Stephen Curry ties J.R. Smith’s NBA Record: WFNY Stats & Info
November 13, 2015Colby Rasmus accepts Houston Astros qualifying offer
November 13, 2015For the Cleveland Browns, a lot of questions remain going into Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Who should play quarterback? (For either team?) Should the Browns fire head coach Mike Pettine? Is he getting enough sleep? While the jury’s still out on the injury-fueled quarterback debates in both cities, Mike Pettine still has a job—for this week at least. And he’s probably not sleeping much at all.
Sunday’s game is a big deal. It’s the second in a series of four consecutive division games (with a bye next week), and it’s the first time the Browns will face the rival Steelers this season. In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Pettine touched on the importance of the Week 10 matchup.
“This game huge for us, huge. Just the lone game sitting in that 20-day-plus block and it being a division game, our first time playing Pittsburgh this year. A win there would give us a road win at every division stadium in the last two years, which I think would be significant. We always say how much these games count and it’s already been said, there’s no one bigger than the next.”
“No one bigger than the next,” but let’s talk about the last. Last season the Browns split with the Steelers, losing on the road in Week 1, 27-30, and winning Week 6, 31-10. A victory on Sunday would be, to borrow a word from Coach Pettine, “huge,” taking the Browns to 2-1 in the AFC North and 3-7 overall. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
“(Our guys) also know the amount of ground that we closed a year ago and that gives us some confidence. I know the circumstances are different now with both teams. Our guys aren’t going to go down there intimidated by Pittsburgh. We’re respectful of who they are and what they put on tape so far, but we’re not going to go down there intimidated.”
So we’re not showing up intimidated—but who will play quarterback?
“No clarity in that. Josh (McCown) got through his individual work yesterday. He’ll be limited again in practice today. By the end of the day, we’ll probably have a decent idea of where he is and what we’ll do for the weekend.”
So, McCown is still a (hopeful?) maybe, and Johnny Manziel starting at quarterback is a possibility. What about who will play under center for Pittsburgh? With Ben Roethlisberger’s status still unknown for Sunday’s game, is the Browns’ coaching staff concerned?
“Have not concerned ourselves with that. We know Ben well, having gone against him a lot. Knowing him, it wouldn’t surprise me if he did, but we’ll be prepared either way.”
Prepared, but still pretty banged up. Per Coach Pettine, cornerback Joe Haden is still in concussion protocol and questionable for Sunday. As is defensive back Donte Whitner. With Haden potentially down, Pettine said he expects Pierre Desir and Charles Gaines to step up at cornerback. At safety, look for Jordan Poyer, coming off of a shoulder injury, to see limited time, as well as rookie Ibraheim Campbell.
With so many injuries and players stepping up, do younger Browns understand the importance of the Browns-Steelers rivalry?
“We have and there’s always added importance when it’s in the division and I’ve said this every week that we’ve played a division opponent just how special our division games our. Rivalry with Baltimore for obvious reasons, the battle of Ohio and now Pittsburgh, that speaks for itself. Our guys are well aware of it.”
“Well aware of it,” exactly as they should be.
14 Comments
Accepting the inevitable is half the battle.
Play like a Brown!
Browns are winning this week.
Do you mean Charlie Sheen “winning” or winning the football game? Because one of those is true, the other is false.
https://media.giphy.com/media/Vz1cEfM0VFpII/giphy.gif
https://media.giphy.com/media/J93sVmfYBtsRi/giphy.gif
http://media.giphy.com/media/azhN4oxxxkdC8/giphy.gif
https://media.giphy.com/media/10HkOStDm8akco/giphy.gif
http://i.imgur.com/WWxgKAD.jpg
The season is over, the fans have given up. We’re openly hoping for draft picks status…
Of course the Browns are winning this week. And maybe even next week. And just as soon as you start wondering if they can build on this momentum and maybe go into next year with…
They’ll go out and do something mind-blowingly awful. Maybe Joe Thomas will lose a lung on field. Maybe the team will lose all if its quarterbacks in a two week span and be forced to turn to Terelle Pryor. Maybe they’ll set a new record for points allowed. Maybe they’ll lose a game on a last-second unsportsmanlike conduct policy after one of the players uppercuts a referee celebrating a third down stop.
The point is, this team will always find ways to be just good enough to not finish in a top 3 draft position to get the QB of their dreams.
How to EARN 98568$?week??? I can tell you If you are some intelligent you make many more Dollars.I am also earning many more, my relatives wondered to see how i settle my Life in few days thank GOD to you for this…You can also make cash i never tell a lie you should check this I am sure you shocked to see this amazing offer…I’m Loving it!!!! ☻ ▼ ▼ ▼
»»»»»»»»» Go to my Account For WEB ADDRESS where you earn DOLLARS…..
dsfg
How to EARN 98568$?week??? I can tell you If you are some intelligent you make many more Dollars.I am also earning many more, my relatives wondered to see how i settle my Life in few days thank GOD to you for this…You can also make cash i never tell a lie you should check this I am sure you shocked to see this amazing offer…I’m Loving it!!!! ☻ ▼ ▼ ▼
»»»»»»»»» Go to my Account For WEB ADDRESS where you earn DOLLARS…..
adfa
Google tell you that how to EARN $56258/week??? If you are some intelligent you make many more Dollars.I am also earning many more, my relatives wondered to see how i settle my Life in few days thank GOD to you for this…You can also make cash i never tell a lie you should check this I am sure you shocked to see this amazing offer…I’m Loving it!!!! ☻ ▼ ▼ ▼
»»»»»»»»» Go to my Account For WEB ADDRESS where you earn DOLLARS…..
dfgthg
Somebody wake me up when they’re even somewhat mediocre. Whatever year in the future that happens to be.