Mistakes By the Lake: Steelers Blunder to Blustery Loss to Browns

CLEVELAND — The Pittsburgh Steelers road woes in Cleveland continue. The Steelers battled a lake-effect snowstorm, their own poor play, and their oldest rivals, losing a 24-19 decision to the Browns on Thursday.

The Steelers have now won just one game in Cleveland since the 2017 season, falling to 1-5-1 at the building now known as Huntington Bank Field in that span. They also fell to 0-8 overall and 0-6 under head coach Mike Tomlin in road Thursday Night Football games within the division.

For most of the evening, the game did not look like it would be as close as it ended up. After a scoreless first, the Steelers trailed from the second quarter on, falling behind 18-6 early in the fourth quarter before a furious comeback looked like it might result in an implausible victory.

The comeback started with a spark from the Steelers’ backup quarterback, as Justin Fields ripped off a 30-yard run early in the fourth quarter as part of a package of plays for the elite athlete in behind Russell Wilson. Jaylen Warren wrapped that drive with a three-yard plunge to pull the Steelers to within one score. 

Then the defense came up with a big play. Nick Herbig stripped Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston and DeShon Elliott recovered at the Cleveland 27-yard line. 

Three plays later, Watson hit Calvin Austin III in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown.

Donte Jackson made the next game-changing play, intercepting an errant Winston pass to get the Steelers the ball back.

But the Steelers couldn’t end it there, either. Fields came in for a 3rd and 3 try, but his pass to George Pickens fell incomplete. The Steelers continued to struggled all game in short yardage situations, trying and failing twice on fourth down and short by using Fields earlier in the game.

The Steelers were forced to punt and backup punter Corliss Waitman picked a bad time for his worst kick of the season, shanking it just 16 yards to set the Browns up with golden field position.

The key play came when Winston was pressured on a third down at the Steelers’ 25. He threw an errant pass that was touched illegally by center Ethan Pocic. After debating with the officials over the call, Tomlin accepted the penalty. The Browns converted the first down on the next play.

Nick Chubb scored a 1-yard touchdown, giving Cleveland the lead with under a minute to play. 

The Steelers final heave was a Hail Mary from Wilson that was batted down easily by the Cleveland defense.

Pittsburgh will regroup with an extended weekend off before resuming play with another AFC North game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 1.