If the Steelers rest Ben Roethlisberger, as expected, Sunday's do-or-die game for the Browns v. Pittsburgh will be the first meeting of Myles Garrett and Mason Rudolph since the fateful game in November last year. (Getty Images)
You must have an active subscription to read this story.
Click Here to subscribe Now!
Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Takeaways from the day after the Browns fumbled the ball against the lowly Jets to set up a virtual playoff game against the rival Steelers …
It may be “win to get in” for the Browns on Sunday, but the incentive to win for the Steelers (12-3) doesn’t exist.
The difference between the AFC No. 2 and No. 3 playoff seed this year is insignificant because only the No. 1 seed gets a playoff bye. The Steelers care more about resting aging starters who were robbed of a true bye week this year because of Covid-affected rescheduled games.
It’s obvious that Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will field his JV team. Why else would NBC choose to flex Washington-Philadelphia to Sunday Night Football instead of Cleveland-Pittsburgh? Why would Las Vegas sports books list the Browns as immediate 7 1/2-point favorites over the team that has tormented them for 20-plus years?
So instead of facing Ben Roethlisberger – who owns a bullying 24-2-1 record against the Browns -- the Browns most likely will see Mason Rudolph at quarterback.
That means Myles Garrett won’t have the chance to defeat Roethlisberger for the first time in his four years in the league. Garrett’s promise to “chop him down” on the night he was drafted remains unfulfilled; Roethlisberger is 2-0-1 in games against Garrett.
Instead, Garrett will have to relive the helmet-bashing incident with Rudolph from the Nov. 14 game in Cleveland in 2019 -- hopefully, for the last time. They have not met since that game that cost Garrett a six-game suspension, more than $1 million in fines and lost salary and, ultimately, several Browns coaches and executives their jobs.
The Garrett-v-Rudolph sidebar is a distant second to the main storyline of the Browns’ playoff chase, of course.
“The only element right now as far as the game is concerned is we win and we are in,” said defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, who was suspended one game and docked a game check for his involvement in the brouhaha that resulted from the Garrett-Rudolph fracas. “That is it. We are trying to keep it strictly about winning.
“I understand the emotions and all of that kind of stuff, but I feel like Myles’ maturity level and the team’s maturity level as a whole is that we understand that this is bigger than one incident and bigger than one situation.
“Right now, it is about doing something that has not been done in a very long time, and it is about playing for each and every one of us, our brothers, and finding a way to win. That is the most important thing. That is my take on it.”
Besides Roethlisberger, Tomlin is expected to consider sitting offensive linemen Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro, and defensive starters Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, Stephen Tuitt, Joe Haden and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Reinforcements pending
On Monday morning, the Browns poached receiver Alexander Collins from the Vikings practice squad. But Kevin Stefanski said it was no reflection on the chances of getting back Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, KhaDarel Hodge and Donovan Peoples-Jones for the Steelers’ game.
They were sorely missed by quarterback Baker Mayfield in the Jets game due to contact tracing.
The coach confirmed all could be back for Thursday’s practice as long as they continue to test negative and show no symptoms of the coronavirus. Stefanski said each tested negative on Monday.
More reinforcements could include right guard Wyatt Teller (ankle) and safety Ronnie Harrison (shoulder). Stefanski said he is hopeful Teller, whose absence is felt in the running game, could return to practice on Wednesday. Harrison practiced last week and was being groomed to return for the Steelers game.
As for left tackle Jedrick Wills, who missed practice last week on Covid-reserve and then was cleared on Saturday only to be downgraded to out on Sunday, Stefanski said he did not have an update prior to speaking to media.
Game plan revisited
In his post-game comments, Stefanski said there wasn’t enough time to redo the game plan for the Jets after the top four receivers were ruled out for the game on Saturday. But he admitted in his appearance before the game on Cleveland Browns Game Day that the coaches did make modifications.
The modifications shifted the passing game to the tight ends and running backs, and that element is what failed in the game.
Of Mayfield’s 53 pass attempts, 37 were targets to tight ends and backs. Top tight ends Austin Hooper and Harrison Bryant combined for 10 receptions for 108 yards on 22 targets. They suffered four of the team’s seven drops in the game.
“As you can imagine, the plan was not to throw it that often,” Stefanski said. “In the second half (29 pass attempts), that is kind of where the game went as we were moving the ball, and we got into two-minute at the end of the first half.
“We felt confident in the plan and felt confident in the tight ends and the running backs. The wide receivers equipped themselves just fine. We just did not make enough plays.”
Replacement receivers Ja’Marcus Bradley and Marvin Hall had six catches for 72 yards on 13 targets. Derrick Willies was not targeted.
Brownie bits
Season-long diligence in adhering to Covid-19 protocols was blown with the lapse late in the week that resulted in five players being pulled from Sunday’s game against the Jets. NFL Media reported that several players were in the team’s recovery pool area with linebacker B.J. Goodson, who had a positive test on Saturday, and that the NFL had video “showing at least one of those players wasn’t wearing a mask correctly during another interaction.” Stefanski wouldn’t elaborate on the circumstances, but commented, “It is something that I definitely have addressed with the team and with those players, and we absolutely have to learn from this.” …
Running back Kareem Hunt acknowledged the Browns always fall behind the Steelers early – at least in his two years in Cleveland. “We have to start fast and just come ready to play,” he said. “That is a good football team. We know that. We have a lot of respect for those guys. They come ready to play. Just have to come out there and play our football.” ...
Stefanski professed confidence in Cody Parkey, who missed four kicks in the past three games (three PAT and one field goal). “He knows what is expected of him. We are counting on him, and I have a ton of confidence in him,” Stefanski said.