Where in the world am I even supposed to start about this game?
Steelers win, 26-22 over the rival Cleveland Browns, improving to 1-1 on the year while also dropping the Browns to the same record.
The win tonight was so incredibly pivotal, not only because you needed the Steelers to show some fight after the 30-7 embarrassment in Week 1, but also because of what it means for the standings.
A loss to the Browns would have put the Steelers essentially 3 games back of the Browns, when adding n the tie breaker. Two weeks into the season, that’s entering disaster territory.
But now, it’s time to get into the actual game.
That first quarter, my god, what a mess, for everyone involved. But for the Steelers, it couldn’t have started off any better.
A pass that deflects off of a Brown, off the hands of Minkah Fitzpatrick, somehow ends up in the arms of Alex Highsmith, who takes the pick the distance to establish an early 7-0 lead for the Steelers.
It was one in a seemingly endless list of plays the Steeler defense made, even as the offense gave the Browns countless opportunities to put an end to this game.
The Browns are able to recover from their first drive mishap, kicking a field goal to make the game 7-3.
Kenny Pickett, meanwhile, looking to bounce back after a harsh Week 1, took the field for the first time in this game already possessing a lead. What he did not possess however, was the ball. On the third play of the Steelers’ offensive opening drive, Pickett gets intercepted deep in Steelers territory.
The Pittsburgh defense, however, steps up big time, pushing the Browns back and forcing a missed field goal attempt, keeping the game at 7-3.
There were two more turnovers left to be had just in this QUARTER.
After a rather confusing set of events, on a 4th and 1 try, Browns QB DeShaun Watson looked like he made the first down. However, upon an additional look, Mike Tomlin threw the challenge flag, arguing that when the ball was punched out of Watson’s hands, he recovered it behind the line to gain.
Coming out of the commercial break, it turns out Steeler Larry Ogunjobi had recovered the ball all along, and the Pittsburgh offense trotted back out onto the field.
But these poor wretched souls…
This was not Gunner’s only bad gaffe of the night, he cost the Steelers 31 yards in field position by catching a kickoff that was going out of bounds, then purposely tip toeing to stay in bounds before going out. Just an awful mental mistake, but we’ll come back to him later.
It must also be addressed just how tragic and gruesome the Nick Chubb injury was. On a collision with Fitzpatrick, the Browns running back had his knee absolutely collapse, which was so bad that ABC refused to show the replay on air. Chubb was carted off the field, and it’s looking incredibly likely that he is done for the year.
The game completely changed when Chubb, the focal part of Cleveland’s attack on offense, had to come out of the game.
The Browns do find ways to keep the ball moving, however, which is something we’ll touch on again in a little bit.
The Steelers offense did not bounce back the way anyone had hoped. The lone real highlight was a catch and run touchdown for George Pickens, who took it 71 yards for the score.
Other than that, the offense was once again pretty flat. Pickett finished the day with just 15/30 completed passes, missing several that should have been easy throws.
The Steelers opened up the second half barely able to improve on the offense, and it would take the Steelers defense to score again to put the game away. Pittsburgh is able to get a field goal in the third quarter, at one point making it a 19-14 game, but the Browns respond with a touchdown (plus two point conversion) to go up 22-19.
In the end, Alex Highsmith would force a fumble from Watson, and TJ Watt would scoop it up and run it into the endzone for his first ever touchdown.
The Steelers offense did their best effort to give the game to Cleveland, but the Steelers defense was having none of it, shutting down the Browns last stand and sealing the game.
It was an ugly win, and certainly not one that answers many questions that the Steelers had around them going in, but, a win is a win I suppose.
More thoughts down below:
-TJ Watt now holds the franchise record in sacks at just 28 years old. How absolutely crazy is that? The man is just so, so good, and it’s a blessing he wears black and yellow.
-Late in the fourth quarter, after another offensive drive stalled out immediately, a very loud chant of “Fire Canada!” rained down from the stands. Fans are fed up, and this offense had another terrible game, despite the misleading final score.
-Kenny Pickett didn’t really answer any questions fans and media had for him coming into this game. In fact, he had a rather similar stat line to Week 1: similar yardage, skewed by a few big plays, and largely subpar in the passing game. The panic around Kenny will be less this week because winning cures everything, but how long until we should seriously be worried about Pickett?
-Another note on the offense: the running game still isn’t there. Pittsburgh achieved just 55 rushing yards in this contest. Najee Harris had a few good runs in the second half, but was by and large invisible. Jaylen Warren had several explosive plays, but all of those were catch and run situations.
-The Steelers scored 26 points on Monday night, 14 of which (including extra point kicks) were obtained by the defense. What does that say about the Matt Canada offense?
-Gunner had a terrible game. That gaffe on the kickoff, however accidental, was simply unacceptable. He was brought in last year because of his special teams play, but he’s since been unseated from roles on returns twice now, and hasn’t helped out the team in any other way. It’s unlikely to happen, but you could make a serious case he shouldn’t make it to next week.
–Odd stat of the game: Cleveland dominated Pittsburgh in total yards, with final numbers being 408-255. Immense credit it the Steeler defense for how big of a stand they made today
(Featured image by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
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