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Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown likes the matchups he gets against the Cleveland Browns.
With five catches, 116 yards and one beautiful touchdown on Browns cornerback Joe Haden in Week 1 this year, and 610 career receiving yards in seven games against Cleveland, Brown absolutely has to enjoy what he gets from Cleveland. And it may get better in Week 6 - the rematch in Cleveland.
Haden is nursing a hip injury and it may push the demoted rookie Justin Gilbert back onto the field, according to Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Mary Cabot, who quoted Browns coach Mike Pettine.
Gilbert was assaulted by the Steelers in Week 1, targeting the rookie they are rumored to have wanted with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft eight times, completing seven of those targets for 122 yards. Steelers receiver Markus Wheaton had six of those catches for 97 yards in what was without a doubt his best game of the season.
Haden wasn't exactly impressive in the game either, having been victimized by Brown's quickness and Ben Roethlisberger's ability to extend plays by escaping and hitting on deep throws. Haden has had a rough year to this point, caused to some degree by a lingering hip injury.
Not as rough as Gilbert, though, the eighth pick in this year's draft. He was benched in favor of undrafted rookie free agent, K'Waun Williams, a Pitt product, last week in the Browns' big comeback win over the Tennessee Titans.
One might think a beleaguered Browns' secondary would mean a pass-heavy game plan for the Steelers. That was the conclusion the team came to after watching Jacksonville prior to Week 5, but that approach provided only statistical success against the Jaguars. While the numbers show a decent enough passing attack in that game, the Steelers failed to generate points, scoring just one touchdown in four red zone trips.
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