, the Browns would be unwise to limit their best offensive player. The Steelers have to expect a heavy dose of Chubb this week and stopping him will be a must. If he finds a way to run wild, the Steelers are likely looking at an early playoff loss.

In what seems like a well-matched game before the COVID issues, this playoff game should be an intriguing one for both teams. The Steelers can’t sleep on the Browns despite their issues right now, as Cleveland still has plenty of talent to win this game. As for the Steelers, there are plenty of things that should keep them worrying for their first playoff game.