The Cleveland Browns had the same old story: the offense couldn’t do anything for much of the game, the special teams unit had a blunder that led to points for the opposition, and then the defense crumbled one too many times. By the end of the game, the Pittsburgh Steelers extended their AFC North lead with a 23-9 victory over the Browns. Let’s get to the full game recap.
1st Quarter – Browns vs. Steelers
The Steelers got the opening kickoff, and then on the first play of the game, QB Aaron Rodgers found TE Darnell Washington uncovered
for a 36-yard catch-and-run.
On the next set of downs, Rodgers found TE Jonnu Smith for enough yards to move the chains on third down. The defense held strong on the next set of downs, as Rodgers got rid of the ball before pressure could get to him, but also before a receiver could get free. Pittsburgh sent K Chris Boswell out for a 44-yard field goal, which he hit to give Pittsburgh the early 3-0 lead.
Cleveland had to grind out their first third-down conversion of the game, first getting held with an offsides penalty and a re-try, where QB Dillon Gabriel hit WR Jerry Jeudy for 12 yards to move the chains. Jeudy cost Cleveland on the next play, though, because after a short run by RB Quinshon Judkins, Jeudy slapped a Steelers defender, drawing a 15-yard penalty. That killed the drive, not to mention that on 3rd-and-19, Jeudy point blank dropped what would have been a 10-yard catch to help generate better field position. Then, on the punt, WR Ke’Shawn Williams returned it 47 yards. Fortunately, former Browns S Jabrill Peppers was flagged early for a blindslide block on S Grant Delpit, which put the ball at the Steelers’ 10 yard line instead.
The Browns’ defense stuffed RB Jaylen Warren for a loss of 1 yard on first down, then a short pass made it 3rd-and-6. Rodgers immediately threw a pass up the right sideline for WR D.K. Metcalf, and even though CB Tyson Campbell had tight coverage, the pass was still threaded in there perfectly for a 25-yard gain.
The defense still came up with a stop, thanks to a play where DE Joe Tryon had Rodgers wrapped up, but Rodgers flipped it to his back, where DT Shelby Harris was waiting to tackle him for a loss of 9 yards. Pittsburgh’s punt was short — 34 yards — to set the Browns’ offense up at their own 29 yard like with 3:54 to go in the opening quarter.
The next drive started better for Cleveland, as Gabriel hit WR Jamari Thrash for 9 yards, and then a short Judkins run moved the chains. An illegal hands to the face call on Peppers then pushed the ball to midfield for another set of downs. Off of a timeout, Gabriel went playaction, and S Jalen Ramsey came in free on a blitz to sack him for a loss of 7 yards. Then, on 3rd-and-16, Gabriel found WR Gage Larvadain for 8 yards, but before he was down, the officials blew the whistle, despite the fact that he was breaking free of the tackle at the time.
Then, it was P Corey Bojorquez’ turn for a short punt that only went 21 yards, out at the Steelers’ 29 yard line. Pittsburgh ended the first quarter with a 9-yard run.
2nd Quarter – Browns vs. Steelers
Pittsburgh leaned on the ground game to start the second quarter, picking up a few first downs into Cleveland territory and then field goal range. They then decided to go through the air on back-to-back passes, leading to incomplete passes, including a long pass broken up by Campbell. On 3rd-and-10, Rodgers’ attempt for Metcalf was too far out again, leading to another field go try. From 50 yards out, Boswell bent it in the upright to put Pittsburgh up 6-0.
A few runs by the Browns set up a 3rd-and-4, but on the pass attempt, the Steelers had a meeting at the quarterback for a sack and a loss of 6 yards. The Browns quickly punted right back to Pittsburgh, down to the Steelers’ 21 yard line. Cleveland’s defense had Rodgers scrambling on a third down play, and he still strung it out and flipped the ball forward to his running back for a first down. On the next play, Rodgers fired a sideline pass to Metcalf that Campbell tried to jump — but the ball got through to Metcalf for a catch-and-run of 19 yards. A few plays later, the defense got another stop in a similar part of the field they have all game — that brought Boswell out for a 48 yard field goal, which he hit again to make it a 9-0 lead with 3:38 to go in the first half.
The Browns didn’t do themselves any favors on the ensuing kickoff, as a holding penalty put the ball back to the Cleveland 15 yard line to begin their drive. The drive started with a 3-yard quick out to Jeudy, followed by an 11-yard strike to Jeudy over the middle. Then off of a playaction fake, Gabriel immediately felt the pressure and just tucked it up for a sack of 4 yards heading into the two-minute warning.
Gabriel faced pressure again and was nearly sacked, but was bailed out by an illegal hands to the face penalty on Pittsburgh. A handoff to RB Jerome Ford sprung for 12 yards after that, to the Browns’ 42 yard line. Unfortunately, on the next play, a 22-yard catch-and-run by Jeudy was wiped away due to OT Cam Robinson being lined a hair too far behind his position. On 1st-and-15, Gabriel let it rip to TE David Njoku in traffic for 14 yards into Pittsburgh territory. A handoff to Judkins moved the chains, and then an 11-yard pass to Jeudy got another first down and stopped the clock with 0:55 to go, 1 timeout, and at the 34 yard line.
