CLEVELAND -- While the Steelers' fans lament the number of "distractions" their favorite team seems to have, at least they get to enjoy wins.
Cleveland fans?
They get to see their team have similar things happen -- star receivers suspended, linebackers indicted, shouting matches on reality TV -- without the wins to show for it. Well, one. The Browns have won once in the past two seasons.
But Cleveland believes it's now on the road to a turnaround. The Browns selected quarterback Baker Mayfield with the first pick in this year's draft. Cleveland added a number of high-priced free agents, including quarterback Tyrod Taylor, receiver Jarvis Landry and running back Carlos Hyde in an effort to stem the losing.
It made them a natural fit to be on the NFL's joint venture with HBO, "Hard Knocks." If any team could live up to that name, it was the Browns, who failed to win a single game in 2017.
They will get an opportunity to see if the additions matter when the Steelers open the season in Cleveland for the second consecutive season.
What better way to test where you're at than to host the defending division champions?
"We just have guys who bought in," Cleveland linebacker Christian Kirksey said. "It is a certain type of guy that we want on this team. We do not want any selfish guys. We do not want guys with high egos. There are guys that buy in and are leaders and do whatever it takes to win.”
The Steelers would like to say the same thing. They can't.
The Steelers will play this game without All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell, who chose not to report to the team and sign his franchise tag tender offer of $14.5 million. That caused several of his teammates this week to call the running back "selfish" for staying away.
It's just what you need after finishing 13-3 only to lose your first playoff game, 45-42, in stunning fashion to Jacksonville last season.
"Honestly, it’s a little selfish,” Maurkice Pouncey said. “I’m kind of (ticked) right now. It sucks that he’s not here. We’ll move on as a team. ... Conner looks great. We’ll worry about (Bell) in Week 2."
Conner would be James Conner. The Erie native and Pitt product will make his first career start and will be tasked with replacing one of the game's most versatile weapons.
But the second-year back isn't blinking. Or overthinking the situation.
"People put a lot of emphasis on starting, but at the end of the day, it’s just taking the field," Conner told me this week. "It’s just playing football. I’ll just be playing in the first quarter."
Conner, however, hasn't done a lot of that -- other than in the preseason. He got just 32 carries as a rookie a year ago and never more than five in a game before his season ended on injured reserve with a knee injury.
But the Steelers rushed for just 36 yards in a 21-18 season-opening win at Cleveland in the opener last season as Bell -- in a similar situation -- reported a few days before the game and was working through some rust.
Outside of this game being played at Heinz Field, Conner couldn't wish for a better place for his first start to occur. Erie is just over 100 miles from Cleveland, roughly the same distance it is from Pittsburgh.
That distance will make it easy for family members to attend the game -- though there won't be all that many there.
"Just a couple," he told me. "They like watching the game on TV. It’s more comfortable and they like seeing the replays. But I’ve got family coming, my mom will be there."
Like Conner, his family is treating his first career start as business as usual.
"Yeah, it’s a big stage, so I’ve got to perform," he said. "We just want to win, really. No matter where we’re at, we just want to win the game."
THE ESSENTIALS
• When: 1:02 p.m.
• Where: FirstEnergy Stadium
• Radio: 102.5 WDVE, ESPN Pittsburgh,
• Satellite: SiriusXM channel 232 (Internet 826)
• Forecast: 64 degrees, rain
• Lots open: 9 a.m.
• Will call open: 11 a.m.
• Gates open: 11 a.m.
• Boxscore: NFL Game Center
• Odds: MyBookie.AG
THE INJURY REPORT
Steelers: TE Vance McDonald (foot, out)
Browns: LB James Burgess (concussion, doubtful), DB E.J. Gaines (knee, out)
THE KEY VARIABLE
The first overall pick in last year's draft, defensive end Myles Garrett, got off to a slow start last season, but it wasn't because of anything Alejandro Villanueva did to him in the 2017 regular-season opener. Garrett missed last year's opener with an ankle injury. He also missed time in his rookie season with a concussion, but managed 39 tackles and seven sacks in just 11 games.
