Game 16: Steelers at Browns

Ladies and gentlemen, here it is. Week 17, game 16 versus the Browns in Cleveland. Playoff berth on the line.
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"Labriola on Week 17, ramifications
Posted Jan 1, 2016
Bob Labriola
Steelers.com
@BobLabriola
It's simple. For the Steelers to make the playoffs, they have to win and the Bills have to beat the Jets.
Here is a look at some of the Week 17 games that could impact the Steelers’ playoff possibilities and then seeding if they qualify:
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
NEW YORK JETS (10-5) at BUFFALO BILLS (7-8)
STANDINGS
Jets are second in the AFC East
Bills are third in the AFC East
Skinny: The Bills have won four straight in this series, and the Jets come in with a five-game winning streak overall. TYROD TAYLOR (100.7) is on pace to join JIM KELLY (101.2 in 1990) as only Bills quarterback with 100 rating in single season. Taylor leads AFC QBs with 517 rush yards … In past 5, Jets QB RYAN FITZPATRICK has passed for 1,525 yards with 13 TDs vs. 1 INT for 106.5 rating. Has career-high 29 TD passes & needs 1 to eclipse VINNY TESTAVERDE (29 in 1998) for single-season club record. Since 2010, WR ERIC DECKER leads AFC WRs with 49 TD rec, incl. GW 6-yarder in OT last week.
Impact on the Steelers: This is it. If the Jets win OR TIE this game, there is nothing the Steelers can do to squeeze into the playoffs. End of story, and then it would be the end of the Steelers’ 2015 season.
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BALTIMORE (5-10) at CINCINNATI (11-4)
STANDINGS
Bengals are first in the AFC North
Ravens are third in the AFC North
Skinny: The Ravens have lost 5 of the last 6 in this annual home-and-home series. : Have scored GW points on final play in 4 of 5 wins in 2015. In Ravens debut, QB RYAN MALLETT completed 28 of 41 (68.3 pct.) for career-high 274 yards with 1 TD vs. 0 INTs for 95 rating … QB ANDY DALTON has been ruled out of this game, but TE TYLER EIFERT is expected to play after returning to practice following a few weeks sidelined with a concussion. In 2 starts, QB A.J. MC CARRON has completed 37 of 56 (66.1 pct.) for 392 yards with 2 TD vs. 0 INTs for 98.2 rating. Aims for 3rd in row with TD & 0 INTs.
Impact on the Steelers: If the Bengals win, and the Broncos lose or tie, Cincinnati would clinch a bye in the first round of the playoffs, which would mean that if the Steelers get into the playoffs, they couldn’t play a Wild Card Round game in Cincinnati. If the Steelers qualify, the Bengals clinch a bye, and the Chiefs defeat the Raiders, it would be Pittsburgh at Kansas City in the first round; if the Steelers qualify, the Bengals clinch a bye, and the Raiders beat the Chiefs, it would be Pittsburgh at Denver in the first round.
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VIEW GALLERY | 27 Photos
PHOTOS: 1999 Matchup - Steelers(43) Browns(0)
JACKSONVILLE (5-10) at HOUSTON (8-7)
STANDINGS
Jaguars are third in the AFC South
Texans are first in the AFC South
Skinny: QB BLAKE BORTLES has club-record 35 TD passes & is 1 of 3 NFL QBs with 35 TDs in season at age 23 or younger (HOFer DAN MARINO, MATTHEW STAFFORD). WR ALLEN ROBINSON is tied for 1st in NFL with single-season club record 14 TD catches. Robinson & WR ALLEN HURNS (10) are 1st Jaguars teammates with 10 TD catches apiece in same season … QB BRIAN HOYER (concussion) may return to the starting lineup. In 2 games with Houston, QB BRANDON WEEDEN has completed 26 of 42 (61.9 pct.) for 305 yards with 3 TDs & 0 INTs for 107.7 rating. Won 1st start with Texans last week.
Impact on the Steelers: The winner of the AFC South is going to enter the playoffs as the No. 4 seed, and since the Steelers cannot be anything except the No. 6 seed if they qualify, Pittsburgh cannot play the AFC South winner in the Wild Card Round. But the Steelers are scheduled to play a 2016 regular season road game vs. the second place team from the AFC South, and so if the Texans defeat the Jaguars, it will be Pittsburgh at Indianapolis in 2016. If the Colts somehow hit the lottery that would get them into the playoffs as the AFC South champion, it would be Pittsburgh at Houston in 2016.
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NEW ENGLAND (12-3) at MIAMI (5-10)
STANDINGS
Patriots are first in the AFC East
Dolphins are fourth in the AFC East
Skinny: Patriots have clinched 1st-round bye for 6th consecutive season, longest streak since current playoff format began in 1990. Won 7th consecutive AFC East title, tied for longest streak in history (1973-79 Rams). QB TOM BRADY has won 9 of past 11 vs. Mia & passed for 3,067 yards with 21 TDs vs. 5 INTs for 96.1 rating in those games … WR-PR JARVIS LANDRY leads Miami with club-record 104 catches & is 1 of 4 players in NFL history with 100 catches & PR-TD in same season. DE OLIVIER VERNON has 5 sacks in past 6.
Impact on the Steelers: The Patriots need a win to clinch homefield advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs, and if they lose and the Broncos defeat San Diego, then Denver would have homefield advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs. If the Steelers manage to squeeze into the playoffs, and if they would win their Wild Card Round game, they would play at the No. 1 seed in the Divisional Round. That’s New England if the Patriots win, or Denver if the Patriots lose and the Broncos win.
