Pittsburgh Steelers Week 5 Preview: Thursday's Nightmare

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Steelers Nation should say a prayer to the scheduling gods for 2027 and beyond to NOT have the Steelers scheduled for a Thursday night game. Playing on that night had been a nightmare for former Coach Mike Tomlin. Bill Cowher escaped the Jinx by playing in just one such game and beating these pesky Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh’s first ever Thursday night appearance as a nationally televised product now known as Thursday Night Football on December 7, 2006. The result was the Steelers 27 and the Browns 7.

For the departed Mike Tomlin, he won eight games on this night but lost 12 but only when games on this day became officially known as “Thursday Night Football.” The first year for that was 2006. Mike McCarthy picked up the jinx in week four as the Steelers lost again 27-24. It is the Cleveland Browns who are the most damning thorn in Pittsburgh’s side when facing them on a Thursday night.

To make matters worse, not when just playing Cleveland but any team on the road, since 2006 Pittsburgh has a record of 2-11. That’s pathetic. Seven times the Steelers and Browns have played on a Thursday night since 2006, and the Browns have won five of those seven. They are riding a four-game winning streak. To add insult to injury, three teams in the last four losses had a record under .500 when the game began. In Pittsburgh’s last eight games on Thursday, they have won just one.

So, what happened in Cleveland in week four? The game opened with a Browns three and out. Pittsburgh gets the ball and stays on the field for nearly 10 minutes with a 17-play scoring drive resulting in a Roman Wilson touchdown reception. Then the bottom fell out on the offense until late in the game when they had to stage a comeback. 

Big picture? The offensive line played horribly, and the secondary could not stop Deshaun Watson from chipping away at them. I will say that the Browns have some exceptionally talented receivers but there is no excuse for how the Steelers played. The O-line could not protect Aaron Rodgers. Two interceptions under pressure, sacked five times, and he took 10 quarterback hits. It’s a shame because his weapons at his disposal were having outstanding games. 

Jaylen Warren ran for 93 yards on a 5.5 yards per carry effort. DK Metcalf finally broke through with a big receiving day hauling in five receptions for 15 yards. Roman Wilson has finally arrived. Darnell Washington caught a touchdown pass and so did Pat Freiermuth. Michael Pittman is still getting in a groove with the playbook, but he added two receptions. 

The defense would have done better overall if only the secondary had an answer. Jamel Dean got hurt and Jalen Ramsey simply did not play very well. Rookie Daylen Everette is still raw. Not having Derrick Harmon played a big part. But also of note is Nick Herbig was awarded a huge contract in the offseason, and he has yet to show up with some big plays. That’s crucial. 

After the loss to the Browns the Steelers started bolstering their defense. Veterans Terell Smith and Sean Murphy-Bunting were added to the roster. So was KJ Henry a defensive end. The secondary absolutely needs some bolstering. Tackling in the secondary was terrible. Deshaun Watson may have played a decent game but coverage on his receivers was weak. He was sacked twice but there was simply not enough pressure on him as the Steelers had just five quarterback hits.

On offense the line simply has to be more consistent and stout. Aaron Rodgers has so many weapons but if he doesn’t have the time to take advantage of them, they will not be able to produce. Much has been made this past week of Rodgers and head coach Mike McCarthy jawing at each other, and they are getting a lot of heat for it. However, I think that is a sign of competitiveness and the desire to win.

Looking ahead on the Steelers schedule, the next four games are easily winnable games. Next up are the Colts at home. Then it is a road trip to the winless Buccaneers. A second straight road game to New Orleans where the Saints are coming off a royal ass-whooping. Then comes the game everyone will want to see. A rematch with the Browns but this time in the ‘Burgh. Pittsburgh could win all four and then find themselves at 6-2 before a rematch with the Bengals on the road. It gets much more difficult after that with a game in Philadelphia and a home game with Denver. Two games with Baltimore lie ahead and a road game in Jacksonville where currently the Jaguars are 4-0.

I have a final word on this loss to Cleveland. The Browns have their heads held high after beating their archrival. They best get off their high horse. They are acting like they are in first place to stay. Come again? We are only one game behind them. It is just the fourth week of the season. There is a long way to go. Cleveland is in New York for the Jets in week five and I have predicted a Green and White victory. Then the Browns will play Baltimore at home. If Lamar Jackson is healthy, I think the Ravens win. 

