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Last Browns-Steelers game was one for the ages
In a playoff game back on Jan. 5, the two teams combined for 879 yards, including 429 yards passing by Browns quarterback Kelly Holcomb -- the third-highest total in NFL playoff history and the most prolific effort ever in a non-overtime NFL postseason game.
"I remember them throwing the ball all over the field and us trying to chase it down," Steelers safety Mike Logan recalled.
The Steelers wound up winning, 36-33, somehow.
"It was an unbelievable football game," Cleveland coach Butch Davis said. "From a fans' perspective, it had to be unbelievably thrilling."
The Steelers took the field minus cornerback Chad Scott and also lost Logan to and injury in the third quarter.
The Browns took advantage of reserve cornerback Hank Poteat's presence in the six defensive backs, dime defense due to Scott's absence. Chris Hope, who like Poteat rarely appeared in the secondary last season, wound up replacing Logan.
Wide receiver Kevin Johnson responded with 140 receiving yards, a Cleveland postseason record, including an 83-yard grab on the game's opening drive, the longest play from scrimmage in Browns' playoff history.
Wide receiver Dennis Northcutt accounted for 92 yards on six catches and also returned two punts for 70 yards, including a 59-yard jaunt, a franchise playoff record.
Cornerback Daylon McCutcheon tied a Cleveland postseason mark with a pair of interceptions.
"They were going after Hank a lot, maybe rightfully so," Steelers cornerback Dewayne Washington said. "But we did persevere, and we did win the game."
It took a Steelers' playoff-record 367 yards passing and three touchdown passes from quarterback Tommy Maddox to pull that off. The Steelers trailed 17-7 at the half, 24-7 in the third quarter and 33-21 in the fourth quarter before Maddox was able to mount a comeback that produced lasting ramifications.
Browns defensive coordinator Foge Fazio was fired following the game. Cleveland also decided to part ways with four linebackers and cornerback Corey Fuller. And there are those in Northeast Ohio who believe Holcomb won the starting-quarterback job from Tim Couch that afternoon rather than in a training-camp battle this summer.
Couch will start for an injured Holcomb on Sunday and attack a Steelers' secondary that no longer includes Poteat or strong safety Lee Flowers, who was picked on at least as often as Poteat.
One constant is the presence of Johnson, Northcutt, Andre Davis and Quincy Morgan at wide receiver for Cleveland, a collection the Steelers consider the finest receiving quartet in the league.
They'll spread the field, as they did back in January, and they'll do some damage, if Washington's pregame assessment proves correct.
"Why not?" he said. "They were successful in a game they came close to winning. We're definitely expecting that."
Washington is also anticipating that the Steelers' secondary will demonstrate a similar resilience and perseverance.
"This team knows that we can take a shot, and some blows are going to be thrown on Sunday," he said. "But I'm sure we're going to be standing at the end."
