This AFC North matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns will come down to which team can force more turnovers and get after the passer on a routine level. The Steelers will be favored going into this divisional matchup, but this is shaping up to be a real battle. Both teams have question marks around them regarding the legitimacy of their records this season, even though it sits at an impressive 5-2 going into this game.
The winner of this battle has the inside track when it comes to who wins the AFC North division.
There are two things that need to happen if the Black and Gold want to get over the hump in this game. They must force Deshaun Watson to beat them for starters. More than that, the Steelers' defense needs to attack him. Pittsburgh has to make it an uncomfortable environment for him.
Cleveland is talking smack going into this rematch, and it's time for the Steelers to put them back in their place. If they want to accomplish that task, they must sack Watson more than a couple of times and handily win the turnover battle. Failure to accomplish either of those two things on defense will shrink Pittsburgh's chances of victory. It will be intriguing to see how this turns out on Sunday.
Pittsburgh Steelers must do these two things if they want to get a massive AFC North win
Steelers must win the turnover battle
First thing the home team needs to do throughout this game is take care of the football on offense. Any sort of forced throws, miscommunication, or dropped balls on offense could lead to disaster. One common trait in the Browns' two losses this season has been their struggles in the turnover battle.
The Steelers' defense needs to force at least a couple, and their offensive counterparts must refrain from taking risks.
During their Week 1 loss against the Jaguars, the Browns lost the turnover battle by two. Their other loss of the season against the Jets saw them hold an even number of turnovers, but it was an ugly weather game. The key is to make sure that the Black and Gold create significant chances for themselves and cash in after turnovers. Don't shoot yourself in the foot along the way.
Pittsburgh's defense must sack Deshaun Watson more than a couple of times
When you look at his numbers, Deshaun Watson isn't blowing the roof off of stadiums for the most part this season. He's playing a clean brand of football and taking advantage of opportunities as they come his way. The Steelers' defense has to make him uncomfortable throughout the game. They only got two sacks in their previous matchup, and they'll need more than that during this battle.
Failure to corral Watson and taking him down to the ground could see him scamper for a big gain with his legs. Pittsburgh must attack him and find different ways of throwing him off of a rhythm. That's the only shot they have to force him away from dissecting their predictable zone coverage scheme. If they sack him five times or more, the Steelers' chances of winning this divisional game will increase.
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