Wednesday, October 2

It's AFC North football: The last time the two teams played, the outcome was far from what defensive tackle Cameron Heyward had hoped for.

The Steelers lost to the Cleveland Browns, 27-24, in Week 4 after clawing from behind and tying the game, 24-24, with 1:42 to play.

That was when the Browns went on a seven-play, 36-yard drive that ended with an Andre Szmyt 56-yard field goal to send the Browns fans home happy and left the Steelers disappointed.

"Didn't handle adversity well," said Heyward of what he remembers about the game just four weeks ago. "We didn't keep them out of the end zone. I know our offense battled back. We can't surrender a drive like that for them to win the game."

Since then the Steelers have been a team that has found success in the fourth quarter, winning three straight since that Thursday night loss.

The Browns, though, have kept their last-minute wins intact, including a 27-24 win over the Titans last week thanks to another Szmyt field goal.

Heyward understands if they want a different outcome this time around, shutting down the Browns late will be a necessity.

"It's going to be critical if we talk about trying to win this game," said Heyward. "You've seen the games they've won. It all comes down to the fourth quarter, and you've got to have a finish mentality.

"We didn't do a good job, having Deshaun (Watson) run. (Quinshon) Judkins, big plays with (Harold) Fannin, (K.C.) Concepcion and others. So, we've got make sure we're on our Ps and Q.

"Keep them out of the red zone."

Playing the Browns twice in such a short window can work for or against a team, but Heyward doesn't make much of it either way.

"That just happens when you have AFC North football," said Heyward. "You understand the type of football you want to bring. It's come down to the fourth quarter a lot of times, especially those Baltimore and sometimes Cincinnati games. And Cleveland is playing to that respect. I can't wait to see what it unfolds into."

Happy to be back: The minute DeShon Elliott turned around at his locker, a smile spread across his face.

Because he knew what to expect.

A wave of cameras and reporters stood waiting to talk to the safety who was activated from the Reserve/Injured List less than a week ago, and played in his first game in over a year on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints in Paris, France.

"Felt good," said Elliott of being back. "I'm just happy I'm healthy. Felt good. Stacking days."

Elliott played 19 total snaps against the Saints, 33% of the defensive snaps, and three snaps on special teams.

He was asked if he is hoping for more snaps this week.

"That's not a question for me," said Elliott. "I'm just happy I'm healthy. I'm going to play wherever they need me, when they need me to play, whatever role that's going to be."

His workload for this week against the Browns hasn't been determined yet, but he didn't appear on the injury report on Wednesday.

"He looks good," said Coach Mike McCarthy. "The most important part for him was to get him back out there, get him acclimated, get him back into game speed. Everything's been positive.

"The week preparation will answer all those questions (about his usage.)"

Could he play a full game this week against the Browns if needed?

"I got my feet up under me last week," said Elliott. "Played 20 something snaps. Felt good. My role was whatever they wanted me to play."

No matter how many snaps he plays, he is simply enjoying being back.

"Just happy to be able to practice with my guys, play with my guys," said Elliott. "Trying to be a leader for our defense.

"It felt good though, felt like myself. First drive, I felt a little odd, I didn't play in a while, but after that, I felt good. Honestly, I feel better today than I did even after the game. Time will tell what happens."

Critical wins: The Steelers have been in some tight games in 2026, pulling out victories in any manner possible.

It's those tight wins that can teach you the most about your team, your culture, and your approach.

And Coach Mike McCarthy has learned plenty about his team lately.

"It's great. We need these games, trust me," said McCarthy. "I'd like to win by 21 points every week, but you need these games. I've had an experience being 15-1 and not having really any close games, and then you get to the playoffs, and whoa, here you go, now you're in one.

"So, dance those dances, have those memories. I think it's all part of your journey and what you can help try to emulate for your team.

"But close games are critical. Cleveland has won a bunch of close games. That pays forward."

The most recent close game was the team's 16-10 win over the New Orleans Saints in Paris, where the team got into the end zone only once.

They had to rely on kicker Chris Boswell for three field goals, including one with time running out in the first half and no timeouts that was a scramble to even get set for.

"Everybody talks about being comfortable in those moments," said McCarthy. "Everybody trains game management. Everybody trains those situations week in and week out, going all the way back to the OTAs.

"But to have it in live action, the thunder, the rush on field goal for us right at the end of the half, I don't know how many times we practiced that, and our guys, bang, they nailed it. It was perfect. You have to have those moments in live action.

"With that, I do, I feel like we're building confidence, we're stacking it. I think there's a tremendous amount that comes off of that win, especially on the road. The travel stress…stress is additive, whether it's physical, emotional, mental. That's a reality of life. It's a reality of how I feel, how you need to train the team."

McCarthy felt a good feel from the team on the trip to Paris, from playing cards on the plane to interaction in the team hotel and of course, how they played.

"I love the vibe of our guys. I like the cards, I like the interaction," said McCarthy. "I liked everything about the trip because it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy for anybody. There's a lot of good that comes out of it. Most importantly, we won, and that's where you can put the stamp on it.

"Your preparation is separate from the performance. It's human nature to think, oh, we didn't prepare right. That's why we didn't win the game. Or we prepared so good, why didn't we win the game?

