The Pittsburgh Steelers are about to meet a defense that already knows which buttons to push. There was no elaborate disguise needed the first time, and the result left Pittsburgh chasing a game it nearly stole anyway. Now the rematch comes at home, with three straight wins offering plenty of encouragement and an uncomfortable question still waiting for an answer. Their quarterback made it clear Wednesday that somebody must provide one.
Ken Blaze / Imagn Images
Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) makes a tackle on Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Germie Bernard (17) in the second half at Huntington Bank Field.
Aaron Rodgers challenged Pittsburgh's pass-catchers to win individual matchups before Sunday's rematch with the Cleveland Browns. Rodgers knows the opponent isn't likely to abandon the man coverage that caused the Steelers so much trouble in their 27-24 loss on October 1. His message also included an obligation for himself: when somebody gets open, he has to put the ball there.
That first meeting gave Cleveland every reason to trust its approach. According to NFL analysis, the Browns played man coverage on 73.3% of their defensive snaps. Rodgers completed 22 of 40 passes for 299 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked five times and hit 10 times. Pittsburgh managed three points over seven consecutive possessions between its opening touchdown and furious fourth-quarter comeback. Cornerback Denzel Ward also intercepted a pass intended for Michael Pittman Jr..
Speaking during his Wednesday press conference, Rodgers reduced an exhausting schematic argument to a responsibility that belongs to everybody involved in the passing game.
“You got to win your one-on-ones. So, man coverage is one-on-one all over the field. So, you got to win the one-on-ones and get open and I got to get them the ball,” Rodgers said.
It sounds like advice from the world's least patient youth-football coach. The difference is that Rodgers is describing a real problem the Browns have already exploited. When a cornerback can stay attached through a receiver's break, the quarterback must hold the ball or search for another option. Cleveland's pressure made neither choice especially comfortable. By the time Rodgers reached the right answer, the pocket sometimes had other plans.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy identified the same issue immediately after the loss, describing five-man pressure paired with man-to-man coverage. Those two pieces worked together. Cleveland challenged Pittsburgh's protection while trusting defensive backs to survive without constant help. A quick release can punish the blitz, but only when the receiver wins cleanly enough for the throw to arrive on time.
The Steelers did eventually show how to respond. DK Metcalf caught five passes for 115 yards, with 93 coming after halftime. His explosive plays helped Pittsburgh erase a two-touchdown deficit before Cleveland kicked the winning field goal. The comeback was encouraging. Requiring most of a game to rediscover that kind of separation wasn't.
Ken Blaze / Imagn Images
New Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy takes the field before the game at Huntington Bank Field.
The personnel picture has since gotten trickier. Pittman and Roman Wilson remain on injured reserve, although Wilson caught a touchdown and gained 74 yards in the first Cleveland game. Ben Skowronek returned to limited practice Wednesday after missing the New Orleans Saints game with a calf injury. His availability for Sunday still hasn't been determined.
That leaves rookie Germie Bernard with an opportunity to show Cleveland something new. Bernard caught 11 passes against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 18, including the overtime winner, but his production has largely relied on quick touches and yards after the catch. Beating a defender at the top of a route is a different examination. Pittsburgh used a second-round pick on him for more than screens and emergency outlet throws.
Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington can also complicate man-coverage assignments. A tight end with Washington's size creates an awkward matchup near the goal line, while Freiermuth can find leverage on shorter routes. Neither should be treated as a magic answer if protection breaks down before the route develops.
There are ways McCarthy can help without waiting for every receiver to win an isolated wrestling match. Motion can reveal coverage, bunch formations can make defenders navigate traffic and quicker concepts can prevent a pressure look from dictating the entire possession. Pittsburgh examined the same man-coverage weakness after the first Cleveland loss. Three victories later, the central question still hasn't disappeared.
The Steelers just beat the Saints 16-10 while scoring one touchdown on four red-zone trips. The rushing attack carried plenty of weight, but Cleveland has already shown that it can challenge the passing game without giving Pittsburgh easy answers. Another afternoon of waiting for one spectacular Metcalf catch would be a questionable way to attack an opponent that has watched the film.
Steelers Cannot Let Cleveland Dictate The Same Game Twice
Rodgers is right to put a share of the responsibility on his receivers. Pittsburgh invested in Metcalf's ability to defeat coverage and Bernard's versatility. Those players need to produce separation when defenses know exactly what is coming. But the offense would be kidding itself if it decided this is only a talent test. McCarthy has to give them routes and formations that make winning possible before Rodgers starts absorbing hits.
Sunday also demands something from the quarterback. Rodgers acknowledged that his job is to find the open man, and the first loss included throws he later admitted he usually makes. A clean release means little if the football arrives late or off target. This is an eleven-man answer to a defense designed to isolate every weak link.
Pittsburgh enters the rematch at 5-2, with another divisional loss threatening to undo some of its recent progress. Cleveland isn't obligated to change a plan that already worked. Rodgers has spelled out what must improve. Now the receivers have to make that answer visible before the fourth quarter.
#SteelerNation