WEEK 18
CLEVELAND BROWNS (7-9) @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-8)
DATE: Sunday (1/8/23)
STADIUM: Acrisure Stadium
TIME: 1:00 PM ET
REFEREE: Clete Blakeman
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY
LEADER Steelers lead all-time series, 77-61-1
STREAKS Browns have won 2 of last 3
LAST GAME 9/22/22: Steelers 17 at Browns 29
LAST GAME AT SITE 1/3/22: Steelers 26, Browns 14
CLEVELAND BROWNS
LAST WEEK W 24 -10 at Washington
COACH VS. OPP. Kevin Stefanski: 3-3
PTS. FOR 21.7
OFFENSE 351.7
PASSING Deshaun Watson: 80-141-872-5-3-78.1
RUSHING Nick Chubb: 290-1,448-5.0-12
RECEIVING Amari Cooper: 78-1,109-14.6-9
PTS. AGAINST 22.1
DEFENSE 331.1
SACKS Myles Garrett: 15
INTs Grant Delpit: 4
TAKE/GIVE 0 (19/19)
PUNTING (NET) Corey Bojorquez: 48.5 (41.2)
KICKING Cade York (R): 105 (33/35 PAT; 24/32 FG)
BROWNS NOTES
• QB DESHAUN WATSON totaled 200 yards (169 pass, 31 rush) with season-high 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs & season-best 122.5 rating last week. Has 0 INTs in 2 of past 3. Passed for 264 yards & 2 TDs with 110.7 rating in only career start vs. Pit. (9/27/20 w/ Hou.).
• RB NICK CHUBB had 116 scrimmage yards (104 rush, 12 rec.) last week, his 10th game with 100+ scrimmage yards this season, tied 3rd-most in NFL. Aims for 4th in row with 90+ rush yards & 3rd in row with 100+ scrimmage yards. Rushed for 113 yards & TD in Week 3 meeting. Ranks 2nd in NFL with 1,448 rush yards & can join HOFer Jim Brown as only players in franchise history with 1,500+ rush yards in single season.
• WR AMARI COOPER led team with 105 rec. yards & 2 rec. TDs last week, his 5th game this season with 100+ rec. yards. Aims for 3rd in row with 70+ rec. yards. Had 7 catches for 101 yards & TD in Week 3 meeting & has 5+ catches & 65+ rec. yards in each of 3 career games vs. Pit. Has career-high 9 rec. TDs this season & can become 2nd Cle. player since 1970 with 10+ rec. TDs in season (Braylon Edwards in 2007).
• WR DONOVAN PEOPLES-JONES had 3rd TD catch of season last week & has TD catch in 2 of past 3. Had 76 rec. yards in last road meeting.
• DE MYLES GARRETT had 1.5 sacks in Week 17 & has 1.5+ sacks in 3 of past 4. Has sack in 3 of 4 career games at Pit. Aims for his 5th in row vs. division with sack. Ranks tied-4th in NFL with 15 sacks in 2022 & is 1st Cle. player since 1982 with 15+ sacks in consecutive seasons.
• CB DENZEL WARD had INT last week & has INT in 2 of past 3. Aims for 6th in row with PD.
• S GRANT DELPIT had career-high 2 INTs last week & aims for 3rd in row with INT & 4th in row with 7+ tackles. Had 11 tackles & TFL in last road meeting.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
LAST WEEK: W 16-13 at Baltimore
COACH VS. OPP. Mike Tomlin: 24-7-1
PTS. FOR 17.5
OFFENSE 321.9
PASSING Kenny Pickett (R): 232-360-2,209-6-9-76.5
RUSHING Najee Harris: 249-954-3.8-6
RECEIVING Diontae Johnson: 84-844-10.0-0
PTS. AGAINST 20.8
DEFENSE 331.9
SACKS Alex Highsmith: 12
INTs Minkah Fitzpatrick: 6
TAKE/GIVE +3 (21/18)
PUNTING (NET) Pressley Harvin: 44.4 (40.8)
KICKING Chris Boswell: 70 (16/16 PAT; 18/26 FG)
STEELERS NOTES
• QB KENNY PICKETT (rookie) passed for 168 yards with TD vs. 0 INTs last week. Has 0 INTs in 6 of his past 7 starts. Has 0 INTs in each of 3 career starts vs. division. Leads rookies with 2,209 pass yards this season & joined Ben Roethlisberger (2,621 in 2004) as only Pit. rookies ever with 2,000+ pass yards.
• RB NAJEE HARRIS had season-high 123 scrimmage yards (111 rush, 12 rec.) & rec. TD last week. Aims for 4th in row with 85+ scrimmage yards. Has TD in 3 of past 4. Has 387 scrimmage yards (129 per game) in 3 career games vs. Cle. with rush TD in each game. Aims for his 6th in row vs. division with TD. Has 9 TDs (6 rush, 3 rec.) in 2022 & can join Louis Lipps as only Pit. players ever with 10+ TDs in each of 1st 2 seasons.
• RB JAYLEN WARREN (rookie) had career-high 98 scrimmage yards (76 rush, 22 rec.) in Week 17. Leads all undrafted rookies with 550 scrimmage yards this season.
• WR DIONTAE JOHNSON has 5+ catches in 5 of past 6. Had 8 catches for 84 yards in Week 3 meeting & had rec. TD in last home meeting.
• WR GEORGE PICKENS (rookie) has 50+ rec. yards in 3 of past 4. Has TD catch in 2 of past 3 at home. Ranks 4th among rookies with 729 rec. yards in 2022.
• LB T.J. WATT had 2 TFL & 5th sack of season last week. Aims for 5th in row with TFL & has sack in 3 of past 4. Had career-high 4 sacks & 2 PD in last home meeting. Aims for his 8th in row vs. division with 0.5+ sacks.
• LB ALEX HIGHSMITH has sack in 2 of past 3. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Cle. with 7+ tackles & 1.5+ sacks. Has 0.5+ sacks in 5 of his past 6 at home.
• S MINKAH FITZPATRICK had 9 tackles & career-high 6th INT of season last week, tied for NFL lead. Aims for 3rd in row with INT. Has PD in 5 of his past 6 vs. Cle.