Cleveland should get a win in Tennessee following the Baltimore game then they come to Pittsburgh to lose. Their remaining opponents are the Saints, Texans, Raiders, Bengals, Falcons, Giants, Colts, and Bengals again. I can see them finishing the season with somewhere between 7-9 losses. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

But first things first, bouncing back at home against Indianapolis. Both the Colts and Steelers are 2-2. Indianapolis opened their season getting whacked by Baltimore 41-23. It was an overtime loss to the undefeated Chiefs next. Now Indy has won two in a row beating the winless Texans and an injury riddled Commanders team. In beating the Commanders, Washington lost backup Marcu Mariota to injury forcing a rookie to take over in Athan Kaliakmanis. 

Offensively, Indianapolis made Jonthan Taylor the key as he ran for 95 yards and two scores. But quarterback Daniel Jones was not impressive with 143 yards passing but missing on 15 passes and throwing an interception. His rating was just 53.9 with a QBR of 19.6. If you go back in history to when the Colts were in Baltimore, the Colts and Steelers have played 35 times and Pittsburgh has dominated. The Steelers have 27 of those games including five straight in the postseason. 

Last season the Steelers won the meeting on November 2 27-20 after losing the previous two. Before that, Pittsburgh had won eight straight from 2011 to 2022. The Steelers have scored 40 or more on the Colts five times including a 42-14 and 40-14 whipping in the playoffs exactly 20 years apart in 1976 and 1996. 

In 2014, Ben Roethlisberger had a monster day against the Colts throwing six touchdowns and 522 yards completing an eye popping 40 passes on 49 attempts. On that day Antonio Brown had 133 yards receiving and Heath Miller 112. The final score was 51-34 in favor of Pittsburgh. You certainly don’t see those kinds of numbers anymore and you can guarantee Aaron Rodgers is not going to sniff those numbers in this next game. 

WHEN THE COLTS HAVE THE BALL

This should be an easy defense for the Steelers. Daniel Jones is going to feed Jonathan Taylor first to see how much success he can have. In 2025 he managed just 45 yards rushing. The season before it was 88. In 2022 the two teams met and Taylor ran for 86 yards. In his first game facing Pittsburgh he could only manage 74 yards on the ground. 

As for Daniel Jones, he had an excellent day in 2025 despite losing to Pittsburgh. He had to throw the ball 50 times, but he did finish the game with 342 yards passing but just one touchdown. On the downside he threw three picks. A season before he didn’t fare so well at least in yardage throwing for only 264 yards with no touchdowns and another interception. In 2020 when playing for the New York Giants, Jones opened the season against the Steelers and lost 26-16 by throwing for 279 yards, two scores, but two more picks. He was also sacked three times. 

Expect the Steelers defense to be better and if Mike McCarthy is anything like Mike Tomlin, two losses in a row will be a rarity. Pressure, pressure, and more pressure should be the game plan for Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham and his defense. I hope to see plenty of blitzing. 

WHEN THE STEELERS HAVE THE BALL

Outside of the poor play by the offensive line in Cleveland, had they held up better it would have been a rare win on Thursday instead of a loss for the Steelers. The receivers and Jaylen Warren were making plays and picking up yardage. If Aaron Rodgers gets time to process this offense can be deadly. I promise you that. If Rodgers doesn’t get the pressure and the defense plays better, I believe the Steelers can hang with any team in the league. 

The game plan should not change for this game. The only thing that needs to change is for the offensive line to stiffen up. If that happens watch out.

INTANGIBLES

The one opinion I have of Mike McCarthy versus Mike Tomlin (and isn’t that weird that it just hit me both men are named Mike…I never thought about that!) is that I believe McCarthy has a little more fire in him. Mike Tomlin was so laid back, and it just seemed he never got angry or had the temperament to light a fire under a player’s ass. I think McCarthy has that in him. So as much as he and his players were embarrassed by the Browns, playing at home, a little pissed off, more determined to play better, a chance to get a winning streak rolling, I can’t see the Steelers losing this game unless they suffer a letdown or simply play like crappola.