by Bo Marchionte
Twitter @BoMarchionte
What happens when the unstoppable force meets an immovable object?
Perhaps that is the best way to describe the up-coming game with the 4-1 Cleveland Browns taking on the unbeaten 4-0 Pittsburgh Steelers.
With 942 rushing yards this season, the Cleveland Browns are clearly the No. 1 rushing attack in the NFL, 138 yards separate them from the second-place Baltimore Ravens, who are considered one of the elite running teams in the entire league.
Even without premier running back Nick Chubb out with MCL injury the Browns are more than capable with Kareem Hunt in the mix, who won Rookie of the Year honors in 2017 after leading the National Football League with 1,327 rushing yards.
Winners of their last four games, the Browns have forced their will on opposing teams by running the football with immense success. Chubb, Hunt, or even unknown D’Ernest Johnson have averaged a jaw-dropping 5.6 yards per carry, as Cleveland clamours to be relevant after years of disastrous seasons.
Pittsburgh has gone back to its roots and woven another curtain made of steel that is allowing only 64 rushing yards per game, which ranks them first in the NFL. Dating back to last season the defense has grown into a formidable task to overcome for any offensive opponent.
“Yeah that is going to be the biggest test,” Devin Bush said of the match-up against the Browns potent rushing attack. “One against one, and it’s a bit match-up we are all waiting for.”
Running a 4.44 40-yard dash at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine, all eyes with be on the speedy second-year linebacker to perform at his best to stymie the Browns rushing attack and put the game on the shoulders of incalculable Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Pittsburgh can stop the run and have proven to best at it in the four games they have played and won. The problematic issue is their inability force fourth down that obliviously allows offenses to continue their pursuit to put points on the scoreboard.
Against the Eagles last week, Pittsburgh was unable to stop Philadelphia on several third and long situations that led to points for the Eagles on those specific scoring drives. Ironically, the Steelers suffocating run defense puts teams in third and long situation that Pittsburgh has struggled to overcome.
Forcing the issue with no solution is sort of the conundrum for Pittsburgh’s defense.
With a fierce rushing defense and two of the leagues best pass rushing artists in T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree, the third down defense is the one component that shows flaws in the unit eyeing to be the best in the league.
“It’s absolutely something we can do to work,” Williams said about third-down woes. “We have aspirations to be the best defense in the NFL, but that comes with cohesion. We got to play better as a unit. A lot of those things we achieved last year happened towards the end of last year, very early season and you got to understand that we only played four games and there is still a lot of gelling to do. Not saying we are learning how to play with each other because we are all pretty familiar with each other, but you know you just got to keep working. We will iron it out and keep moving forward.
Pittsburgh forces teams into these circumstances of third and long but are not finding the right mix to force them off the field. Only four teams are worse in the league in leaving them vulnerable to a mobile quarterback like Mayfield. The Browns need to run the football to beat Pittsburgh, but it is hard to do against the Steelers with a two a two back set, especially out of 12 personnel.
It will take all 11 on the Steelers defense working in unison to get the victory. Stopping the run leads to the pass and stopping the pass leads to punting the football.
Photo Credit Frank Hyatt