The Steelers came out firing in Cleveland, and for a few minutes it looked like they might take control of Thursday night from the jump.
Pittsburgh’s defense opened with a three-and-out, then the offense answered with a 17-play march that chewed nearly 10 minutes off the clock and ended in a touchdown. After that, though, the night turned hard and fast.
Cleveland ripped through the Steelers in the first half, stacking three touchdowns and piling up 227 yards of total offense. One of those scoring drives was set up by an interception from Aaron Rodgers, whose arm was hit on the throw after Max Iheanchor was pushed back into him.
Rodgers was trying to get the ball to Michael Pittman Jr., but the pass never got there cleanly. From that point on, Pittsburgh kept missing tackles, busting coverages and losing track of basic defensive assignments.
The Steelers’ offense didn’t do the defense any favors. After the strong opening drive, it went quiet for most of the first half before a Roman Wilson catch moved the ball deep into Browns territory. Even then, Pittsburgh came away with only a field goal.
There was some life after halftime. The Steelers put together two touchdown drives and pulled even at 24, including a Rodgers QB sneak on a shortened two-point conversion after a Browns offsides penalty.
But the offense still looked stuck in mud at times. Rodgers took sacks while trying to run, and the receivers struggled to separate. Pittsburgh also kept leaning on shotgun and spread looks, even though that style runs against what this offense does best.
This group is better when it’s in 12 personnel, under center, and letting Jaylen Warren set the tone. Instead, the Steelers left Cleveland with another loss - their fifth straight there - and the mood around the team took another hit with the trade of Joey Porter Jr. to the Cowboys.
The schedule ahead is favorable, but Pittsburgh wasted a chance to grab the division lead early and build some breathing room before the second-half stretch turns into a grind.
In Other News...
Steelers Defense Just Took A Brutal Hit Against The Browns
A Thursday night collision with the Browns brought an early injury scare for Pittsburgh, as defensive tackle Derrick Harmon was carted off with a foot injury and quickly listed as questionable. The timing could not have been worse for a defense already trying to slow Clevelands momentum, with the Browns taking a 21-10 lead into halftime.
Harmons exit leaves the Steelers with a bigger problem than just one missing body in the middle. His presence matters in both the run game and the pass rush, and Pittsburgh now has to adjust on the fly while trying to keep Cleveland from controlling the line of scrimmage. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Just Complicated One Steelers Blame Game
Aaron Rodgers added a layer to the Steelers postgame frustration after the late possession in the loss to Cleveland, pushing back on the idea that the play was simply about Jaylen Warren being the intended answer on second down. Rodgers said five players were running routes on the snap, a reminder that what looks obvious from the outside can be a lot messier once protection, timing and route distribution come into play.
For a Pittsburgh offense still trying to sort through what went wrong in a tight, late-game sequence, that matters. The ball ending up with Warren does not automatically tell the full story of the design, and Rodgers explanation points to the kind of breakdown that can involve more than one player and more than one decision. In a game that already invited blame, the more interesting question may be how much of that play was about execution, and how much was about the pressure closing in around it. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fans Already Have A Rodgers-McCarthy Sideline Problem
The Steelers got a little reminder in Week 4 that bringing familiar faces together does not always mean smooth sailing. During Thursday nights game against the Browns, Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy were caught in a heated sideline exchange after Rodgers grew frustrated over a delayed play call, and McCarthy fired back with a profane retort.
For Pittsburgh, it was the kind of moment that can linger because of how much history is wrapped into it. Rodgers and McCarthy won a Super Bowl together in Green Bay before reuniting in Pittsburgh, so the chemistry was never going to be a mystery, but neither was the possibility of old competitive habits resurfacing when the pressure ratchets up. Fans who were hoping for a clean reunion got a glimpse of something a lot messier, and it will be worth watching how that dynamic plays out moving forward. [Read more 🡒]