Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press
The Cleveland Browns won the playoffs for the first time since 2002, but JuJu Smith-Schuster, wide receiver of the Pittsburgh Steelers, does not see much difference.
“I think they’re still the same Browns teams I play every year,” he said before Sunday’s game after the season Tom Withers of the Associated Press. “I think they are nameless gray faces. They have some good players in their team, but at the end of the day I do not know. The Browns are the Browns.”
Not that Cleveland needed extra motivation in its first playoff game in nearly two decades against its main rival, but it could possibly provide that.
Smith-Schuster has turned heads several times this season with his tendency to dance on the other team’s midfield logo during road games, although Conninnati Bengals safety Vonn Bell said he’s going to deliver a shot if the wide receiver does it in their game and only does it with a hard tackle approach.
While the Browns may not be looking for massive hits on Smith-Schuster, a playoff game would be one way to send a message that they are no longer the “same” old team.
Cleveland won the Week 17 Match between AFC North rivals to get into the playoffs, though Ben Roethlisberger did not play in a meaningless game for the Steelers, having already clinched the division.
Smith-Schuster had six catches for 65 yards and a touchdown in that game and only two catches for six yards in Pittsburgh’s 38-7 victory in the October game.
He will be in the spotlight in Sunday’s game following these comments, as the Steelers are looking for their first playoff game since the 2016 season.