The Browns will host a Steelers team riding a five-game winning streak on Thursday Night Football to kick off Week 12 at Huntington Bank Field.
"Great challenge playing the Steelers on Thursday night," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "Well-coached team, great players on offense, defense and special teams so we have to have a great week here to get ready for that game."
The Steelers most recently beat the Ravens 18-16 in Week 11, holding the NFL's second-leading scoring offense to a season-low in points and yards with 329. Part of the Steelers success against a typically dangerous Ravens offense was due to their three forced turnovers, as LB Payton Wilson picked off QB Lamar Jackson and the Steelers added two fumble recoveries.
As they did in the Steelers' Week 11 win over the Ravens, takeaways have fueled the Steelers' 8-2 record this season. With a plus-11 turnover margin, the Steelers offense has protected the football while their defense is tied for the fourth-most takeaways in the NFL this season. Stefanski cited a team's turnover margin as the "number one stat when you think about winning and losing."
One reason behind the Steelers' high turnover margin is LB T.J. Watt, who is tied for the most forced fumbles in the NFL this season with four.
"Always disruptive," Stefanski said of the eight-year veteran. "Great player, an elite rusher, plays hard, good versus the run, good versus the pass. He's long, so you can see where he has sacks where he just gets that long arm in there and can knock the ball out."
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Safety D'Anthony Bell (37) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Safety Chris Edmonds (41) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Offensive Line Coach Andy Dickerson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Pass Game Specialist/Tight Ends Coach Tommy Rees during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Offensive tackle Geron Christian (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Center Cameron Tom (64) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Running back Pierre Strong Jr. (20) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Linebackers Coach Jason Tarver during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Safety Trey Dean (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Dale Jones during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Cornerback Kahlef Hailassie (25) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Director of Equipment Operations Kory Gillissie during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Safety Trey Dean (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Pass Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach Chad O'Shea during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Linebacker Khaleke Hudson (39) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Linebacker Khaleke Hudson (39) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Safety Juan Thornhill (1) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 19, 2024.
Watt, who has 7.5 sacks this season, led the league with 19 sacks in 2023 and was the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year after a 22.5-sack season.
QB Jameis Winston, who has yet to face Watt in his 10-year career, said that Watt could be following in his older brother J.J. Watt's footsteps as a potential future NFL Hall of Famer.
"He's an amazing player. I was fortunate enough to play against his brother. Any time you've got a dominant edge rusher, you definitely are going to have awareness of where he is at all times," Winston said. "I think he just needs to continue to keep doing what he's doing, and he's going to lead himself to the Hall of Fame."
Joining Watt on the Steelers defensive front is another player who is building a Hall of Fame-caliber resume in DT Cameron Heyward.
Heyward is a three-time first-team All-Pro selection who has amassed 85.5 sacks in his 14-season career. After missing six games in 2023 due to injury, Heyward has shown no signs of slowing down – with five sacks on the season.
"He's playing really well," LG Joel Bitonio said. "You watch the film this year, and he's back to that level he was before the injury."
In order to combat the Steelers' pass rush, getting the ball out quickly on passing plays will be important, according to Winston. The strategy worked well for Winston and the Browns offense as they worked to evade the Saints pass rush in Week 11. Winston held onto the ball for an average of 2.76 seconds per passing play on his way to a 395-yard game, finishing with a 106.7 passer rating.
Facing a Steelers pass rush that ranks 10th in quarterback pressures at 35.2 percent, Winston will once again have to be efficient in his decision-making to avoid taking sacks or creating negative plays.
"It's precision passing. Getting the ball out on time. Elite operation and just doing our job. It's the simple things," Winston said. "This team is not going to try and fool you. They're going to line up and say, 'give us your best, we're going to give you our best.'"
As Winston looks to get the ball out quickly, his receivers will have to find holes in a strong and reliable Steelers secondary.
The Steelers feature a stingy starting cornerback duo in second-year Joey Porter Jr. and veteran Donte Jackson. Between the two, they've been targeted 95 times, allowing 52 receptions, one touchdown and nabbing four interceptions.
On the back end, three-time first-team All-Pro S Minkah Fitzpatrick leads a Pittsburgh secondary that has allowed a 77.0 passer rating, the second lowest in the NFL this season behind the Lions.
"They've got a young corner (Porter Jr.) that's elite. They've got a veteran corner (Jackson) that I've seen over the course of my career and he's fast and likes to take chances. And they've got a safety (Fitzpatrick) that's a ballhawk. So, they're stacked on every level," Winston said.
As he prepares for his first career game against the Steelers, Winston knows that he will have to take what the Steelers defense gives him if the Browns are to enter the weekend with a win on Thursday Night Football.
"That defense is a bend but don't break defense and they're disciplined," Winston said. "They're a sound defense. They don't make mistakes. They're really good."
