Week 18: Browns vs Steelers Wild Card Game

[Neo]

Obviously I want the Browns to go on to win the Super Bowl. But I think no matter the outcome, you have to be stoked with 11-5 and getting the playoff monkey off our backs. Just having a chance is amazing. Let's keep this going!!?

[Nero]

Just perfect................ 

[LondonBrown]

@nero said:

Just perfect................ 

Haha perhaps it’s better for us if the Browns are rubbish every year. No prime time games that way ?

[mjp28]

@atom said:

my alcoholism has been kicking my ass lately 

And the BROWNS will be keeping us all fired up for a bit longer.

Plus the ~ OHIO STATE BUCKEYES ~ will be playing for the National Championship in primetime next Monday night some good Ohio football ? this weekend.

GO BROWNS and BUCKEYES, playoffs and primetime.......baby!     

[mjp28]

@londonbrown said:

Next weekend schedule confirmed 

Saturday
1pm: Bills vs Colts
4.30pm: Seahawks vs Rams
8.15pm: WFT/Giants vs Bucs

Sunday
1pm: Titans vs Ravens
4.30pm: Saints vs Bears
8.15pm: Steelers vs Browns

Oh yes a great football ? weekend Saturday, Sunday and Monday night with the Ohio State BUCKEYES going for the National Championship !

And interesting weekend of football and parties and grilling ahead !

Sweet !

[bjh2130]

@atom said:

oh no shit 

so we get ward back 

thanks dutch

We could get ward back as long as he is feeling better. I just hope his stamina isn't affected as much as Garrett's has been.   I believe Joe Haden may still miss the game. 

[Tour2ma]

Opening Injury updates after Sunday's game...

AS posted in its own thread.... Vernon

No update for PTG as yet.

[Icecube]

Pitt favored by 4 to 4.5 right now. 

[ATOM]

@icecube said:

Pitt favored by 4 to 4.5 right now. 

wow i was way off 

[The Gipper]

@icecube said:

Pitt favored by 4 to 4.5 right now. 

I suspect that is about right.      3 pts for home field....only  1-1.5 pts otherwise. 

[jiggins7919]

@the-gipper said:

I suspect that is about right.      3 pts for home field....only  1-1.5 pts otherwise. 

Yeesh. I never bet, but me thinks I'd be ALL over this line. I mean, a team who barely beat the backup QB has to go to THEIR house in a week to take on the varsity squad AND you have to factor in the fact that we literally NEVER beat them there. Like, virtually never. That HAS to factor into it. 

On the flip side...we are playing with house money and the Steelers haven't exactly looked like world beaters in the past month. Here's a hot take, and feel free to laugh in my face:

Either they kick our ass, or we kick theirs. This game won't be close. 

[Vagitron]

@jiggins7919 said:

Yeesh. I never bet, but me thinks I'd be ALL over this line. I mean, a team who barely beat the backup QB has to go to THEIR house in a week to take on the varsity squad AND you have to factor in the fact that we literally NEVER beat them there. Like, virtually never. That HAS to factor into it. 

On the flip side...we are playing with house money and the Steelers haven't exactly looked like world beaters in the past month. Here's a hot take, and feel free to laugh in my face:

Either they kick our ass, or we kick theirs. This game won't be close. 

Looked pretty damn unstoppable second half against the Colts.  I'm happy you all made the playoffs, truly and i really don't want to rain on parades. The Steelers were pretty damn beaten down courtesy of essentially losing a bye week.  Sure they had the week off in week 4 but in what world is a week 4 bye truly a bye? Tomlin rested those starters for a reason and frankly im surprised he didn't rest even more.  The Steelers need to be the team that played in the second half of the colts game.  We are gonna find out.  Any given sunday, especially in division. 

[jiggins7919]

@vagitron said:

Looked pretty damn unstoppable second half against the Colts.  I'm happy you all made the playoffs, truly and i really don't want to rain on parades. The Steelers were pretty damn beaten down courtesy of essentially losing a bye week.  Sure they had the week off in week 4 but in what world is a week 4 bye truly a bye? Tomlin rested those starters for a reason and frankly im surprised he didn't rest even more.  The Steelers need to be the team that played in the second half of the colts game.  We are gonna find out.  Any given sunday, especially in division. 

