Steelers' Brutal Week 12 Trap Game Had Nothing To Do With Browns: "There's One Reason That We Should Have Seen This Coming"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been on a roll since starting quarterback Russell Wilson. He went 4-0 in his first starts in black and gold and took the Steelers from being surefire losers, to likely Super Bowl contenders. After defeating the Baltimore Ravens, it felt as though this team might be unstoppable. However, they weren't and suffered an embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football. One former Steeler said this loss shouldn't surprise anyone. 

For weeks, the game has been called a "trap game." A trap game is when a stronger team likely overlooks a weaker team and assumes the game will be an easy win. Of course, Head Coach Mike Tomlin, who always gives credit to the team they are facing regardless of their record, said they prepare for Cleveland with the same intensity they prepare for other teams. He said they were not overlooking any of the talent the Browns possess. 

According to former Steelers safety Ryan Clark, who was on a recent episode of ESPN's Get Up, the Steelers faced a unique challenge in this game. He said it is one that every Black and Gold player learns to look for early in their career: the schedule. Clark said they look for three things: the bye week, prime time games, and finally, who you play after the Ravens. 

"There's one reason that we should have seen this coming," explained Clark. "You understood the toll that game would take on you. I know we want to sit here and talk about, hey, you prepare for every game the same, and they all matter equally, but that's a lie. We say that on TV. We say that for the media. You get treated different when you're playing the Baltimore Ravens, and you're a Pittsburgh Steeler. You study film differently when you're playing the Baltimore Ravens, and the toll that winning or losing that game takes on you is extreme compared to any other game, emotionally, physically, and also mentally."

Despite winning the first game against the Ravens this season, Clark says the team is completely drained. Then, they had to turn around and prepare to play the Browns on a shortened week. The Steelers have historically struggled with this game; both the stats in Cleveland and on Thursday night are concerning. 

Clark said he heard new Steelers cornerback Donte Jackson say he couldn't explain a trap game. As a former Carolina Panthers player, he said every game was a trap game. The fact that this game came on a short week after the Ravens definitely made it a trap game for Pittsburgh. 

"It absolutely was, especially playing a team from a city that all they want to do is beat big brother, and we saw that happen last night," added Clark.

Co-host Mike Greenberg said that this game was, in effect, the Browns' Super Bowl. Their season has gotten away from them, and they came in to face the 8-2 Steelers at 2-8 and had nothing to lose. There was no reason for them not to give it all they had, especially in front of a wild home crowd, and try to put a crack in the Steelers' armor. 

Steelers' Cameron Heyward Tired Of Hearing About Adversity

After the Browns game, Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward was clearly frustrated the media was suggesting that the team hadn't faced adversity in about a month. He scoffed at that and said they just faced adversity when they played the Ravens just a week ago and then obviously faced more against the Browns. He said that every game brings adversity.

The Steelers have heard this all season, as the national media has underestimated them. Every time they won a game, they heard that they hadn't really played anyone and the next game would be a real challenge.