It comes down to this for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers ---- the offensive line needs to step up. Ohio.com reporter Nate Ulrich writes that no matter who is at quarterback, it all comes down to the line. The Browns' top two quarterbacks, Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme, were both under siege this past Sunday...
Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas It comes down to this for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers ---- the offensive line needs to step up.
Ohio.com reporter Nate Ulrich writes that no matter who is at quarterback, it all comes down to the line.
The Browns' top two quarterbacks, Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme, were both under siege this past Sunday when they faced the Atlanta Falcons. They literally limped off the field at Cleveland Browns Stadium with mangled right ankles.
Meanwhile, banged-up running backs Peyton Hillis and Jerome Harrison had only 28 and 6 rushing yards, respectively. As a whole, the offense produced only 48 yards on 20 carries (2.4) after compiling 173 and 116 yards on in the ground the previous two weeks.
The best way for the Browns to win on Sunday, writes Ulrich, is to run the ball. Of course that won't be easy because the Steelers have the NFL's fourth-ranked defense and are No. 1 against the run. Plus Hillis is not 100 percent.
If the offensive line's performance doesn't improve, neither will the running game, and the Steelers thrive on such occasions. They have forced 12 turnovers and have 11 sacks in four games. Outside linebacker James Harrison, an Akron native and former Kent State University standout, leads the Steelers in each category with three sacks and three forced fumbles.
Support for Seneca
News-Herald reporter Jeff Schudel writes that Seneca Wallace (when healthy) should be the Browns starting quarterback.
Schudel has nothing against Jake Delhomme's character. Schudel writes that he's actually a nice guy, but it's Wallace when it comes to the starting quarterback position.
None of that matters on Sunday afternoons. Football is about numbers, and the numbers involving Delhomme since a divisional playoff game between Carolina and Arizona on Jan. 10, 2009, when Delhomme was quarterbacking the Panthers have been decidedly bad.
Over a span of 14 games, beginning with that playoff game, Delhomme has thrown 10 touchdown passes and 27 interceptions. Now he can't avoid the pass rush because his injured right ankle won't listen to his brain.
Roethlisberger
The Pittsburgh Steelers are not worried about quarterback Ben Roethlisberger when it comes to his game against the Browns on Sunday, writes Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter Scott Brown.
Roethlisberger will make his season debut Sunday. It will be the seventh-year veteran's first regular-season game since last January.
Roethlisberger was roundly cheered by Steelers fans during training camp and the preseason, and Tomlin said he expects the franchise quarterback to get a "warm reception" Sunday.
"I really think that's the nature of Steeler Nation," Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly news conference. "I know we're excited about having him back. I know he's excited about getting back with his teammates and performing for our fans in Heinz Field."
Tomlin doesn't anticipate Roethlisberger having trouble getting back into the flow, writes Brown.