Then, in this preseason, Garrett looked downright unblockable at times, finishing with a pair of sacks in limited playing time.
Keeping him from wrecking this game will be critical for Villanueva.
"He’s a really good player and you have to match that intensity," the Steelers' left tackle told me. "There’s always going to really good right defensive ends and outside linebackers in the NFL. I think defensive players adjust their intensity. As an offensive player, you just go out there and try to do the best you can."
The Steelers know they might have to give Villanueva help at times handling the combination of speed and power the 6-foot-4, 272-pound Garrett brings.
When he was selected by the Browns last year, Garrett said he couldn't wait to sack Roethlisberger. But because of the injury in the opener and Roethlisberger sitting out a meaningless finale last season, that didn't occur.
Roethlisberger isn't real keen on having it happen in this game, either.
"What an animal, a guy that just gets after the quarterback. We are really going to have to keep two eyes on him," Roethlisberger said of Garrett. "He’s been talking about (sacking Roethlisberger) for a while now so hopefully Al does a great job."
HISTORY LESSON
The NFL record for a quarterback's wins against a particular team is held jointly by Tom Brady and Brett Favre at 26. Brady is 26-3 in his career against the Bills, a mark he'll likely improve this season, while Favre won 26 games against the Lions.
But Roethlisberger isn't far behind. He has a 21-2 record against Cleveland, a team that passed him by in the 2004 draft despite going through more than a starting quarterback per season since returning to the NFL in 1999 -- 28 in all.
The Browns held the fifth pick in the 2004 draft but made a deal with Washington to move back a spot. The Redskins selected safety Sean Taylor. The Browns, who thought they had their franchise quarterback in Jeff Garcia, took tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. Garcia was done in Cleveland before the season ended. Winslow lasted five seasons in Cleveland and hasn't played in the NFL since 2013.
Roethlisberger, meanwhile, went 11th in that draft and is still going strong at 36. And he's made torturing Cleveland almost a personal mission, throwing for 5,753 yards with 37 touchdowns in 24 games. Even the one game he didn't start against Cleveland -- in 2015 -- he came off the bench in place of an injured Landry Jones and set an NFL record for most yards in a game by a backup quarterback with 379.
And, oh, by the way, his 11 wins at FirstEnergy Stadium are the most there by any quarterback -- including those who have played in Cleveland.
The Ohio native swears, however, it's not personal any longer.
"I’d say very, very little, if any," he said when asked if he still thinks about being passed over by the Browns. "I think it’s just a matter of playing a divisional opponent. It’s the state of Ohio, where I grew up, so all of those fun factors play into my game out there."
THE MAIN MATCHUP
When Todd Haley was not brought back by the Steelers as offensive coordinator, it raised some eyebrows. After all, the Steelers had consistently fielded a top-10 offense under his direction, including finishing third in 2017 and scoring 42 points in a season-ending playoff loss to Jacksonville.
But his fiery style had grown stale, at least with Roethlisberger and some members of the coaching staff.
When he signed with Cleveland to take the same position he had held in Pittsburgh for six seasons, well, it just seemed too good to be true. Then, the Steelers' first meeting with their former offensive coordinator was scheduled for the opener, making it must-see TV. Especially with Haley's predecessor, Bruce Arians, in the CBS broadcast booth.
The Steelers elevated quarterback coach Randy Fichtner to replace Haley and he largely left the offense intact. The Steelers are very cognizant of the fact Haley knows their personnel inside and out.
What he doesn't know is what changes Fichtner has made.
"You can play that he knows, that I know, that he knows, that I know games," Mike Tomlin said of his former offensive coordinator. "Hopefully he plays it all week. I am just going to get ready to play a football game."