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SAN DIEGO (4-11) at DENVER (11-4)
STANDINGS
Chargers are fourth in the AFC West
Broncos are first on the AFC West
Skinny: QB PHILIP RIVERS ranks 2nd in NFL with 4,564 pass yards & is 1st Charger with 3 4,500 yard seasons, surpassing DAN FOUTS (2). LB MELVIN INGRAM has 6.5 sacks & 2 FF in past 6, incl. 1 sack last week. Aims for 3rd in row vs. Broncos with sack … PEYTON MANNING is healthy enough to be in uniform, and will serve as backup to BROCK OSWEILER. Broncos earned 28th OT win last week, most in NFL history. In 9 career meetings, LB VON MILLER has 10 sacks, 3 FF & FR, incl. 2 sacks & FF in last meeting.
Impact on the Steelers: This game has no impact on whether the Steelers make the playoffs, and it might not even have any impact on the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. If the Broncos win, they would clinch the AFC West title and a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed. If the Patriots would lose in Miami, and that was coupled with a Denver win, then the Broncos would be the top seed in the AFC. Also, a Denver win means Pittsburgh would visit Cincinnati in the Wild Card Round should the Steelers qualify for the playoffs."
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"12 things to watch for at Cleveland
Posted 3 hours ago
Here are a few things to keep an eye on when the Steelers face the Browns on Sunday.
What to keep an eye on in regular-season game No. 16 against the Browns:
VIEW GALLERY | 17 Photos
PHOTOS: Steelers-Browns Statistical Leaders
THE SCOREBOARD: The Steelers need a victory over the Browns and a win by the Bills over the Jets in Buffalo to qualify for the playoffs.
RED-ZONE TAKEAWAYS: The Steelers have generated six opposition turnovers inside the 20-yard line this season (tied with the Saints) and trail the Jets by one for the NFL lead in that category.
HAPPY NEW YEAR: The Steelers have a chance to improve to 9-1 in regular-season games in January and to 5-0 on the road in such contests. They’re 5-0 against the Browns in January, including 2-0 in Cleveland.
FINISHING STRONG: WR Antonio Brown has 71 catches, 929 receiving yards and seven touchdowns (six receiving, on punt return) in his last seven games.
FINISHING STRONG, II: RB DeAngelo Williams leads the NFL with eight rushing touchdowns since Week 9, and ranks second with 876 yards from scrimmage (behind Brown’s 951) and third with 589 rushing yards in that span.
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES: Brown trails Atlanta’s Julio Jones by four catches (127-123) and 75 yards (1,722-1,647) for the NFL lead in each of those categories with one regular-season game remaining.
LEAGUE-LEADING TOTAL: Brown is ahead of Miami’s Jarvis Landry by 56 yards (1,882-1,826) for the NFL lead in combined yards (rushing-receiving-returns) with one game to play.
NEVER BEEN DONE: Brown can become the first player in NFL history with back-to-back seasons of 125 catches with two receptions in Cleveland. Brown already has more catches over the past three seasons (362) than any player in NFL history over a three-year span (Marvin Harrison, 354, 2000-02).
DOUBLE-DIGIT WINS: A victory in Cleveland would secure head coach Mike Tomlin’s sixth 10-win season in nine campaigns with the Steelers (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014).
HOME SWEET HOME: Ben Roethlisberger, an Ohio native, can improve his all-time record as a starting QB in his home state (including playoffs) to 20-4 (and to 9-2 in Cleveland).
GETTING HIS KICKS: Since making his NFL debut in Week 5, Chris Boswell leads the NFL in field goals (27) and ranks No. 2 in points (105, behind New England’s Stephen Gostkowski’s 112). Boswell’s next point will break a tie with Kris Brown (105 in 1999) and set a Steelers’ record for a rookie/first-year kicker.
WELL-PLACED PUNTS: Jordan Berry is poised to set a Steelers’ record for the most punts inside the 20-yard line in a season. Berry has landed 48.2 percent of his punts inside the 20 (27 of 56), which tops the 42.0 percent Josh Miller posted in 1998 (34 of 81)."
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"By The Numbers: Putting up numbers
Posted Jan 2, 2016
Teresa Varley
Steelers.com
@Teresa_Varley
The offense was spot on the last time the Steelers played the Browns.
A look at some numbers that stand out from the last time the Steelers played the Browns, a 30-9 win at Heinz Field on Nov. 15.
VIEW GALLERY | 16 Photos
PHOTOS: Steelers-Browns Statistical Leaders
459
The offense was on point against the Browns, putting up 459 net yards of total offense en route to the 30-9 win.
30
The Steelers defeated the Browns 30-9 in their first meeting this season on Nov. 15 at Heinz Field.
15
The defense shut down the Browns ground game, allowing only 15 yards rushing.
402
Of those 459 yards of total offense, 402 yards came from the passing game with Ben Roethlisbergerthrowing for 379 yards and Landry Jones throwing for 23 yards.
3
Roethlisberger threw three touchdown passes in the game, including a 56-yarder to Antonio Brown.
139
Brown had a total of 139 yards receiving on the day, his fourth highest yardage output of the season.
6
The Steelers recorded six sacks against the Browns, with Cam Heyward, Ryan Shazier, Lawrence Timmons and Stephon Tuitt all credited with one sack, and Arthur Moats and Jarvis Jones each credited with half a sack. The Steelers were also credited with a team sack.
7
Roethlisberger spread the ball around effectively, connecting with seven different receivers in the game."