Steelers Fall to Browns in Tight Divisional Matchup

The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Cleveland Browns on the road, losing a tight 27-24 matchup.

The Steelers got off to a strong start on offense, as Aaron Rodgers led a 17-play, 78-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Roman Wilson. However, on the next drive, Denzel Ward picked off a pass intended for Michael Pittman.

Cleveland responded immediately, as Jaleel McLaughlin rushed for a 28-yard touchdown. Pittsburgh then punted, and the Browns scored again on a two-yard touchdown run by Quinshon Judkins, set up by a 60-yard pass from Deshaun Watson to rookie Denzel Boston.

The subsequent drive for the Steelers ended with a missed 48-yard field goal by kicker Chris Boswell.

Cleveland went down and scored again when Watson connected with tight end Harold Fannin Jr. for a two-yard touchdown, giving the Browns a 21-7 lead. Pittsburgh cut into the lead before halftime when Boswell hit a 31-yard field goal.

Neither team scored in the third quarter; the Steelers punted three times, Cleveland punted once, and Watson fumbled, with T.J. Watt punching it out and recovering.

In the fourth quarter, Watson threw an interception on a play initially called pass interference, but the call was overturned after review revealed the ball was tipped before the pass interference occurred.

Pittsburgh capitalized as Rodgers connected with tight end Darnell Washington for a 21-yard touchdown, cutting the Browns' lead to 21-16.

Cleveland responded immediately when kicker Andre Szmyt connected on a 44-yard field goal. The Steelers had a three-and-out on their next drive, but the defense was able to get a stop, giving Rodgers and the offense a final chance to tie it up.

Rodgers marched Pittsburgh down the field, connecting with Wilson for 13 yards, DK Metcalf for 22 yards, Germie Bernard for six yards, and Metcalf for 28 yards to get into the red zone.

From the 11-yard line, it was 4th-and-10 when Rodgers targeted Washington in the end zone in double coverage, and pass interference was called. One play later, Rodgers connected with Pat Freiermuth for a three-yard touchdown, cutting the lead down to two. 

On the two-point conversion, Jared Verse went offsides, setting up the Steelers on the one-yard line, and Rodgers scored on a QB sneak to tie the game 24-24 with 1:42 left.

Watson and the Browns then had their turn to go down the field, and he connected with Jerry Jeudy for 17 yards on the first play of the drive. He then connected with Fannin for 12, Jeudy again for 10, and KC Concepcion before the Steelers called a timeout, as Cleveland had already made it into the field-goal range with 38 seconds left.

Watson was sacked a play later and missed a pass on third down, but Szmyt hit a 56-yard field goal, giving the Browns a 27-24 lead with 10 seconds left.

Pittsburgh started its final drive at the 35-yard line, and Rodgers threw it downfield to Wilson, but Grant Delpit picked it off. The Steelers now drop to 2-2 after a tough loss on the road and will look to bounce back in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts.