5 bold predictions for the Steelers in Week 18 vs the Browns

Tuitt brings the heat

Despite being second on the Steelers with sacks and being one of the league leaders in pressures, Stephon Tuitt gets little attention from the national media. While his career has been riddled with unfortunate injuries, he played this season entirely healthy and was nothing short of dominant. Every game he bullies interior offensive linemen and gets pressure on the quarterback. Despite his success, he didn’t make the Pro Bowl, a slap in the face considering his elite play.

With the Steelers on a national stage, Tuitt finally gets some respect to his name as he dominates the Browns line. He gets to the quarterback twice, forces a fumble, and has a key goal-line stop on Hunt that forces the Browns to kick a field goal. His success doesn’t solely lay in his ability to get after the quarterback, and he shows that this week with multiple run stuffs. Just as Chubb was the best player on Browns, Tuitt is clearly the dominant force for the Steelers.

This doesn’t mean the rest of the Steelers defense struggles, as the pass rush should be firing against an injured Browns offensive line. That said, Tuitt is clearly the best of a talented bunch this week. His stat line and game tape are talked about all week, as analysts say they knew Tuitt was good, but they didn’t know he was that good. He finally gets the national reconnection he deserves.