Steelers early 2021 regular-season preview: Weeks 7-8
Training camp is edging closer and closer for the Pittsburgh Steelers. We’ve been taking an early look at the Steelers’ 2021 NFL regular season opponents on the schedule. In each preview, we’ve looked at additions those teams made via the 2021 NFL Draft and other key factors that could play a part in how the games this upcoming season may play out for Pittsburgh. Weeks 7 and 8 will present some interesting opportunities for the Steelers as they enter what will essentially be their second quarter of regular season play.
- Related: Weeks 1-2 preview | Weeks 3-4 preview | Weeks 5-6 preview
Week Seven: BYE
The Steelers get their ‘bye week’ at a decent point during the 2021-22 NFL regular season in Week 7. With the new additions to their team, this will be an excellent opportunity for Pittsburgh after passing through a critical evaluation period during six weeks of real-time play. It will also set the team up for the beginning of a stretch of games that features two divisional rivals, two NFC North teams, and one AFC West challenger.
Typically, teams use the ‘bye’ to also evaluate player heath and make necessary adjustments to their rosters and their game plans. After changes among the coaching staff, this will be an interesting few days to monitor and see if anything major has to be addressed or if the Steelers’ early-season plans will prove good enough to carry them through competition for the remainder of the season. It will also be a time of truth; answers to questions about how well this year’s draft class has integrated will be one of the biggest for the Steelers.
Prepping – physically and emotionally – for the following week will be an impetus, as well.
Week Eight: Steelers at Browns
For the last two seasons, with Baker Mayfield as their quarterback, the Cleveland Browns have been talking about punching their oldest rivals – in both the NFL, conference and AFC North division – right in the mouth. There have been times when these two teams, over that time period, have indeed gotten very physical on the field. Last year, the two teams met each other three times after Cleveland punched its way into the playoffs for the first time since 2002-03 and beat the Steelers, 48-37, in the wild card round – their first playoff win since 1994-95. With history – good and bad – between these two teams, and the general dislike among their fanbases for each other, how the Steelers handle what will be a talked-up, ramped-up, trash-talking lead-in as they travel to Cleveland to face the Browns in Week 8 will be one of the hottest pre-game storylines of the season. Mark it down.
The Browns entered the 2021 NFL Draft, reportedly, with one purpose: to build for the future. That sounds familiar, doesn’t it? With Cleveland as the host city for the Draft, it shouldn’t be surprising that most Browns beat writers gave the team nothing but the highest of praise for the players they selected.
What a great draft the Cleveland @Browns had! Super pumped! We are going to be competitive in every position. Let's Go! Go Browns!!#Browns #BrownsTwitter pic.twitter.com/XP7gUnXb6z
— Jason Hand @BrownsHuddle (@BrownsHuddle) May 1, 2021
Other experts were, and continue to be, more in the wait-and-see mode about how the Browns might utilize the players they added as rookies. Overall, however, it’s hard to argue that Cleveland did not get some talented players that could help them. Here are the Browns’ selections:
- No. 26 – Greg Newsome II (CB, Northwestern)
- No. 52 – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (LB, Notre Dame)
- No. 91 – Anthony Schwartz (WR, Auburn)
- No. 110 – James Hudson (OT, Cincinnati)
- No. 132 – Tommy Togiai (DT, Ohio State)
- No. 153 – Tony Fields II (LB, West Virginia)
- No. 169 – Richard LeCounte (S, Georgia)
- No. 211 – Demetric Felton (WR, UCLA)
It was fun to see Cleveland go after a position that was not “quarterback” after so many years of grabbing the first pick off the board and at that position. General manager Andrew Berry appears, at least, prepared to give his organization an opportunity to be competitive this upcoming regular season. The defense was the focus this year, and that could give them some growing pains as they move through the season due to a likely need to call on young players to fill immediate needs; the linebacker corps may be their weakest area this season.
Early prediction: Anticipate a highly competitive, close game. Too early to say who wins but the Steelers should have everything they need to be able to go head-to-head and take an early division lead.
