The Browns are trying to reverse the situation against the Steelers



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Head coach Hue Jackson of the Cleveland Browns has vowed to make his team and one of the oldest and bitterest competitions in the NFL more competitive, and he has had a small success in Sunday's first match against Pittsburgh Steelers. 13h (ET) at the FirstEnergy stadium.

The Steelers have won the last six games between rivals AFC Central, including four with Jackson leading the Browns, but the last three were scored by 27-24 in Pittsburgh in the final game of the 2016 season, 21 -18 in Cleveland in the first game of 2017 and 28-24 in Pittsburgh to finish last season.

Of course, the fence does not mean one thing in the NFL and Cleveland has a record of 1-15 and 0-16 over the past two seasons, which is why the Browns have 31 players on their roster last year.

This has led to renewed optimism, although receiver Jarvis Landry says, "If we make everyone play their potential, we can win the Super Bowl this year," it seems.

Landry brings more Miami than optimistic speeches. Last season, he led the NFL with 112 receptions for a total of 987 yards and nine touchdowns. On average, he caught 100 catches a year in four seasons with the Dolphins.

Of course, beating the hated Steelers, who lead the 72-58 series, would be a promising start.

Part of Cleveland's optimism comes from the acquisition of quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who, last season, put an end to 17 years of drought in Buffalo. He is confident, but more restrained than Landry.

"Yes, I've seen these milestones (which the Bills did last year in the Browns), but that's also early," Taylor said. "Right now, we are forming and forming a team to be able to go out this year and do these things, but I think this team is going in the right direction, of course.

"The attitude is right, the energy is right in the locker room, we just have to stay focused all season and be able to handle the ups and downs of the season."

Taylor could be on a short leash if things do not go well, because the first overall pick, Baker Mayfield, the Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma, is his replacement.

The Browns should get a good idea right away against the Steelers, an eternal competitor driven by Mike Tomlin, who is 19-3 against Cleveland.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers got some good news this week when receiver Antonio Brown, who led the NFL with 1,533 yards on 101 receptions last season, was allowed to play after being slowed by an injury to Groin / hip.

Roethlisberger, who is 21-2 early in the game against the Browns, has managed 4,251 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, but it seems the Steelers will be without overthrowing the "Veon Bell."

Bell, who last season led the NFL halfback with 85 catches, was second at 1,946 yards and third at 1,291 yards on the floor last season.

Without him, the Steelers will go with James Conner, who ran for 144 yards in a limited playing time behind Bell as a rookie last season.

Getting ready for the reworked Browns could be a problem for the Steelers, and the additional element is that Todd Haley is the new offensive coordinator of the Browns after holding the same position with the Steelers in the last six years.

Cleveland also added running back Carlos Hyde, who recorded 1,288 yards per career and eight touchdowns with the San Francisco 49ers last season.

Hyde and Landry will give Taylor or Mayfield a powerful offensive attack that also includes offensive midfielder Duke Johnson Jr., who collected 74 catches for 693 yards last season and tight end David Njoku, who had 32 receptions this season last.

The worry for the Browns is that Joel Bitonio makes his first left start after four seasons at the left guard and that he has to keep linebacker T. J. Watt off Taylor while protecting his blind side.

Watt has had three sacks and an interception in the last two games against the Browns. If Bitonio can contain it without help, Cleveland will be more attentive to defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, who led the Steelers with 12 career bags. last season.

When you add it all, even if the Browns probably can not help but be better, the Steelers intend to improve their lead in the series of all time.

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