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| HOU at CIN | KC at WAS | NYG at NO | PHI at OAK | STL at JAX | TEN at NE | ||
Week 6 Game Recap: Cleveland Browns 14, Pittsburgh Steelers 27
Cleveland Browns
| QB Derek Anderson, Pass: 9 - 24 - 122 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 |
Anderson was again plagued by dropped passes by his receivers and backs. Though many of his passes weren't precise, they were catchable and would have enabled the offense to stay on the field and get into a better rhythm. Anderson struggled against the Pittsburgh pressure defense and was often harried into throwing the ball away. Anderson did show flashes of his ability to get the ball downfield, showing nice touch on a post pattern completed to Mohamed Massaquoi between two defenders. Anderson lined up as a WR on a number of Wildcat snaps, with Josh Cribbs in shotgun formation. His lone interception was on a forced pass into double coverage to Massaquoi in the end zone late in the game.
| RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 11 - 21 - 0, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (5 targets) |
Lewis found little running room between the tackles, couldn't break tackles or bounce runs outside from the pro set. He also wasn't successful running the power from the Wildcat formation with extra blockers. He dropped two short passes from Derek Anderson.
| RB Jerome Harrison, Rush: 5 - 26 - 0 |
Harrison was used as a change-of-pace back mostly in both the pro set and Wildcat formations. He was able to get into space on one sweep play, but was generally ineffective in his limited carries. He was the Browns' third down back, but was used more in blitz pickup than as an outlet receiver.
| RB Lawrence Vickers, Rec: 1 - 1 - 1 (1 targets) |
Vickers spent most of his day blocking, but was able to leak out of the backfield on a goal line play action fake and catch a touchdown pass on his lone target of the game.
| WR Josh Cribbs, Pass: 0 - 2 - 0 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 6 - 45 - 0 (1 targets) |
Cribbs took the majority of snaps as the team's second wide receiver, but was only targeted once. Cribbs did take 13 direct snaps in the Wildcat formation and was able to break two long plays on the sweep. He also threw a bad interception deep in Steelers' territory, however, which could limit the Wildcat in future weeks.
| WR Mohamed Massaquoi, Rec: 5 - 83 - 0 (10 targets) |
Massaquoi dropped a number of catchable balls, but was Derek Anderson's favored receiver. He showed nice route running ability on deep timing routes and on a post route that went for 43 yards over the middle. He regularly got separation in one-on-one coverage with Steelers' cornerbacks. Massaquoi was also targeted on a deep sideline route in the end zone that was intercepted.
| WR Brian Robiskie, Rec: 1 - 23 - 0 (3 targets) |
Robiskie got his first extended action of the season against Pittsburgh. He caught one pass over the middle late in the fourth quarter. He made a nice catch along the sideline in the first half, but was unable to get his feet in bounds despite a good throw from Derek Anderson.
| WR Chansi Stuckey (4 targets) |
Stuckey was the Browns' third wide receiver against Pittsburgh, with Mike Furrey out of the package. Stuckey was targeted four times but dropped two and didn't turn his head in time to collect another.
| TE Robert Royal (1 targets) |
Royal was used mostly in pass protection against the Steelers. He was targeted only once on the rare occasions he lined up in the slot in four wide receiver packages and dropped the pass.
Pittsburgh Steelers
| QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 23 - 35 - 417 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 6 - 11 - 0 |
Roethlisberger was very effective eluding pressure from the Browns when needed, but generally had good pass protection. He hit receivers in stride that were often wide open in the middle of the Cleveland zone defense after releasing from spread sets and bunch formations. He was accurate in tight windows, but was intercepted on an overthrown pass over the middle and nearly threw a second interception trying to force the ball into coverage in the end zone while being taken down in the pocket.
| RB Rashard Mendenhall, Rush: 17 - 62 - 1, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (2 targets) |
Mendenhall played two series to Willie Parker's one against the Browns. Mendenhall struggled to find room between the tackles early as Cleveland's Shaun Rogers often won at the line of scrimmage. Mendenhall looked better as the game progressed, breaking tackles and bouncing runs outside successfully. He fumbled in the fourth quarter, however, and wasn't used in the next series as the Steelers ran out the clock.
| RB Willie Parker, Rush: 7 - 26 - 0, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) |
Parker played every third series in rotation with Rashard Mendenhall against Cleveland. Parker was able to slip through small creases on a couple of short runs, but was generally ineffective. His fumble deep in Cleveland territory after the Steeler defense forced a turnover may have cost him more playing time as Pittsburgh killed the clock.
| RB Mewelde Moore, Rush: 5 - 20 - 0 (1 targets) |
Moore got five carries late in the fourth quarter after both Rashard Mendenhall and Willie Parker fumbled earlier in the quarter. With the Steelers' receivers open often downfield, Moore wasn't needed in a check down role, although he did get a diving end zone target that he almost pulled in.
| WR Hines Ward, Rec: 8 - 159 - 1 (11 targets) |
Ward ran free deep in the Browns' secondary all day long. His first touchdown catch came on a pass that looked to be intended for Santonio Holmes in the deep middle, which Ward grabbed crossing in front of Holmes and two Cleveland defenders then took into the end zone. His second touchdown catch was a nice over-the-shoulder catch on a corner route. Ward was able to gain separation often when the Browns pressed him, but usually found himself streaking open as Cleveland dropped off into two deep coverage.
| WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 5 - 104 - 0 (8 targets) |
Holmes, like teammate Hines Ward, found himself open on deep crosses and quick slants frequently. He was sure handed and elusive after the catch. He narrowly missed getting into the end zone on two receptions after being tackled after long runs by the Cleveland secondary.
| WR Mike Wallace, Rush: 1 - 21 - 0, Rec: 2 - 50 - 0 (4 targets) |
With the Browns focused on Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes outside, the Steelers were able to get Wallace open from the slot and in bunch formations. Roethlisberger found Wallace for two long pass plays, both with nice runs-after-catch. Wallace also took an endaround for a long gain.
| TE Heath Miller, Rec: 5 - 80 - 1 (7 targets) |
Miller used his speed to easily gain separation from the Cleveland linebackers and also found space underneath the Browns' two deep coverage for long gains. Miller worked himself open in the corner of the end zone after the Steeler offensive line gave Ben Roethlisberger great protection for a touchdown. When the Steeler deep threats were covered downfield, Miller was Roethlisberger's most frequent check down target.