Game plan
When Steelers have the ball:
If the team would like to start correcting some of the problems in the running game, now is the time. Willie Parker has just 101 yards on 44 carries in his past three games, which is 4 yards fewer than he had in the first meeting vs. the Browns. One of the biggest reasons for the Browns' poor defense, which ranks 29th against the run, 13th against the pass, is their horrid tackling, particularly their cornerbacks, Brandon McDonald and Eric Wright. The Browns, however, have 22 interceptions, second most in the AFC, led by McDonald (5). NT Shaun Rogers was deserving of a Pro Bowl bid, but his addition in the offseason did not make the defense better.
When Browns have the ball:
The Browns have not scored an offensive touchdown since the first quarter of a Nov. 17 game in Buffalo -- a span of 23 quarters -- and have managed just 31 points the past five games. They are on to their fourth QB, Bruce Gradkowski, and also have been playing without tight ends Kellen Winslow Jr. and Steve Heiden. WR Braylon Edwards leads the team with 54 catches and 872 yards, but is good for several drops a game and takes off too many plays. The collapse of the passing game has led to failures in the running game, even though Jamal Lewis has started all 15 games and leads the team with 908 yards on 256 carries. LT Joe Thomas, a No. 1 pick last year, is headed to the Pro Bowl, but the Browns have been without RG Ryan Tucker for every game but one because of injuries and C Hank Fraley has been struggling.
Keep an eye on ...
KR/PR Josh Cribbs: He is the only player in NFL to lead his team in kick returns (25.8 average), punt returns (8.2) and special-teams tackles (25). Cribbs, of course, has been most dangerous against the Steelers as a kick returner, averaging 28.8 yards on 26 returns with one TD in six games against them. The Steelers rank No. 1 in the league in kick coverage, a drastic turnaround from last season when Cribbs was one of three players to have a kickoff return of 90 yards or longer against them. The longest return this season has been 44 yards by Ellis Hobbs.
Intangibles
One of the reasons coach Mike Tomlin wants to play his regulars and win the game is because the Steelers have a chance to finish with an unbeaten record in the division, something they haven't managed since 2002. The Steelers also are tied with three other teams for the best conference record (9-2) in the league and have won the past 10 meetings with Cleveland. Browns coach Romeo Crennel is the only coach in franchise history never to beat the Steelers (0-7).
Keys to victory
To win, the Browns must ...
1. Not be so offensive. New England scored as many points in the first half vs. Arizona last week as the Browns have in the past 20 quarters.
2. Not let Hines shine. Ward comes off consecutive 100-yard games and needs 27 for his fourth 1,000-yard season.
3. Have dibs on Cribbs. Kick returns and interception returns appear to be the only way the Browns can muster some points.
To win, the Steelers must ...
1. Turn loose on Bruce. Gradkowski makes first Browns start vs. a defense that should be honked after allowing a bunch of season-highs in Tennessee.
2. Get' em all on Jamal. Anybody noticing a few cracks in the run defense after three teams have rushed for more than 100 yards in past four games?
3. Have Wright guess wrong. Roethlisberger has not backed off attacking in the secondary, throwing three TD passes to Santonio Holmes in past four games.
"Every year, you see a No. 1 or No. 2 team go down," said nose tackle Chris Hoke, a rookie in 2001. "Sometimes, you see these teams that are the fifth or sixth seeds are the ones building momentum. The year we won the Super Bowl we were hot. We were playing good football. I think there's a lot to be said for momentum.''
It may be one reason coach Mike Tomlin put his players through a work week almost as if there were no Christmas and will play them today as if this game is not meaningless against Cleveland.
"We have a lot of guys on this team that won a Super Bowl and have been in the playoffs,'' Hoke said. "You're two games away from the Super Bowl and you dream about getting back to it for a lot of us, and a lot of dreams, for those who did not, of getting there."
