CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns are not wasting any time when it comes to preparing for the 2018 regular-season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday, September 9.
The Browns have their preseason finale to play against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in downtown Detroit tonight, but with the starters being held out of the game, they have turned their focus to preparing for the Steelers.
“We had a chance, in the past couple of days, to get some work towards Pittsburgh and getting everybody on the same page for that game and probably will continue to keep working up until that game,” Browns quarterback Tyrod Taylor said after Tuesday’s practice.
“I think we are getting a head start, which is a good thing.”
After going 1-31 over the last two years and posting only the second 0-16 season in league history last fall, the Browns are looking for a fast start in 2018, and it will not be easy, as they are set to square off against a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Since rejoining the NFL in 1999, the Browns have not only posted a 1-18 record in regular-season openers, but also, a 6-32 mark in regular-season games against the Steelers.
But history means little to this year’s Browns, unless it means that they are rewriting it in a positive way.
“Continue to keep focusing in on our plan, as well as watching film,” Taylor said.
“Getting familiar with those guys and just like I said, going out there and doing whatever it takes to execute. We are putting together a plan and it is in the early stages now, but it really boils down to us and us going out there executing things that we know how to do well.”
In “getting familiar” with the Steelers, the Browns have the added bonus of a former Pittsburgh coach on staff, as they hired offensive coordinator Todd Haley during the offseason.
Haley came to the Browns after spending the last six years with the Steelers in the same role he now holds in Cleveland, and overall, has 21 years of NFL coaching experience, including stints as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs (2009-2011), offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals (2007-2008) and wide receivers coach of the Dallas Cowboys (2004-2006), Chicago Bears (2001-2003) and New York Jets (1999-2000).
During Haley’s final year in Pittsburgh, the Steelers had six offensive players selected to the Pro Bowl.
With Haley at the helm of the offense, wide receiver Antonio Brown was a four-time Pro Bowl selection, twice led the NFL in receiving yards (2014, 2017) as well as in receptions (2014, 2015), and became the first player in league history to amass five consecutive 100-catch seasons (2013-2017).
Additionally, running back Le’Veon Bell was top-three in the league in scrimmage yards per game in each of the last four years, including an NFL-best 157.0 yards per game during the 2016 season, when the Steelers advanced to the AFC Championship Game.
“It definitely helps,” Taylor said. “He went against those guys, day in and day out, for a number of years. It is insight. As much as we can learn from him, as much as each skill position of even the linemen can learn just about their personnel and their scheme, the better off we are.”
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