5 To Watch For: Week 1 Steelers vs. Browns
Week one of the 2017 season is finally here!
This week the Pittsburgh Steelers will be taking on their AFC North rival the Cleveland Browns. While the Steelers have a very positive record beating the Browns, that doesn’t mean that the game will be a cake walk and the Browns roster is void of talent.
There are key players on each side that can affect this game, here are five worth watching…
Le’Veon Bell
If there is any player who is under a lot of pressure, it’s Le’Veon Bell. He got a lot of (unfair) criticism for his hold-out during the offseason and many fans are unfortunately rooting for him to fail.
His foundation for holding out was to preserve his health. With that intact, along with him being in his usual shape, ideally, Bell comes out of the gate in his usual MVP-form.
It’s up in the air how many touches he gets as he acclimates to “football shape” but there’s no doubt Bell will play a major role in the gameplan to beat the Browns. He is a weapon as both a runner and receiver and the Steelers will certainly utilize his talents to the fullest.
Joe Haden
The Steelers have not been kidding around these past few weeks. They want a Super Bowl-caliber roster, and one of their efforts in order to meet this goal was signing former Browns cornerback Joe Haden.
Haden will have a major spotlight on him this weekend. Many are hesitant about the signing due to him having recent down years and recovering from an injury. It also doesn’t help that memories of Haden being torched by Antonio Brown are fresh in everybody’s minds.
The Steelers made Haden one of their highest paid players for a reason; they obviously believe in him and in his ability to help elevate this secondary. Sunday is Haden’s chance to prove he belongs in the Steel City.
Deshone Kizer
The Steelers have a historically done well against rookie quarterbacks and they’re hoping to continue that trend versus Browns rookie Deshone Kizer.
Kizer is an interesting case because of his variability. He’s capable of making NFL throws with his strong arm, but he’s also prone to making poor decisions. It’s difficult to tell what side of Kizer the Steelers will see this weekend and if a complex, versatile defense like the Steelers have will shake his confidence.
There’s a reason Kizer fell to the second round of the NFL draft, he’s not exactly the picture of consistency. The Steelers should be able to win this game as long as they can control Kizer.
Sammie Coates
Steeler fans will get to see wide receiver Sammie Coates play this weekend, but not in the same jersey as last year. Coates is now a member of the Browns and will surely see some action against his former squad.
Considering how new he is to the team, we shouldn’t expect anything more than simple routes from Coates. Yet again, that’s all he really ran for the Steelers in 2016…
Coates’ specialty is the vertical route- simply going deep. That’s the role I expect Coates to be utilized the most and where he could cause trouble. As long as our secondary doesn’t make any boneheaded mistakes, I don’t expect Coates to have anything more than a minimal impact.
Myles Garrett*
The man that most Browns fans are excited to see in action, and that Steelers fans should be mildly afraid of, is Myles Garrett.
Garrett was the first overall pick in the most recent draft and has the potential to become the best edge rusher in the league. It will be up to Steelers tackle Alejandro Villaneuva to neutralize him and truly welcome him to the NFL. While Villaneuva isn’t the best Steelers lineman, he has gradually improved each season. Garrett excels with athleticism, but Villaneuva excels with technique.
Garrett has a lot of confidence, he has openly stated how excited he is to sack Ben Roethlisberger. Considering how talented the Steelers offensive line is, there’s a very good chance he leaves the game disappointed.
*Update: since being published, Myles Garrett will reportedly miss several weeks of action with a high ankle sprain:
Browns say Myles Garrett has a high-ankle sprain. Out a few weeks.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) September 7, 2017
Therefore we only have “four” to watch now! But here’s a bonus pick…
Bonus: Vance McDonald
With this week’s theme being new players (or one who just showed up to sign his tender) McDonald could be another player to watch this weekend. Recently acquired in a trade with the 49ers, the tight end has been with Pittsburgh for a little over a week and is still getting ingrained in the system.
It will be interesting to see what’s asked of him, and as such, what kind of impact he may have on the game.
