Villanueva must slow Browns blitz
The Browns will have a different, younger look on offense from the one the Steelers faced seven weeks ago in Cleveland, especially at the skill positions.
They have three new starters — quarterback Baker Mayfield, running back Nick Chubb and wide receiver Antonio Callaway — and all are rookies.
But there is little change in a Browns defense that leads the league with 20 takeaways, especially with the player who changed the outcome of the first meeting.
Defensive end Myles Garrett did not only spend that rainy afternoon in Cleveland disrupting Ben Roethlisberger and helping to force three first-half interceptions. He also forced the key fumble on James Conner with seven minutes remaining that started the Browns comeback from a 14-point deficit. The rally forced a 21-21 tie in overtime.
“He’s someone we have to worry about,” left tackle Alejandro Villanueva said. “He had a great performance against us. He was very disruptive. He’s definitely a huge factor in the game.”
Indeed, on the day he was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, Garrett declared his mission was to “chop down” Roethlisberger, who is 21-2-1 lifetime against the Browns.
He did that and more in the Sept. 9 season opener. Garrett registered two sacks, two quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and a batted pass.
His biggest play came with 7:44 remaining, trailing 21-7, when he hit Conner for a 2-yard loss, forcing a fumble at the Steelers 16. Safety Jabrill Peppers recovered and returned the ball to the Steelers 1. The Browns converted the turnover — one of six on the day — into a touchdown just one play later.
It will be up to Villanueva, who has not allowed a pressure in the past two games, to slow Garrett the second time around. The Steelers have not allowed a sack in the past two games — it’s only the fourth time that has happened in Roethlisberger’s 15-year career.
“He’s a phenomenal football player,” Villanueva said. “He deserves all the respect from tackles around the NFL. He’s extremely gifted.”
Garrett is everything as advertised: A freakish combination of size, speed and agility who can disrupt the game all by himself.
He has had three multiple-sack games this season and his seven total sacks are tied with Houston’s J.J. Watt for fourth in the NFL. Since joining the Browns, he has 14½ sacks in 18 games.
In addition, he has three forced fumbles and three passes defensed in seven games while having the stamina to play 85 percent of the snaps. He had a fourth forced fumble on a strip sack that the Browns were returning for a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders when the play was negated by a quick whistle.
On top of that, several Steelers, including Villanueva, said he’s a nice guy, too.
“He has a really good approach to the game,” Villanueva said. “He’s not worried about talking smack. He’s a very nice kid who just loves the game of football. I would say he’s the defensive-end version of Ryan Shazier. He’s a very gifted athlete who plays on another level.”
Garrett did have a costly penalty against the Steelers that resulted in a touchdown. He was called for roughing the passer on a third-down incompletion by Roethlisberger that led to Conner’s 4yard touchdown run a play later.
It was one of three penalties called on Garrett against the Steelers. Since that game, he has been penalized four more times — all defensive offsides.
“He’s coming in with the identity he wants to be defensive player of the year, he wants to be a force to reckon with, a player other players truly worry about,” Villanueva said. “He has unbelievable ability to defend and come off the ball for a man as large as he is. And he plays extremely hard. He does the little things coaches always coach.”