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The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a tough spot right now. They're only a couple of losses away from missing the playoffs, but they don't have Ben Roethlisberger to bail them out this time. Without their first-choice QB, the Steelers have seen themselves fall short to their division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns.
They are once again set to face the Cleveland Browns once again after the controversial Week 11 clash against the Browns left a sour note on everyone's mouths. You can be sure that a good section of Steelers fans will be giving the business to the Browns once they enter Heinz Field.
It will be up to the team to respond to their fans' passion and make up for it with a solid win. It doesn't look like it, but they actually have a shot at winning this fight.
Here are four reasons why the Steelers will emerge victorious against the Browns.
Devlin Hodges will give Steelers a ducking good time
The Mason Rudolph experiment failed as the second-year quarterback has been benched for this game. It's clear to everyone that he hasn't mentally recovered from the concussion he suffered a couple of weeks ago.
However, there are positives that come with the negatives. Devlin Hodges has emerged as a capable quarterback option after initially being signed as a backup for Rudolph. He was solid against the Cincinnati Bengals, notching 118 passing yards and a touchdown to salvage the Week 12 game and finish on top. He'll be counted upon to lead the Steelers from the pocket against a decent Browns defense.
They have a shot at winning this match because the undrafted rookie is not afraid to step up to the plate. He claims he doesn't have anything to lose and will play with all he's got.
Myles Garrett is a huge absence for the Browns defense
Myles Garrett is suspended indefinitely for what he did to Rudolph. However, his toughness isn't the only thing the Browns are missing as they prepare to face the Steelers without one of their key pass rushers.
He is the obvious leader of the Browns' pass rush, leading the way with his 10.0 sacks. He's an important component during the Steelers game as well. While he wasn't able to sack Rudolph, his presence on the field was enough to affect Rudolph's effectiveness in the pocket.
With him out of the picture, Hodges will be able to focus more on finding the open man and throw an accurate pass. A safer pocket spells a bigger chance of winning for the Steelers.
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Baker Mayfield is still not consistent with his passing
Pittsburgh fans more than know that Baker Mayfield is a dangerous man to allow any kind of comfort in the pocket. Through his two seasons in the NFL, he's shown that he's a capable quarterback who can complete ridiculous passes.
However, he's definitely experiencing an obvious case of second-year syndrome. His outings haven't been as consistent as his stellar rookie year, throwing 13 interceptions in only 11 games. While he can still make up for it in the remaining games of the season, previous games have shown that he'll be easy to beat if you rattle him enough.
As long as the Steelers defense manages to get him out of his groove, they have a good shot at getting the W.
The brawl will fuel them to victory
The brawl was definitely an unfortunate incident, but it's definitely a wake-up call for Mike Tomlin's boys. They cannot rest on their laurels just because they've won games against the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams.
Their games against the Browns and Bengals remind them that division rivalries bring a different level of intensity to the game. If they aren't prepared to play their hearts out, they will find themselves ripped to shreds.
With this knowledge, the Steelers should be able to perform better in comparison to their last two outings. Hopefully, this will help them get the win.