A few plays later, the Browns faced a 3rd-and-8 at the Steelers’ 32 yard line. Gabriel found RB Dylan Sampson got 8 yards and a first down to the Steelers 24 yard line, as Cleveland burned their final timeout with 0:38 left. A few plays later, Njoku gained 8 yards and got out of bounds for a first down at the 11 yard line, but now with 0:11 left. Cleveland can’t afford to get down in bounds or take a sack. A short pass to Ford actually lost two yards, putting the ball at the 13 yard line with 7 seconds left. Gabriel tried a quick hitter to Njoku over the middle, but it was tipped away, so Cleveland had to settle for a 31-yard field goal by K Andre Szmyt to make it a 9-3 game at the half.
3rd Quarter – Browns vs. Steelers
The Browns got the ball to begin the second half, but were unable to build on their momentum from the end of the first half. After a 4-yard run by Judkins, an offsides penalty by LB T.J. Watt made it a 2nd-and-1. But then a false start by Robinson pushed Cleveland back, and Gabriel was nearly picked on second down, and then had his third down pass swatted down by Watt. Bojorquez got off a booming punt that was returned to the Steelers’ 21 yard line.
The Steelers then went backwards on their first play, as a hold pushed them back to a 1st-and-20 at the 11 yard line. Rodgers got it to a 3rd-and-4, but then CB Denzel Ward defended the pass to Metcalf to force a punt.
Unfortunately, on the punt, DE Cameron Thomas was flagged for running into the kicker, even though he was being engaged with a blocker at the time, to keep the drive alive for Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh then had back-to-back first down runs by their tight end Smith, and then Warren, to get the ball into Cleveland territory. On the next play, Rodgers had a shot at a wide open Metcalf downfield after Campbell stumbled, but the pass was short and fell incomplete. On the next play, Rodgers found Metcalf on a wide open crossing route instead for 25 yards. An 11-yard run by Warren then gave the Steelers a 1st-and-10 at the 12 yard line. After one run stop, Rodgers got the game’s first touchdown when he rolled right and then threw back across the field on a dart to TE Connor Heyward, even with S Ronnie Hickman’s hand just missing the deflection, to put Pittsburgh on top 16-3 with 7:46 remaining in the third quarter.
RT Jack Conklin then exited and was replaced by KT Leveston to begin the next drive, with the offense desperately needing a touchdown. A 6-yard pass to Njoku set up a 3rd-and-1, which Gabriel then converted to Jeudy for 7 yards near midfield. An 18-yard catch-and-run to Fannin got the ball to the 35 yard line. A couple plays later, Fannin dropped a great pass that would have put the ball in the red zone. On 3rd-and-10, Gabriel’s quick slant to Njoku was not held on to either. The Browns brought Szmyt on for a 53-yard field goal, and he hit it to make it a 16-6 game with 4:08 left in the third quarter.
It felt like a slow death leading into the fourth quarter, as Pittsburgh mixed it up with runs and passes, before concluding the quarter with a 14-yard pass to Washington on 3rd-and-2 to get the ball to the Browns’ 25 yard line.
4th Quarter – Browns vs. Steelers
Pittsburgh began the quarter by getting it all in one chunk, as he lobbed the ball up the right side to Metcalf, who easily beat Campbell on the slant and go for a touchdown and an insurmountable 23-6 lead.
Nonetheless, Cleveland went hurry-up for one of the first times this season. After a few completions, including a fourth down conversion, the Browns had a first down at the Steelers’ 39 yard line. A few plays later, Gabriel missed Jeudy coming open late. On 3rd-and-15, Gabriel found Larvadain for 14 yards, plus a hit on a defenseless receiver, to set up a 1st-and-goal at the 7 yard line. A few plays later, on 3rd-and-goal at the 5 yard line, pass interference was called on the Steelers to put the ball at the 3 yard line now.
Unfortunately, the offense stalled there. Pittsburgh brought pressure on first down, and Gabriel sailed the pass to the stands. On second down, Robinson whiffed on his block, leading to Gabriel take an 11-yard sack. On 3rd-and-goal at the 14, Gabriel’s lofter for Jeudy was nearly intercepted. Because of the distance, Szmyt came on for a 32-yard field goal to cut it to a 23-9 game with 9:29 to go.
Cleveland finally got another third-down stop, with the clock running on each play, to give themselves a glimmer of a chance. After the return, the offense would take over at the 25 yard line with 7:05 to go. Gabriel had gotten the ball to just past midfield, but then Pittsburgh logged back-to-back sacks of 6 and 4 yards. On 4th-and-12, Cleveland went for it, but it had no chance, resulting in a turnover on downs at the Browns’ 42 yard line.
The defense forced a three-and-out and used their final timeout with 3:44 to go. Boswell came on to try a 54-yard field goal, but he slipped on the attempt and it came up well short, giving Cleveland the ball at their own 44 yard line. Several plays to Ford got the ball to the Pittsburgh 42 yard line. A 24-yard catch-and-run by Fannin put the ball at the 18 yard line at the two-minute warning.
Facing a 3rd-and-6 at the 14 yard line, Gabriel’s sideline pass to Jeudy was knocked away, bringing up fourth down. On fourth down, his pass was too high for Hannin, leading to another turnover on downs and ending the game.
Quick Hitters
- QB Dillon Gabriel: 29-of-52 for 221 yards.
- RB Quinshon Judkins: 12 carries, 36 yards (3.0 YPC).
- TE Harold Fannin: 7 catches, 81 yards.
Next up, the Browns are back home to face the Dolphins.
