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Ground support helps Landry Jones exude confidence

By The Sports Xchange
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Landry Jones (3) replaces Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger (7) after an injury to the starting quarterback in the fourth quarter of the 38-35 Pittsburgh Steeler win at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on November 8, 2015. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI
1 of 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Landry Jones (3) replaces Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger (7) after an injury to the starting quarterback in the fourth quarter of the 38-35 Pittsburgh Steeler win at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on November 8, 2015. Photo by Archie Carpenter/UPI | License Photo

PITTSBURGH -- If DeAngelo Williams was able to rush for 170 yards against the NFL's seventh-ranked rush defense, what might the Pittsburgh Steelers' running back do this week against the league's worst rush defense?

The Cleveland Browns are going to find out. The Steelers leaned heavily on Williams in their 38-35 victory over the Oakland Raiders last Sunday, and they're likely to do the same when the Browns, who give up 147.6 yards on the ground per game, visit Heinz Field for an AFC North showdown.

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How bad have the Browns been against the run? Tennessee and Baltimore are among the worst running teams in the NFL, and they ran for 181 and 166, respectively, against Cleveland.

The Steelers own one of the best rushing attacks in the league, and they'll probably go to it heavily with starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger likely to sit out with a foot injury. Landry Jones will be making his second career start.

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"I thought we had good balance on offense," coach Mike Tomlin said of his offense against the Raiders. "We were able to run it and throw it. I thought that both complemented one another. I thought we were able to run it because of some of the things in the passing game, and I thought on some of our first-and-10 play passes, we were able to get some chunks and do some things there because of how we were able to run the ball. I think that's a recipe moving forward for us if we want to gain the type of traction that we are seeking in that unit. It was good to see. I thought it was a critical element of the game."

Of course, the second part of that equation will depend on how Jones can perform. In his only start against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Steelers played it conservative, fell behind early and eventually lost, 23-13.

When Jones took over for Roethlisberger late in the fourth quarter on Sunday they allowed him to throw, and he delivered with some big plays, including a 57-yard pass to Antonio Brown that set up the winning field goal.

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Jones said having such a strong running game will benefit him greatly when he makes his second career start against the Browns.

"It takes the pressure off me," Jones said. "When we have a running game like we do it forces teams to put a lot of guys in the box, play single-high safety. That takes the pressure off me and allows me to make simple reads and make my job a little easier."

In his first start in Kansas City on Oct. 25, the Steelers ran for 146 yards, but Jones threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. On Wednesday, he said he has to simplify things when he plays against the Browns.

"To be honest with you I just have to go out there and play," Jones said. "I can't play timid. I can't worry about mistakes and worry about the future. I just have to cut it loose."

SERIES HISTORY: 125th regular-season meeting. Steelers lead series, 66-58, and are 13-1 against the Browns at Heinz Field. The Steelers have dominated the series in recent years, winning 26 of the past 30, although the Browns won the most recent meeting, a 31-10 victory in Cleveland last October. The Steelers hold an overall edge in the series, 41-21, in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are 2-0 against the Browns in the playoffs.

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GAME PLAN: Get an early lead and pound the Browns defense with running back DeAngelo Williams. The Browns are 29th in the league in scoring (19.7 ppg) and will have a hard time coming back on the road if the Steelers can find a way to grab an early lead.

The Steelers can make it difficult on the Browns by exploiting their weak rush defense. The Browns are last in the league against the run, and the Steelers are the fifth-best running team in the league. The Browns will likely stack the box with eight or nine players near the line of scrimmage because the Steelers will start backup quarterback Landry Jones.

The Steelers have been a team that has passed early to run late, and that could remain the case with Jones, who has made some big plays in the passing game in limited opportunities this season.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Steelers LB Lawrence Timmons, who has had trouble in coverage this season, vs. Browns TE Gary Barnidge, who has 42 receptions for 602 yards and six touchdowns. The Steelers have been hurt by tight ends this season, and Barnidge has developed into a favorite target of Browns quarterbacks.

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--Steelers defensive line vs. Browns offensive line. In two games against the Steelers last season, the Browns ran at will. Using their zone-blocking scheme, the Browns had 69 carries for 349 yards (a 5.1-yard average). Zone schemes and linemen who cut block have been problematic for the Steelers, and they must handle it better than they did last season.

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