Steelers worry about Cribbs

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons probably didn’t believe it when they heard it.

The Cleveland Browns (1-4), with their two top quarterbacks injured, likely will give rookie Colt McCoy his first NFL start Sunday in Pittsburgh, where he would go against one of the league’s most physical and intimidating defenses.

The Steelers’ complicated zone blitz schemes and ever-varying looks are troublesome to the league’s top quarterbacks, so sending out a player who has yet to throw an NFL pass to oppose them would seem to be a tremendous mismatch.

That’s why some of the Steelers (3-1) are questioning how much they’ll actually go against McCoy, if he’s chosen to start. They recall how the Browns upset them 13-6 in December, effectively deploying Joshua Cribbs in the wildcat offense during a loss that eventually cost Pittsburgh any chance of making the playoffs.

“Given that we might be facing a rookie quarterback and that we do confuse people who have played football for a long time, it would seem to be a mismatch,” Steelers safety Ryan Clark said Wednesday. “But look at the game last year when Brady Quinn started, they ran the wildcat most of the game. They ran the ball and were able to keep the game close enough so that they never had to get out of that game plan.”

The Browns kept the Steelers off balance by sacking Ben Roethlisberger eight times for 60 yards in losses. While Quinn was an ineffective 6 of 19 for 90 yards, Cribbs ran eight times for 87 yards as the Browns rushed for 171 yards. The Browns also were sacked only once.

Cribbs also has three of his eight career kickoff return touchdowns against the Steelers, including a 98-yarder in Heinz Field last season.

“He’s got great speed and agility and balance,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “He’s uniquely powerful for a wide receiver-like guy. He’s extremely tough to tackle, he’s strong and he’s highly conditioned.”

Even if the Browns cut back on the wildcat and try to beat Pittsburgh with a conventional offense led by a rookie, Polamalu and Clark said the Steelers will give him the same respect they do any quarterback.

“That game last year would be a good game for us to watch and understand, that they have ways of making plays without the quarterback having to make tough decisions and tough throws,” Clark said.

“He’s got a tremendous opportunity to start off with a great story,” Polamalu said.