That is the tack the Steelers are taking. Haley tried to downplay it, as well.
He swears this game doesn't mean anything more to him.
"I would like to say yes, but no (it does not mean extra)," he said. "Every week is the biggest game of the year. This just so happens to be against the team I worked for the last six years."
The Steelers also insist the game will come down to whose players win the most individual matchups.
Haley doesn't disagree.
"Our best players have to play better than their best players for us to have a chance to come out on top," Haley said.
One of the Browns' best players, however, is gone. Left tackle Joe Thomas, likely Pro Football Hall of Fame left tackle, retired in the offseason. Undrafted rookie Desmond Harrison will get the start in his place after the Browns decided left guard Joel Bitonio was better off staying inside.
“Here we are playing against our division rival, one of the best teams in the AFC in the opening game. You look at it two ways. You leave Joel out there and stick a left guard in there as a rookie who can play. Or you leave Joel where he has been a very good player, a very dominant player and play a guy who is a really good player, we feel, and has tremendous upside. You go back and forth on that,” said Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson. “When you look at it, I think this is the best decision for our organization and the team.”
Kind of like hiring Haley.
THE QUOTES
• "We're all about winning and doing it the right way. If he's going to be a part of it, be a part of it. Until then, we'll keep moving." -- Cameron Heyward on Bell
• "We are all ready to finally get the season started with Game 1. It is good that we are going against the Steelers. It is a division opponent. It counts as two (games). We have an identity that we are getting. We are just ready to show it.” -- Christian Kirksey, Cleveland linebacker
• "I asked the young guys if they are nervous, they tell me no. I call them a liar because if I am 15 years in and still nervous, you should be nervous, too, and that is natural. You would be nervous, you would be excited, because this is football. This is what we grew up doing, this is what we love doing. We are out here at camps, mini-camps, training camps, sweating and bleeding, putting so much on the line for Sundays and to be out there with each other. I think we are all excited and I am no different." -- Roethlisberger on opening the season
THE TEN DATA POINTS
• Since 2000, the Steelers are 31-5 against the Browns. They have won the past six meetings against Cleveland.
• The Steelers are 19-3 against the Browns under Tomlin, including an 8-3 record in Cleveland.
• In 2017, the Steelers allowed 5.1 yards per carry without Ryan Shazier in the lineup as opposed to 4.1 yards per carry with him in the lineup.
• The only team opening day single-game passing record Roethlisberger does not own is most touchdown passes. Roethlisberger threw four in a 2007 win at Cleveland to match Bobby Layne for the second-most in team history. Mark Malone threw five TDs in a 45-3 win against Indianapolis in 1985.
• Roethlisberger enters the season needing 411 passing yards to pass John Elway (51,475) for seventh on the all-time list.
• Brown needs 90 yards receiving to join Hines Ward as the only players in team history with 10,000 for their careers. Ward holds the team record with 12,083. He has averaged 8.6 receptions for 124.6 yards with five touchdowns in his past eight games against Cleveland.
• The 2017 Browns were the first team in NFL history to fail to win the turnover battle even once in a 16-game season.
• Chris Boswell enters the 2018 season with a field goal percentage of 89.5, the best in team history. Boswell has made 85 of his 95 career attempts.
• The Browns have not won a regular season opener since 2004. They have won just one opener since returning to the league in 1999. They are 1-14 at home in those openers, 0-4 on the road.
• Safety Terrell Edmunds will get the start at strong safety for the Steelers. It will mark the third consecutive season a rookie will be in the starting lineup on defense. Edmunds, the team's first-round draft pick will join T.J. Watt (2017) and nose tackle Javon Hargrave (2016) as defensive rookies to start the opener in the past three seasons.
