Steelers defeat Browns, 15-10

GamebookThe Steelers lost kicker Chris Boswell to a concussion but still found a way to beat the Browns, 15-10, this afternoon in Cleveland. The Steelers’ third straight victory improved their record to 4-3. The Browns fell to 4-4. Inside linebacker Joe Schobert’s forced fumble and outside linebacker T.J. Watt’s recovery at the Steelers’ 20-yard line after a completion from quarterback Baker Mayfield to wide receiver Jarvis Landry helped preserved a five-point Steelers’ lead with 6:04 left in the fourth quarter. The Steelers punted the ball back to the Browns, who took over at their 39 with 4:22 left in regulation. This time the Browns reached the Steelers’ 24, but they went backwards from there after running back Nick Chubb lost a yard and wide receiver Rashard Higgins was penalized 5 yards for a false start.The possession ended when Mayfield couldn’t connect with Landry, who was being defended by free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, on fourth-and-12 from the Steelers’ 26 just inside the two-minute warning. A 50-yard pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to wide receiver Diontae Johnson helped the Steelers run out the clock. The Steelers took their first lead in dramatic fashion when Roethlisberger found tight end Pat Freiermuth for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the Browns’ 2 with 11:04 left in the fourth.The Steelers went for two with Boswell unavailable and Roethlisberger’s pass for Johnson fell incomplete, which kept the Steelers’ advantage at 15-10. The Browns broke a 3-3 tie thanks to big plays made on their first possession of the third quarter. A 21-yard gain by Chubb and a 21-yard completion from Mayfield to tight end Harrison Bryant highlighted an eight-play, 86-yard march in 4:19 that was finished off on a 10-yard touchdown scamper by running back D’Ernest Johnson. Kicker Chase McLaughlin’s extra point gave Cleveland a 10-3 lead with 9:36 left in the quarter. The Steelers countered with a 12-play, 78-yard drive in 5:57 that brought them back to within a point. Running back Najee Harris found the end zone on second-and-6 from the Browns’ 8-yard line, but the Steelers again opted to go for two rather than have punter Pressley Harvin III attempt to kick the extra point.Roethlisberger crossed the goal line on an empty-set keeper, but the conversion was nullified by a holding penalty on center Kendrick Green. Roethlisberger threw incomplete on the re-try from the Browns’ 12 when he was hit while releasing the ball by defensive end Myles Garrett. The Steelers’ defense was impactful throughout the first half.The Browns drove 63 yards on 13 plays after receiving the opening kickoff but ultimately settled for a 30-yard field goal by McLaughlin after achieving a first-and-goal at the Steelers’ 8. Cleveland was turned away empty on its next possession when Chubb was dropped for a loss of 1 on fourth-and-1 from the Steelers’ 39. The Steelers responded with a 10-play, 47-yard drive in 5:36 that ended on a 31-yard field goal from Boswell that tied the game at 3-3 with 9:18 left in the second quarter. The Browns’ next two possessions ended with three-and-outs. The Steelers had a chance to grab the lead with less that two minutes remaining in the half but opted for a fake field goal on fourth-and-9 from the Browns’ 10. Boswell’s pass for tight end Zack Gentry in the end zone fell incomplete and Boswell was injured when he got blasted by defensive tackle Jordan Elliott after throwing the ball. The Steelers took a knee after taking over following a punt and 19-yard return by wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud to the Steelers’ 35 with 21 seconds remaining before the break.The Steelers went to the locker room at halftime with a slight edge in total net yards (137-132), and having gained 75 yards on the ground to the Browns’ 40. The Browns took the field leading the NFL in rushing (170.4 yards per game), yards per carry (5.36), rushing first downs (70) and rushing touchdowns (13, tied). The Steelers also amassed four sacks in the opening 30 minutes (outside linebacker T.J. Watt had 1.5, defensive linemen Isaiahh Loudermilk and Chris Wormley had one and defensive tackle Cam Heyward had a half of a sack).

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Steelers defeat Browns, 15-10