Mark Madden: Steelers match up poorly with Browns, intimidate no one

It doesn’t look good for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night at Acrisure Stadium against Cleveland.

The Browns have Nick Chubb, the NFL’s best running back. The Steelers don’t have Cameron Heyward, their best defensive lineman.

The Browns have perhaps the best trio of cornerbacks in football (led by Denzel Ward) and a blistering pass rush spearheaded by Myles Garrett. The Steelers don’t have Diontae Johnson, who passes for their No. 1 receiver. The Steelers offensive line graded out horribly in Week 1’s 30-7 defeat at the hands of San Francisco.

The Steelers have zero momentum coming out of that loss. The Browns have plenty after their 24-3 victory over AFC North favorite Cincinnati.

The Browns have a quarterback advantage. Deshaun Watson needs to remember how to be good, but at least he has thrown two touchdown passes in a game. Kenny Pickett never has, not after 14 NFL games.

That’s incredible. Ben Roeth­lisberger did it six times in his first 14 games. (Cue the excuses for Big Ken, I mean, Bubby Pickett. He’s not allowed to fail. It’s somebody else’s fault. Except it’s tough to fob off Pickett’s wild inaccuracy against the 49ers.)

The Steelers have lots of weaknesses. They have backup-level players starting all over the offensive line, defensive backfield and inside linebacker.

Kevin Stefanski is the Browns head coach. He calls their offensive plays, too. He’s no genius, but he’s got to be better than Matt Canada.

It all adds up to the Steelers being 2½-point underdogs at home vs. Cleveland. But surely the great, rabid crowd at Acrisure Stadium will even that up.

If they haven’t sold all their tickets to Browns fans, that is.

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Point is, Monday looks bleak.

But here’s an idea: Why don’t the Steelers come out and punch the Browns in the mouth?

When was the last time the Steelers came out and knocked the foe on its backside right away, then never looked back? (Exhibition games don’t count.)

That’s easier said than done. It helps to have more good players. Tougher players, too.

But the Steelers have lost their old identity. As Jack Lambert famously said, “The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t supposed to be intimidated. We’re supposed to be intimidators.”

The Steelers weren’t intimidated, per se, against San Francisco. But they were bullied physically on both sides of the ball, and badly so. Pushed around. If Lambert was watching, he was ashamed.

The Steelers have turned into a wimpy sort of football team. Heavy on finesse, but they’re not very good at that, either.

Mike Tomlin’s vision is to possess the ball, grind the clock, keep the score close, then win the game in the fourth quarter, because we’re the Steelers, and we’re tougher.

Except the Steelers aren’t. Roethlisberger was, but he’s retired. (Unless the New York Jets bring him back.)

T.J. Watt is. Except he has never won a playoff game. Perhaps his alter ego of “TacoBoy” can change that.

For a team that’s based on stylistically attempting to replicate its past, the Steelers don’t. Perhaps by design, but not by execution.

That’s not counting the Steelers out.

Not out of Monday’s game, anyway. But the Steelers are unlikely to make the playoffs. They could lay the groundwork for a good season in 2024. Maybe this is the year before the year.

I actually think Pickett will be above average in the long run. Kirk Cousins-level, as I’ve said. I just like seeing you get all worked up.