Steelers seek to prevent Browns from scoring early, playing with lead

Chris Adamski
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020 4:42 p.m. | Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020 4:42 p.m.

Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review

Members of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense celebrate late during a win against the Cleveland Browns last season. The Browns, who visit Heinz Field again Sunday, have taken early leads during each of their past four games that allowed them to cruise and rely on rushing offensively.

Through five games this season, the Cleveland Browns are averaging 19.0 points per game in the first half.

To put that figure into perspective, last season the Pittsburgh Steelers averaged 18.1 points… for their full games.

In advance of Sunday’s AFC North showdown between the teams at Heinz Field, much has been made of the Browns’ NFL-best rushing attack. But while Cleveland is blessed with quality running backs and a solid offensive line, that the Browns have often able to build so many early leads is also contributing to their 188.4 rushing yards per game.

Teams much more often will run when they are ahead, so preventing the Browns from scoring early could neuter their running game before it gets any momentum going.

“That’s the biggest thing,” Steelers inside linebacker Devin Bush said Thursday, “just being able to combat that run and being able to play those three hard downs and not let them rely on their run game the whole game and run at us the whole game.”

In building a 4-0 record, Steelers have shut down running games that rank No. 17, 29, 30 and 32 in the NFL. A true test awaits Sunday in the form of the top-ranked Browns.https://t.co/hT8R9pEOms

— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) October 14, 2020

The Browns are averaging 22.3 points over the first halves during their ongoing four-game winning streak. They have not trailed past the midway point of the second quarter at any moment during any of those games.

The Steelers (4-0) have led throughout the entire second half of three of their four games.

“You are able to maintain balance,” coach Mike Tomlin said of an offense that has a lead, “and that is our desired approach both offensively when time becomes of the essence and you are behind in games and you don’t always have control over that. The ability to maintain balance thoughtfully, the ability to remain thoughtfully non-rhythmic if you will, offensively is good. Also, to be able to discourage people from running the ball like you are capable of doing when you are not behind is good.”

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.

Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.