Steelers Lose Snow Game Thriller to Browns

The Pittsburgh Steelers lose another Thursday Night Football game on the road.

Conor Hutchison | Nov 21, 2024

Nov 21, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers place kicker Chris Boswell (9) and Cleveland Browns safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) react after Boswell missed a field goal during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Steelers

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Cleveland Browns 24-19 in the first snowy game of the season. The Steelers are now 8-3 and the Browns improved to 3-8. Steelers' quarterback Russell Wilson passed for 270 yards on 75% passing and a touchdown. Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III caught all three of his targets for 78 yards and a touchdown. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston passed for 219 yards on 66.6% completions and an interception. Browns running back Nick Chubb scored two touchdowns.

The first quarter wasn't what the Steelers hoped for. With the snow coming down and the wind blowing hard, the Steelers tried to cap their first drive with a 59-yard Chris Boswell field goal. But Boswell missed wide right either due to his leg or the wind--only his second miss of the season. Notably, backup quarterback Justin Fields entered for a third-down play, but the differing cadence between Fields and Wilson caused a false start penalty.

On the next drive, Wilson saw wide receiver George Pickens one-on-one and connected with the star receiver for a 31-yard gain. Fourth-and-two at Cleveland's 38-yard line, Fields re-entered the game. But the Fields run couldn't get past the line-to-gain, and the Steelers turned it over on downs.

The bright side for the Steelers was that the defense forced consecutive three-and-outs. The Steelers had eighty yards and the Browns only recorded 14 yards on offense in the first quarter.
Neither team scored.

Wilson hit another explosive play on the next drive with a 46-yard completion to wide receiver Calvin Austin III. The huge gain highlighted a 10-play, 59-yard drive down to the Browns' 25-yard line, but a false start penalty on the attempted field goal pushed the Steelers out of the red zone. Boswell redeemed himself with a 48-yard field goal taking the lead 3-0.

The Browns wouldn't stay down for long. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston connected repeatedly with wide receiver Jerry Jeudy for gains of 16, eight and 15 yards. Browns running back Nick Chubb, who suffered a terrible leg injury against the Steelers last season, punched in the first touchdown from two yards out. Browns led 7-3 with four minutes left in the half.

Wilson may have caught the turnover bug. On the second play of the ensuing drive, Wilson was pressured by Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and Wilson fumbled the ball. The Browns came up with the recovery at the Steelers' 31-yard line.

The Browns managed to get one first down with a solid gain from wide receiver Elijah Moore, but the Steelers' defense tightened up and forced a field goal. After playing one of their worst halves of football all season, the Steelers tried to get into at least field goal range with 40 seconds left. The drive started great with a 19-yard completion to tight end Pat Freiurmuth. But then two incompletions and a third-and-10 sack meant the Steelers wanted to cut their losses and regroup for the second half.

The weather must have played a bigger part in a short-week AFC North game than expected. On the first play of the second half, Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick made a tackle and forced a fumble, but the Browns recovered it. Two plays later, Steelers' DeShon Elliott, the other starting safety, forced a fumble from Browns' wide receiver Cedric Tillman and defensive back Donte Jackson recovered it.

At their 25-yard line, the Steelers' offense had to make something work. After four straight run plays and a short pass from Wilson, the Steelers had fourth-and-short again. But the Steelers turned it over on downs for the second time in their own territory.

Maybe confidence in the defense weighed into the decision as the Steelers' defense forced another three-and-out.

The Steelers' offense finally put together a decent drive but the weather took a turn for the worst. The snowfall completely covered the ground, made visibility very low and made the ball even more wet then it was to start the game--a classic AFC North football game. On third-and-10 on Pittsburgh's 34-yard line, Wilson found wide receiver Van Jefferson wide-open for a 35-yard gain. Wilson even extended a play for a first down later in the drive. And finally, a fourth-and-one throw to Freiurmuth gave the Steelers their fourth down conversion they'd hunted all game.

Rookie center Zach Frazier, either due to human-error or the snow, snapped the ball well above Wilson's head in the red zone. Wilson prevented the fumble, but the error set the offense well behind the sticks. Boswell knocked in a 28-yard field goal to cut the Steelers' deficit to 10-6 with 1:56 left in the third quarter.

The Browns answered with an explosive play of their own when Wilson found tight end Blake Whiteheart for a 29-yard gain on the first play of the drive. On fourth-and-inches just outside the red zone, Chubb broke a tackle from Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts and crossed the line to gain. At the goal line and with an offensive line that was dominant all game, the Browns kept the ball on the ground. On fourth down, the Browns, with nothing to lose, went for it.

Winston avoided getting sacked twice, jumped and spun into the end zone. Leading 16-6, the Browns elected to go for two. Winston found tight end David Njoku for the ensuing conversion, putting the Browns up 18-6 with 12:46 left in the fourth quarter. The Browns ended 1-10 on third-down conversions and a perfect 4-4 on fourth-down.

Down 12, the Steelers' offense needed to unlock. On the second play, Fields re-entered the game and immediately broke off a 30-yard run down the sideline. Two plays later, Fields drew a roughing-the-passer penalty. The Browns couldn't keep their cool as they were flagged for a neutral zone infraction and a Browns' defender ripped Pickens' mouthpiece off his helmet, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. At Cleveland's three-yard line, running back Jaylen Warren jumped into the endzone for the Steelers' first touchdown. The Browns led 18-13 with 7:57 left in the game.

The Steelers' comeback was mounting. On the second play of the Browns' next drive, edge rusher Nick Herbig strip sacked Winston and Elliott recovered the fumble.

With the ball at Cleveland's 27-yard line, the Steelers were guaranteed at least three points. On third-and-six, under heavy pressure, Wilson wanted it all at once. Wilson completed a 23-yard pass to Austin III in the middle of the end zone for another touchdown.

With a Steelers comeback looking probable, the Browns made plays. Things looked bleak once the Browns muffed the kickoff, but recovered it deep in their territory. Winston did connect with Jeudy for 26 yards, but then threw two incompletions and a terrible interception to Jackson. But the Browns' defense forced a three-and-out and the Steelers punted only 15 yards.

The Browns only needed a field goal to take the lead. Already on the opposing side of the field, Winston and the Browns didn't need much to give their kicker a chance--even in the snow. Winston avoided another sack on third-and-three making the ensuing fourth-down try much easier. And for the fourth time the Browns went for it on fourth down and converted.

Then finally, the Browns converted on a third down. Winston completed a 15-yard pass to Jeudy to get just outside of the Steelers' endzone. Chubb retook the lead with another two-yard touchdown. Leading by five points, the Browns went for two, but a false start penalty pushed the try back five yards. Jeudy couldn't haul in the two-point conversion and the Steelers had 57 seconds to put together a game-winning drive.

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Published Nov 21, 2024

CONOR HUTCHISON