The Cleveland Browns were one bad opening stretch away from letting Thursday night get away from them. Instead, they answered the Pittsburgh Steelers with 21 straight points, survived a messy second half, and walked off with a 27-24 win on Andre Szmyt’s 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left.
That finish pushed Cleveland to 3-1 and into first place in the AFC North.
It started poorly enough to make the home crowd brace for another one of those nights. The Browns went three-and-out on their first possession, then watched the Steelers grind out a 17-play, penalty-aided touchdown drive that drained the building almost as much as it drained the clock.
But this wasn’t the same script Browns fans have seen in past years. Cleveland punched back, flipped the game with 21 consecutive points, and did just enough down the stretch to hold on when the night turned sloppy.
Szmyt’s kick was the final blow, and it was a big one. From 56 yards, with the game hanging in the balance, he sent the Browns to a win that had taken every second to secure.
The victory came with some concern attached. Browns defensive tackles Mason Graham and Mike Hall were injured during the game, a setback that hit Cleveland hard in the middle of the defense.
There was also plenty to sort through beyond the final score. Deshaun Watson’s play drew attention again after a fourth-quarter surge that suggested he may finally be finding his footing. Browns fans, meanwhile, remained split on whether to stay optimistic about Watson or keep wanting a change at quarterback.
Still, the headline from Thursday night was simple: the Browns found a way. After a rough start, a bumpy middle, and a finish that required a clutch leg from Szmyt, Cleveland woke up Friday in first place in the division.
In Other News...
Browns Win Created A New Offensive Debate Cleveland Can't Ignore
The Browns walked out of Pittsburgh with another win, and it did more than extend their streak to three games and keep them atop the AFC North. It also sharpened the picture of how this offense is trying to win right now, with Jerry Jeudy helping to move the chains on the decisive drive and McLaughlin breaking loose for a 28-yard touchdown on just his second carry in a Browns uniform.
Cade York then finished it off from 56 yards, a career-long kick that extended his streak to 22 straight makes and gave Cleveland a victory built on more than just defense and field position. The result was exactly what the Browns wanted, but it also left a familiar question hanging over an offense that keeps finding different answers in big moments. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Suddenly Need Mike Hall Jr In A Spot They Feared
Mason Grahams early exit against the Steelers put an already thin Browns defensive line under immediate stress, and it changed the look of the rotation in a hurry. Cleveland has been managing injury issues up front for a while, including Kalia Davis landing on injured reserve, so every snap at defensive tackle matters more than it normally would for a defense built to win with depth and waves.
Maliek Collins helped steady things with a sack after Graham went down, but the bigger concern is how much Cleveland can ask of Mike Hall Jr. from here. The Browns had been hoping to avoid leaning too hard on that part of the roster, and now they may not have much choice if Grahams knee issue lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Monken Had A Sideline Moment Browns Fans Will Notice
For a few minutes on Thursday night, the Browns had a little more than just a comfortable lead over Pittsburgh to enjoy. With Cleveland up 21-7 in the second quarter, head coach Todd Monken was caught on broadcast cameras chatting on the sideline and even drawing a laugh from an official, a rare lighthearted moment in the middle of a division game with plenty on the line.
It stood out because those kinds of exchanges are not usually the part of the night anyone remembers once the game tightens up. In a matchup that would later get more stressful as the Steelers started pushing back, the brief sideline scene offered Browns fans a glimpse of Monken in a looser moment while his team was still in control. [Read more 🡒]