The Steelers are set for their fourth straight AFC North matchup, facing Cleveland for the second time in just three weeks. In the first meeting, the Steelers endured a tough loss in a snowstorm, leaving both the team and fans with a bad taste.
To avoid a repeat of that embarrassing performance at home, the Steelers must follow this game plan to redeem themselves and solidify their position as the division leader even further.
Steelers' offense must maintain consistency for success
The Steelers' offense secured a hard-fought victory in a shootout against the Bengals. While it's true that Cincinnati has one of the worst defenses in the league, Pittsburgh still needs to find a way to consistently move the ball and score as the season progresses.
Hopefully, last Sunday's performance marks a turning point for the offense. In the first matchup against the Browns, the offense struggled in the red zone, and the play-calling was too predictable, with a lack of play sequencing that left them constantly behind the chains.
Moving forward, they should adopt a more aggressive approach, much like the one that kept the pressure on the Bengals, instead of getting too conservative. Two weeks ago, the offense had ample opportunities to pull ahead, but self-inflicted mistakes kept them from capitalizing. Now, it’s time to see if Pittsburgh has learned from those missteps.
Throw everything but the kitchen sink to stop Myles Garrett
The Steelers’ initial plan to contain Myles Garrett was a total disaster, as he managed to record three sacks. However, against the Bengals, they executed a much better strategy, completely shutting down Trey Hendrickson and preventing him from making any impact on the game.
Moving forward, the Steelers must do everything in their power to neutralize Garrett. The Browns lack a second elite edge rusher to support Garrett, so Pittsburgh has an opportunity to focus all their efforts on limiting his impact on Russell Wilson. They should consistently use running backs and tight ends to chip-block him, ensuring he is always accounted for.
Let T.J. Watt seek his revenge
After a quiet night in the first meeting, I’m sure he’s more fired up for this revenge game than anyone. The noise and comments from Myles Garrett have no doubt fueled his fire. Against the Bengals, he finally hit his stride, notching two sacks and a forced fumble. We also saw Teryl Austin get creative with Watt’s positioning, giving him more opportunities to shine.
With Highsmith expected back, there are even more possibilities for getting Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig on the field together. Jack Conklin may have kept Watt in check last time, but I don’t expect that to happen again. The defensive staff needs to do whatever it takes to ensure Watt dominates this game and reminds everyone who the best defensive player in football truly is.