The Browns round out their two-game homestand when they host the Steelers on Thursday night. Week 4 marks the Browns' first divisional matchup of the season, with both Pittsburgh and Cleveland entering the game with a 2-1 record.
"It's a great opportunity to showcase what we're about on a big national stage," QB Deshaun Watson said. "We're playing a very tough opponent, experienced opponent, and we got to make sure that we have all our things locked in going into that game."
Here are three burning questions heading into Week 4.
How will the Browns' defense disrupt QB Aaron Rodgers?
Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers is known for his quick release of the football, along with the accuracy of his throws. Through the first three games of the season, Rodgers has completed 66 of 113 passing attempts for 700 yards and four passing touchdowns.
"He's got an unbelievably quick trigger," head coach Todd Monken said. "I mean, he can just flick it, unbelievably accurate. There's not anything he hasn't seen. You talk about a student of the game, not only has he seen it, but highly intelligent. And so, you have to do a great job with your disguises as best as you can and still be in position to make plays on the ball. And he's certainly more than capable of changing the play at the line of scrimmage, getting the receivers on the same page."
The Browns' attacking front can apply pressure on Rodgers with their pass rush to disrupt the passing game. Through the first three games, the defensive front has taken steps forward in getting into the backfield to affect opposing quarterbacks, as they have a total of five sacks from the front seven. Their secondary has also attacked their way into the backfield, adding two more sacks – one each from S Ronnie Hickman and S Grant Delpit. The secondary can bring an added layer of pressure behind the defensive front as they work to force Rodgers into tough decisions.
DE Jared Verse explained the Browns will have to rely on more than just slight pressure to affect Rodgers and can't let his quick release of the football frustrate the defensive line. In order to combat the quick release and take advantage of when Rodgers does hold the ball for either two or three seconds, they have to continue rushing – no matter how quickly the ball comes out.
"He's a wizard," Verse said. "He can throw. He can do all these throws that those elite quarterbacks can do. His legs might not be what they were at the one point, but his arm is, I'd argue with you, even better than it's ever been. He's dotting everything up. He's hitting the tight windows. He's throwing deep He's able to handle it. If you let him sit back there and be the quarterback that he is, he's gonna dice you up all day."
How the Browns contain duo of LB T.J. Watt and LB Alex Highsmith?
The matchups between the Browns and the Steelers over recent years have featured battles against the outside linebacker duo of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Now, Watt and Highsmith will face a re-tooled Browns' offensive line that will work to protect Watson and keep the duo from getting into the backfield.
This season, Watt has recorded 3.5 sacks through the first three games, tied for fourth in the league, and has four tackles for loss and one interception. Highsmith follows Watt with three sacks, four tackles for loss and one pass defensed.
"It's been tough to go against," Monken said. "Those elite players are hard, are challenging, like every week in the NFL. But those guys – along with the other guys that they have in their front seven and in the back – but credit to (Watt), he's doing it like I've always seen him do it."
How will the Browns utilize the run game?
As the Browns work to effectively incorporate the run game into the offense, they have another opportunity to find those chances in Week 4 against the Steelers. Through the first three games, the Browns are averaging 87.7 rushing yards per game – with Cleveland recording its best game on the ground in Week 3 with 98 net rushing yards.
Pittsburgh's run defense is allowing an average of 113 rushing yards per game, the 15th-most in the league. Cleveland can look to use the run game to open up opportunities in the pass game, as the Steelers' pass defense allows an average of 192.7 passing yards per game, the ninth fewest in the league.
"It can definitely help because now the safeties and secondary are trying to cheat up, and now you get your one-on-one matchups outside and downfield," Watson said. "We got to continue to try to be as balanced as possible. Create some good running, run game and rushing yards, so we can get the secondary kind of biting up and we can try to go over the top."
With Watson's ability to use his legs, as well as RB Quinshon Judkins and RB Raheim Sanders in the backfield, they can use the run game to move the chains. Judkins leads the Browns with 124 rushing yards on 42 carries, while Watson is second behind Judkins with 105 rushing yards on 24 carries.
