Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4) vs. Cleveland Browns (2-7)
Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015
Heinz Field
1 p.m.
**CBS
Here is a look at the statistical leaders for the both the Steelers and Browns heading into the Week 10 contest at Heinz Field.
QB Ben Roethlisberger returned to action in Week 9 after being sidelined for four weeks with a knee injury. In about three and half games of action this season Ben had completed 95 of 134 passes (70.9%) for 1174 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions and enters the game with a quarterback rating of 94.5.
QB Landry Jones has appeared in three games so far in 2015. Jones has completed 28 of 47 passes (59.6%) for 456 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions for a passer rating of 95.7.
Browns QB Johnny Manziel enters the game having completed 43 of 83 passes (51.8%) for 561 yards, 4 touchdowns, and one interceptions and has a quarterback rating of 84.5.
Browns QB Josh McCown enters the game having completed 165 of 254 passes (65.0%) for 1,897 yards, 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions and has a quarterback rating of 95.2.
RB DeAngelo Williams has scored a team high five rushing touchdowns to go along with his 480 rushing yards on 90 carries (5.3 avg.) through nine weeks of the 2015 season.
RB Le'Veon Bell played in just over five games in 2015 before he was placed on IR with a right knee injury. In this time, Bell was been able to rack up a 556 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 113 carries.
RB Isaiah Crowell leads all Browns ball carriers with 333 yards on 101 carries (3.3 avg.). Crowell also has one of the two Browns rushing TDs on the season (McCown).
RB Duke Johnson Jr. has carried the ball 59 times for the Browns this season for 179 yards (3.0 avg.).
With his franchise records setting 284 receiving yards in Week 9 vs. the Raiders, WR Antonio Brown eclipsed the 1,000 yards mark and now leads all Steelers receivers with 69 receptions for 1,002 yards. Brown has also hauled in three receiving touchdowns this season.
TE Heath Miller has 30 receptions for 305 yards and one touchdown through the first nine weeks of the season.
In just four game so far this season, WR Martavis Bryant has caught 16 passes for 262 yards and a team high four receiving touchdowns.
TE Gary Barnidge leads all Browns pass catchers in receptions with 42. Barnidge's 42 receptions have gone for 602 yards and team leading six touchdowns.
WR Travis Benjamin leads all Browns receivers with 623 receiving yards. Benjamin has caught 41 pass on the season including four touchdown receptions.
LB Lawrence Timmons lead the Steelers defense with 63 total tackles (41 solo and 22 assists) on the season. Timmons also has 1.5 sack and one interception in 2015.
The Browns defense is led LB Karlos Dansby who has recorded 72 total tackles (42 solo and 30 assists) on the season. Dansby has also one of two Browns with two interceptions in 2015 (Gipson).
Rookie LB Bud Dupree's 4 quarterback sacks on the season currently leads the 2015 Steelers defense. Dupree has also accounted for 16 tackles and four quarterback hurries during his rookie campaign.
LB Armonty Bryant has recorded 3.5 quarterback sacks this season to lead the Browns pass rush. Bryant also has 26 tackles, 8 quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles in 2015.
CB Ross Cockrell picked off Raiders QB Derek Carr in the end zone of last week's game for his second INT of the season. Cockrell is now tied for the team lead in inceptions this season with fellow CB Antwon Blake and S Mike Mitchell.
Along with LB Karlos Dansby, DB Tashaun Gipson leads the Browns with two interceptions on the season.
SERIES HISTORY:Steelers lead, 66-58 (Steelers lead, 2-0 postseason).LAST MEETING:** Browns 31, Steelers 10, Oct. 12, 2014, FirstEnergy Stadium: The Steelers jumped to a 3-0 lead during a dominating first quarter that saw them rush for 57 yards and limit the Browns to minus 8 yards of offense in the first 15 minutes. Cleveland's response was to score 31 unanswered points. Browns QB Brian Hoyer completed only eight passes (on 17 attempts) but threw for 217 yards and one touchdown.
LAST TIME OUT:The Steelers blew a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead but still beat the Raiders at the buzzer, 38-35, last Sunday at Heinz Field. Cleveland hung around for a half on Nov. 5 at Cincinnati before eventually losing, 31-10.
WHEN THE BROWNS HAVE THE BALL:Running it might not be much of an option based on Cleveland's No. 31 ranking in rushing offense and on the Browns' 3.5 average per carry.
In the best of times they can get something established on the ground and advance that to bootlegs and throw-backs off play-action and then eventually get the ball down the field. That progression is more predictable and more consistent if Josh McCown is at QB. McCown leads the NFL in third-down passer rating at 137.3 (he's completed 72.9 percent of his third-down attempts, with seven TDs and one INT). Second-year QB Johnny Manziel's play this season suggests he's much more comfortable getting outside of the pocket quickly and trying to make something happen with his arm or with his legs.
TE Gary Barnidge has 42 catches and six receiving TDs. WRs Andrew Hawkins, Travis Benjamin and Taylor Gabriel are all more No. 3 receiver-like in stature (they stand 5-foot-7, 5-10 and 5-8). The Browns lack a big, physical player at the position that can create mismatches, although Benjamin can fly. Rookie RB Duke Johnson can be an effective weapon in the passing game and has more TDs receiving (two) than rushing (0). Cleveland has two rushing touchdowns this season, one by Manziel. RB Isaiah Crowell leads the Browns in rushing (333 yards, 3.3 per attempt) and managed 77 yards and one TD on 11 attempts against the Steelers last October. Rookie Cameron Erving will replace LG Joel Bitonio (ankle).
WHEN THE STEELERS HAVE THE BALL:They'll be confronted by a unit that's No. 29 in total defense, No. 32 in rushing defense and No. 21 in passing defense. All of that's helped contribute to a No. 26 ranking in scoring defense (27.4 points per game).
When the Browns' defense is working the way they intend it to they're able to get pressure, force the ball out of the pocket quickly and then ball-hawk in the secondary. CB Joe Haden and FS Tashaun Gipson both excel in that capacity (Gipson leads the NFL in interceptions since 2013 with 13, two of which have been returned for touchdowns) but Haden was inactive last week (concussion) and Gipson has missed three of the last five games.
Cleveland has size up front in RE Randy Starks (listed at 6-4, 305) and NT Danny Shelton (6-2, 339). But Shelton is one of three rookies listed as a starter on defense, along with OLB Nate Orchard and SS Ibraheim Campbell (Donte Whitner, concussion, was inactive against Cincinnati). The Browns have given up more points after halftime than they had in the first two quarters in eight of nine games.
SPECIAL-TEAMS HEADLINERS: Benjamin is No. 3 in the NFL with a 12.4 average per punt return and has taken one the distance this season and three in his career. WR Jacoby Jones' Steelers' debut in the Raiders game included a 20.8 average on kickoff returns and a 1.0 average on punt returns. WR Antonio Brown fumbled a punt return against Oakland. K Chris Boswell missed from 41 yards out after making his first 10 field goals with the Steelers but hit the game-winning kick from 18 yards out with two seconds left in regulation.THE X-FACTOR: The Steelers haven't lost to the Browns at home since the 2003 season (33-13). Will the Heinz Field Advantage be enough to help propel a relatively banged up Steelers team to its 12th straight home win over Cleveland?
THEY SAID IT:"What I've noticed is when they play the Pittsburgh Steelers they bring their 'A' game and they're ready to play so you throw the records aside. It's AFC North (Division) football, looking at footage from last year, just watching how they play and how they fly around. Those games count twice. It counts within your conference and it counts within your division so you definitely have to be careful there." - Steelers RB DeAngelo Williams on the Browns.
