17 points wasn’t enough for the Steelers on Thursday Night Football.
QB Mitch Trubisky was escaping, including a 1-yard TD by way of the read option. He was efficient (started 8/9 passing) and he was even taking shots downfield.
Subject: “Shots downfield”
Body: “WR George Pickens has arrived.”
Pickens’ right hand
RB Najee Harris heard the smoke from former Steelers in the media this week and took his frustration out on a couple Browns defenders on this TD run.
How have I not mentioned RB Jaylen Warren yet? 13 of Pittsburgh’s first 17 RB runs were successful. All 4 unsuccessful runs were charged to last year’s first-round draft pick; this year’s undrafted free agent had 0.
Defensively the Steelers were getting gashed, largely on the ground. The Browns kept pace TD-for-TD, but a doinked XP was the difference at half time.
The Browns first two drives of the second half totaled 25 plays, 150 yards, 13-and-a-half minutes and – most importantly – 10 points. The proverbial “death by a million paper cuts.”
When Pittsburgh finally did get a stop, they were pinned at their 5 and unable to get past the 10. Mitch took a sack on 3rd down and P Presley Harvin III was called on for a fifth time with less than 5 minutes to play, down two scores.
A clutch sack from OLB Alex Highsmith got the ball back, and TE Pat Freiermuth picked a heck of a time to show up with two unbelievable catches over the deep middle to set the Steelers up deep in Cleveland territory. A woulda-been game-ending INT in the end zone was overturned and Boswell cut the lead to a single possession just inside the 2-minute mark.
Unfortunately that’s all the closer it got. The onside kick attempt such through the first layer and a Steeler had a chance to recover, but the point was moot because Pickens was offside.
They made it dramatic at the end with measurements and reviews, forcing Cleveland into a 4th and 1 in the final minute. Kevin Stefanski elected to punt it away with :15 seconds, setting the Steelers up at their 4-yard-line with 9 seconds on the clock. The most pitiful hook and ladder you’ve ever seen handed the Browns a garbage score that made it look worse than it was.
Steely Cam 