After a slow start, the Steelers offense found its groove to secure a 27-14 win over the visiting Browns. Pittsburgh is now 10-3 and a full two games ahead of second-place Baltimore in the AFC North division standings. The Browns, who defeated the Steelers at home two weeks ago, fell to 3-10. Cleveland has not won a regular-season game in Pittsburgh since 2003.
Pittsburgh’s offense struggled early without No. 1 wideout George Pickens, who was sidelined with a hamstring issue. Trailing 7-3 early, the Steelers offense scored on four consecutive possessions to take a commanding 27-7 lead into the fourth quarter. Two of those scores were touchdown passes from Russell Wilson, who is now 6-1 as Pittsburgh’s starting quarterback.
After an early touchdown, the Browns offense withered under Pittsburgh’s unrelenting pass rush, led by defensive tackle Cam Hayward and his two sacks of Jameis Winston. Winston had his moments, including his 35-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy late in the first quarter. But his bright spots were overshadowed by his mistakes that included two interceptions, the first setting up Najee Harris’ go-ahead touchdown early in the second quarter.
Cleveland was also done in by two missed field goals from Dustin Hopkins. Conversely, the Steelers continue to get stellar play from their kicker, Chris Boswell, who drilled both of his tries.
Here’s a closer look at how Pittsburgh pulled it off.
Why the Steelers won
As noted above, Pickens’ absence led to a slow start for Pittsburgh’s passing game, as Wilson threw for just 46 yards in the first half. But Harris’ running, the Steelers defense and Boswell’s right foot kept things afloat while Wilson and the passing game worked out the kinks.
Wilson eventually found his rhythm, hitting wideout Van Jefferson and tight end Pat Freiermuth for touchdowns in the third quarter. Wilson also completed some big passes to wideouts Mike Williams and Scotty Miller. Wilson’s elusiveness and mobility also loomed large on the offense’s success during the game’s middle quarters.
Defensively, the Steelers held the Browns to a putrid 2 of 13 on third down. The unit, which has thrived this year off of getting turnovers, did so again on Sunday. Defensive lineman Keeanu Benton’s interception of Winston early in the second quarter helped put Pittsburgh in front to stay.
Why the Browns lost
Trends for both teams continued today. While Pittsburgh’s trend of forcing turnovers continued, Cleveland’s penchant for turning the ball over also continued to rear its ugly head.
The Browns had a golden chance to capitalize on Pittsburgh’s slow start on offense (the Steelers failed to convert on each of their first five third-down situations), but Benton’s pick and Hopkins’ missed field goals nullified that opportunity. The Browns’ comeback attempt late in the game was thwarted by Winston’s second pick as well as a muffed punt by Kadarius Toney.
Additional reasons for the Browns’ loss was Cleveland’s lack of a consistent running game and the defense’s inability to make Pittsburgh’s offense one-dimensional. The Browns also struggled to consistently pressure Wilson, who was sacked just once after Cleveland sacked him four times two weeks ago.
Turning point
Benton’s pick started to turn the game in Pittsburgh’s favor, but the real turning point occurred at the end of the half when Hopkins missed his first attempt that would have cut Cleveland’s halftime deficit to three points. The Browns’ first drive of the second half also ended with a missed field goal by Hopkins, who is just 16 of 25 this season on field goal tries.
The Steelers made the Browns pay for their kicker’s mistakes by scoring touchdowns the next two times they had the ball.
Play of the game
Williams had only caught one pass prior to Sunday, and that was his game-winning score a month ago in Washington. But with Pickens out, Williams got more opportunities on Sunday. He was flagged for offensive pass interference earlier in the game, but Williams more than made up for that when he pulled down a 22-yard grab on a third-and-6 play late in the third quarter. Williams’ catch set up Wilson’s touchdown pass to Freiermuth that extended Pittsburgh’s lead to 20 points.
Quotable
What’s next
Pittsburgh will now embark on a grueling stretch that includes three games over 11 days, starting with next week’s game in Philadelphia, a city where the Steelers haven’t won in since 1965. The Steelers will then face the Ravens in Baltimore before hosing the defending two-time Super Bowl champion Chiefs on Christmas Day.
Speaking of the Chiefs, the Browns will welcome Patrick Mahomes and Co. to Cleveland next Sunday.
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