Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press
The Cleveland Browns made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2002, but the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster, doesn’t see much of a difference.
“I think they are still the same Browns teams that I play every year,” he said before Sunday’s postseason clash, for Tom Withers from the Associated Press. “I think they are nameless gray faces. They have some good players on their team, but at the end of the day, I don’t know. The Browns are the Browns.”
Not that Cleveland needed any additional motivation in its first playoff game in nearly two decades against its main rival, but that can provide.
Smith-Schuster has turned heads several times this season with his tendency to dance in the other team’s midfield logo during road games, although Cincinnati Bengals safety Vonn Bell said he would deliver a blow if the wide receiver did that in his game and continued to do just that with a blunt tackle.
Although the Browns are not looking for a massive blow to Smith-Schuster, a playoff victory would be a way to send a message that they are no longer the “same” team as always.
Cleveland won Week 17’s clash between AFC North rivals to reach the playoffs, although Ben Roethlisberger did not play in what was largely a pointless game for the Steelers after they won the division.
Smith-Schuster had six receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown in that game and just two receptions for six yards in Pittsburgh’s 38-7 win in October’s clash.
He will be in the spotlight in Sunday’s game after these comments, while the Steelers seek their first playoff victory since the 2016 season.