THE FANTASY FREE PLAY
In a game that features Brown and Landry, it could be another receiver who steals the day. JuJu Smith-Schuster should see plenty of single coverage in this game and that will come against either rookie Denzel Ward, the fourth pick in this year's draft, or Terrance Mitchell. When Smith-Schuster is in the slot, the Browns could use safeties Jabrill Peppers or Briean Boddy-Calhoun against him. But the Steelers will use him as a weapon. And with Bell out of the lineup, Smith-Schuster could see even more action coming his way.
THE STAFF PICKS
Our football coverage team offers predictions:
Dale Lolley: The line on this game opened at 6 points and held steady there for most of the summer. Then, when the news of Bell broke, it dropped to the Steelers being favored by 3 1/2. That sounds pretty much right on par. The Browns have covered the spread just seven times in 32 games with Jackson at the helm, but one of those was in the opener last season when the Steelers escaped with a 21-18 victory in Cleveland. Familiarity on both sides will keep this close. And the first week of the season is typically a little sloppier than usual around the league. Both defenses are young and fast, but the Steelers should be able to exploit the Browns at cornerback with their weapons. And even though Haley has a familiarity with the Steelers defense, defensive coordinator Keith Butler will throw enough wrinkles at him to counter that. But the rain could keep the score down in this one. Steelers, 20-16
Chris Bradford: Wasn't it just six weeks ago that the Steelers were talking about avoiding all the drama that doomed them last season? Yeah, that didn't last long, did it? Team Turmoil enters Week 1 with plenty of new controversy after Bell failed to show up for work this week. Conner is a great story and could be a very good running back but he is not -- and might never be -- Bell. Try as they might, the Steelers can't sugarcoat the loss of their All-Pro, All-World running back. And then there's the tight end situation with Vance McDonald likely out. Saying all that, the Steelers offense is still far, far superior to the Browns. Taylor might be an upgrade over DeShone Kizer but the Steelers still have Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown. Garrett and the Browns' defense will keep them in it for a while but Ben doesn't lose in Cleveland. Steelers, 24-21
Christopher Carter: The Steelers' biggest advantage could come from their ability to create pressure. If Stephon Tuitt and Cam Heyward are healthy for the entire game, I don't see the Browns finding ways to slow them down and that opens doors for Vince Williams and Bud Dupree to get after Tyrod Taylor. The biggest question will be if Roethlisberger comes out with the same struggles he did last season. This time the Browns have Myles Garrett with a season under his belt and he will be a force that is felt throughout the game. Roethlisberger finally has his man in Randy Fichtner calling the offense, so this is the year he shows the most command of the offense, with the Browns being the first victims. Steelers, 27-10.
Matt Sunday: I'm just going to help everyone out by "correcting" Dale's fantasy segment above, mainly due to weather, and declare Sunday a perfect storm for Conner to get his shot and run with. Possibility of five or more inches of rain? Yeah, no thanks. The photo potential excites me as a photographer, but it likely doesn't excite Roethlisberger or Taylor when it comes time to toss the ball to their All-Pros. Going to be tough going for all involved in the game not named Conner or Hyde to get anything going. Conner has the look of a daily fantasy steal in a checkdown and run dominated game, and the Steelers win an old-fashioned, sloppy one ... Just not as sloppy as that 3-0 Dolphins game. Steelers, 24-17
Dejan Kovacevic: Show me a football team that was forced to wait until the Friday before the opener to settle its offensive line, then selects a rookie -- make that an undrafted free-agent rookie! -- to replace a Hall of Famer at left tackle ... then show me that this football team was 1-31 over the previous two seasons, and yeah, I'm having a hard time taking the Browns' alleged revival too seriously. Two days before kickoff, after months of angst, Hue Jackson finally announced that the replacement for the great Joe Thomas will be someone named Desmond Harrison out of something called the University of West Georgia. Analyze this as you will. I'm not overcomplicating it. The Steelers can and will get to Taylor. They might not bring him down, but they'll make him spin a lot of ways he'd rather not spin. And we aren't talking about Russell Wilson here. Steelers, 27-9