"I think you've really got to watch that, but if you see things in your preparation during the course of the week and then they show up on Sundays, that's the responsibility of us as coaches. And that's where I'll kick myself and say, I saw that on Wednesday and I didn't re-do it on Thursday, those types of things, because things can carry. You get what you emphasize.

"I think in today's world generationally, it's raising children, you get what you tolerate too. I think you've just got to be conscientious of those things as you break seasons into quarters or trimesters, or you talk about the importance of close games. All this is very important in putting together a run, and we're trying to complete a four-game run right now. That's what we set out to do. We've got a chance to do it here at home. So, we're right where we need to be."

Big boy football: The Steelers offense knew what they wanted to do against the Saints, and they did just that.

They ran the ball.

The offense put up 148 yards rushing, with Jaylen Warren accounting for 101 yards.

One of the reasons for the success in the ground game was the use of Spencer Anderson as a sixth offensive lineman in the jumbo package.

Offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio said it brings a little bit of an attitude to the offense when they go to the jumbo package, especially when it works the way it did against the Saints.

"Spence did a good job," said Angelichio. "Did a lot of it last year. He's athletic. He can do some things. You can throw him the football too. So, he's not always just a blocker. 
"It was good. Now you get a chance to have Spence and Darnell (Washington). So, if they want to play a nine technique and try to blow up the wing, now you've got Darnell on the wing. Then if they get heavy and put a six in there, now you've got Spence there.

"So it gives us some flexibility. And I think what makes it come to life is Spence's ability to be viable in the pass game and be viable to do some of the tight end stuff, which you saw last year."

The Steelers didn't use the package much in the offseason, including OTAs and training camp, because Anderson was working at right guard at the time.

Now that he is an option to be used in jumbo, the timing was perfect.

"Once we made the move with Brock (Hoffman) (at guard), we were like, well, hey, let's get Spence involved," said Angelichio. "He's a valuable piece, and he's a smart guy. He knows the offense. Like I said, he's legitimate in the passing game too. So certainly, want to try to build off that."

Nothing unusual: There was some slipping and sliding on the field at Stade de France when the Steelers played the Saints in Paris, but according to special teams coordinator Danny Crossman, that's nothing unusual.

"That's Europe in the fall," said Crossman. "Ive played over there several times now, whether it's been in Germany or England. That time of year, when you're playing at 2:30 in the afternoon over there, it's a wet, rainy season. The fields and the grass are slick.

"They like it slick for soccer, and the ball moves well on the field, but for us the field is a little bit softer and a little bit slick. The cleats and that stuff become a big part of that.

"There was a lot of slipping on the field, but I think you see that when you watch all the international games on grass."

Lew Nichols slipped on a kickoff return, one of several players who had a similar experience.

Being the first NFL game in Stade de France, which is designed for soccer, was a test for how the field played, wind conditions and more, and it passed the test.

"It is a process," said Crossman. "And the hard thing is when you play in a stadium here that maybe a player hasn't played in, you can access all kinds of video of certain times of year, what was the weather, what was the wind, what was the sun, what was happening. So, there's opportunities to show visualization of what you're about to see.

"Without having those resources where you're flying in there blind a little bit, it makes it interesting. Fortunately, with our veteran guys, they're pros. They were out there really early trying to get a feel for it. What a beautiful facility that is.

"It wasn't a factor like you might have thought it was going in. Especially when we flew in on Friday, it was very, very windy. I think the stadium didn't swirl. It was more of a straight one-direction wind towards their sideline. So that made it a little bit easier, it wasn't a swirling wind."

Can you hear me now?: The praise Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy had for center Zach Frazier today included an observation about Frazier having "found his voice" in an increased leadership role this season. Frazier maintained he'd never really lost it.

"I feel like in games I've always been able to talk," Frazier said. "I have no problem in those situations. And then something different for me was he made me a captain a couple weeks ago and I had to talk. It's been something I can do.

"It's definitely uncomfortable for me. I think it's a good thing that I was kinda put in that position and then I think people responded well to it."

Frazier was named one of the three weekly captains for the Steelers game against the Bengals on Sept. 27, a 30-27 victory at Acrisure Stadium.

"I didn't have to talk, but I did," Frazier clarified. "I'd rather just play but I definitely speak when I need to."
McCarthy also assessed Frazier as having "a great year."

Not surprisingly, Frazier had less to say regarding that topic.

"I just want to keep building and try to play consistent every week," he offered. "That's what I try to do week in and week out."

Frazier and his teammates along the offensive line helped pave the way for a season-high 148 rushing yards on a season-high 30 rushing attempts in last Sunday's 16-10 victory over the Saints in Paris.

"We love running the ball," Frazier said. "We'd run it every play if we could. We feel like we can run the ball on anyone."

The Steelers have surpassed 100 yards on the ground as a team three times this season, all in the last five games (138 against the Bengals, 127 on Oct. 11 against the Colts and the 148-yard outpouring against New Orleans).

The two times they failed to reach triple digits on the ground in that span were a 92-yard effort on Oct. 1 at Cleveland and an 89-yard day on Oct. 18 at Tampa Bay. Frazier thinks there's more where all of that came from based on the way the offensive line has been playing of late.

"Yeah, I feel like we're definitely making strides in the right direction," he said. "I feel like we still have room to grow. We'll just continue to keep pushing upwards. We're not going to be complacent. We're gonna keep pushing for more."

-- Blog entry by Mike Prisuta

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