Dawgs By Nature
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.
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...