I'd truly be beyond shocked if Browns won. If I was a betting man, I'd throw down the house on the Steelers. 

[gumby73]

@vagitron said:

 The Steelers need to be the team that played in the second half of the colts game.  We are gonna find out.  Any given sunday, especially in division. 

I'm not Jiggins and I'm just not sold on your game starts..

1) A Bengals defense came out & stomped on Ben out the gate to the tune of 17-0..

2) Colts come to your house,with a real defense & jumped up big at half..

This Browns team has a knack of scoring on first drives..than just kept scoring at Tennessee in 1st half.. These Browns are also now 6-1 after taking leads to halftime.. 

What do you see as your teams issue at starting games?

[Vagitron]

@jiggins7919 said:

I'd truly be beyond shocked if Browns won. If I was a betting man, I'd throw down the house on the Steelers. 

Any given sunday but our back ups even with the browns missing guys giving you all a run doesn't bode well.  Highsmith is very advanced for a rookie, incredibly so and Watt and Heyward will be back in the line up.  It's going to be pretty tough sledding just for a pressure stand point alone.  Unfortunately we aren't going to have Haden back but you all lost vernon so that's kind of a wash despite the difference in positions.  I also believe a lack of playoff experience will play a role and of course playing on the road even with minimized fan numbers.  We are going to find out and again any given sunday bangs like a giant gong but if i were to remove bias I don't like the Browns chances either.  No matter what the Browns are headed in the right direction and really thats all that matters because they IMO don't have what it takes to win a Super Bowl this season. 

[Vagitron]

@gumby73 said:

I'm not Jiggins and I'm just not sold on your game starts..

1) A Bengals defense came out & stomped on Ben out the gate to the tune of 17-0..

2) Colts come to your house,with a real defense & jumped up big at half..

This Browns team has a knack of scoring on first drives..than just kept scoring at Tennessee in 1st half.. These Browns are also now 6-1 after taking leads to halftime.. 

What do you see as your teams issue at starting games?

You are also ignoring what I said.  A lot of people here like to downplay what the Steelers went through this season.  Now sure other teams got jerked around too, the browns included but the Steelers got straight fucked.  The team started losing games because they were worn down, ben admitted to being mentally exhausted and it's all the result of how this season shook out with covid.  They were unstoppable in the second half of the colts game and a lot of that had to do with ben calling the offense.  I told several of my employees who are big browns and or bengals fans that the steelers were going to lose that game against the bengals and they did.  They didn't lose because of ineptitude, they lost because they were run the fuck down. The colts got shit stomped in the second half, the first half is irrelevant. 

[gumby73]

 Did not know I elected to ignore any of what you posted prior...now I may not have seen it prior? but i got your side thoughts now. thanks!       

[jiggins7919]

@vagitron said:

It's going to be pretty tough sledding just for a pressure stand point alone.

Yep, that's my concern. Baker got sacked 3-4 times with the starters out, and we all know that Watt is going to make it much worse. If the Browns win, I don't see it being a traditional type victory. Like, I don't see Pittsburgh losing unless they just totally step on their Johnson and give up a special teams TD or throw a pick-6 or something. Obviously from a Browns fan standpoint I want to be wrong, but it's going to be a bitch trying to march down the field. 

The Steelers' offense is a bit of a mixed bag. Against a good defense, I'd say they might even struggle scoring. But they won't be going against a good defense...they'll be going against the Browns. Myles Garrett seems like he's Superman after being too close TO Kryptonite and he's not himself. Vernon is out. Gonna be very tough to get stops and basically need turnovers. 

[Dutch Oven]

@jiggins7919 said:

I'd truly be beyond shocked if Browns won. If I was a betting man, I'd throw down the house on the Steelers. 

I agree, but...

I never thought I'd see Ohio State beat Clemson in my lifetime, and they beat their ass, so... 

[jiggins7919]

@dutch-oven said:

I agree, but...

I never thought I'd see Ohio State beat Clemson in my lifetime, and they beat their ass, so... 

Oh for sure. That's kind of why I said the game will be a blowout for someone. Crazy stuff can happen in the playoffs. Remember that one Steelers team that was like 9-7 or something that won the whole thing?