How the Browns’ offense plans to counter the Steelers’ defense in Week 8

When the Pittsburgh Steelers play a team like the Cleveland Browns, an AFC North division rival, there is a lot of familiarity surrounding the matchup.

Sure, fans know the big name players from their opponent, but a lot can change from one year to the next.

With that said, I reached out to Dawgs By Nature’s editor Chris Pokorny and asked him a series of questions about the upcoming game. He was more than generous to provide answers to these questions, and in this article I asked him what the Browns’ plan to counter the Steelers defense in Week 8 will be.

How will a banged up Baker Mayfield and company try to move the ball against the stout Steelers defense?

Check out his answer below, and be sure to follow Dawgs By Nature for the latest news and notes from the other side of the fence leading up to the game at 1:00 p.m. ET.

When the Browns have the ball, how will they try to move the ball?

I think the Browns will try to take it right to the Steelers’ run defense. They’ve run the ball extremely well in six of their seven games this year, and it doesn’t seem to matter if Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, or D’Ernest Johnson are in there. The starting five offensive line create holes and communicate so well, and the backs have good vision and tackle-breaking ability. Cleveland will still throw the ball, but I think they’ll be a little cautious with how much they expose Baker Mayfield so they can protect his shoulder.

Anyone who has watched the Steelers and Browns this season has to know this would be Cleveland’s approach in this game. When you average over 170 yards per game on the ground, which the Browns do, you have to believe this will be the engine which will run the overall machine.

If the Steelers can slow down the Browns’ running game, even holding them to around 100 yards, it will go a long way to helping them win this hard fought game on the road. Either way, if the Steelers’ defense is elite, they have found a way to prepare for two weeks to get the win.

How do you see this game shaking out? Let us know in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they prepare for the upcoming Week 8 game.