5 Steelers who need to thrive in Week 12 vs. Browns

Pittsburgh might be coming off their strongest win of the season, but fans should be worried heading into Week 12. The Steelers found a way to beat Baltimore last time around, but it wasn't in dominant fashion. Now they head on the road for a Thursday night matchup in Cleveland, which has been a struggle for the black and gold. Historically, they are abysmal in Thursday night road games.

Add their winless record in divisional away games on Thursdays and Mike Tomlin's poor performances against inferior opponents, and this could be a recipe for disaster. Steelers fans will hope that their favorite team will find a way to emerge victorious. This will not be an easy matchup, and it will come down to which club can be more physically and mentally disciplined.

Jaylen Warren, RB

All eyes have been on Najee Harris this season, but Jaylen Warren has started to show up more in recent weeks. Injuries have hampered Warren's efforts this season. He has performed well against the Browns before, and it seems like the Steelers will lean on their rushing attack against Cleveland. Pittsburgh needs Warren's explosiveness this week to boost their offense enough to win.

Keeanu Benton, NT

Stopping the run game against the Browns is going to be huge. The play in the trenches on both sides of the ball could dictate the outcome of this battle. Keeanu Benton got dinged up last week, but he will be ready to play in this game. Benton might not have a flashy style, but he is consistent from week to week. He will be heavily relied on to stop Nick Chubb and the Brown's run game.

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Broderick Jones, OT

He was playing well after the bye week, but Broderick Jones's performance against the Ravens was poor. Somehow or someway, the Steelers need to find a fix for Jones for the rest of the season. Cleveland has Myles Garrett to get after the passer, and Jones will have to find solutions in this contest. If the offensive line fails to keep Russell Wilson upright, then it will be a long outing.

Nick Herbig, EDGE

T.J. Watt is getting all the attention from opposing offensive lines, but that presents perfect opportunities for his fellow edge rushers. Nick Herbig had some big plays against the Ravens, and he will need to keep that going against Cleveland. He will be tested as a run defender, but he needs to make some splash plays rushing the passer since Watt will likely have to go through two or three blockers at a time.

Russell Wilson, QB

Something was flat last week for Wilson and the Steeler's offense. Maybe it was just because Baltimore presents a tough task. Now that they will face the Browns, Wilson needs to have a bounce-back performance. Pittsburgh has started to expect more from their offense in recent weeks, but Wilson failed last time. This should be a quality opportunity for Wilson and the offense to get back on track.