The Cleveland Browns made a big statement in their first game of the season.
They kept Joe Burrow on his toes with their elite pass rush, living up to the hype and proving Jim Schwartz wasn’t lying when he stated that they would be very aggressive going against the rival quarterback.
Deshaun Watson didn’t play a perfect game, but he was efficient and did what he needed to lead the team to a win.
Now, they’ll face another tough task when they square off vs. another divisional rival.
Fortunately, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be down two key pieces for this game, one on each side of the field.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN (via Dov Kleiman), the Steelers won’t have DL Cam Heyward or WR Diontae Johnson, as the latter suffered a hamstring injury vs. the San Francisco 49ers.
Update: Another injury for the #Steelers, WR Deontae Johnson is expected to be sidelined a "few weeks" due to a hamstring injury, per @AdamSchefter
They already lost DL Cam Heyward for a while as well. https://t.co/kVDPmGcLew pic.twitter.com/CbZjPbQXSt
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 12, 2023
Both players are expected to be sidelined for a couple of weeks.
The Steelers didn’t look ready to take the field at all in the season opener.
The Niners ran them off the field early in the game, and they were never able to click on offense.
Kenny Pickett was expected to be one of the most improved players in the league, but he didn’t look like it in his first matchup of the season.
Of course, T.J. Watt will be a handful, but the Browns have one of the best offensive lines in the game, and Watson’s mobility could help him avoid some hits.
Going 2-0 in the division is a dream-like scenario and one that seems quite feasible right now.
NEXT: Tony Rizzo Notes 1 Major Factor In Browns' Win Over Bengals
