Browns is Browns? Forget about it.
Cleveland defeated Pittsburgh 27-24 on Thursday Night Football, moving into sole possession of first place in the AFC North, if only for a little while. The Browns are 3-1, a half-game better than the Bengals and Ravens, while the Steelers are 2-2.
Browns kicker Andre Szmyt hit a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left for the game-winner in a fun game.
Aaron Rodgers had the ball at the 35 after the Browns hit him in the end zone, but safety Grant Delpit intercepted Rodgers at the Cleveland 18.
Deshaun Watson had a perfect first half, with 181 yards and a touchdown, before the Steelers adjusted in the second half. The Browns quarterback finished 24 of 33 for 268 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Both of his turnovers came in the second half, with his interception changing the momentum.
On the second play of the final quarter, the Steelers had a pass interference penalty that was overturned on replay and turned into an interception.
Robert Spears-Jennings intercepted Watson’s deep pass to Denzel Boston. Steelers defensive back Daylen Everette was called for pass interference on defense, however, and the 42-yard penalty had the Browns at the Pittsburgh 23. The Steelers challenged the play and it went back to replay because Jack Sawyer returned the pass at the line of scrimmage, negating the penalty.
That led to Rodgers’ second touchdown pass, a 21-yarder to Darnell Washington, that pulled the Steelers within 21-16 after a failed 2-point conversion.
After Szmyt’s 44-yard field goal, Rodgers led the Steelers to a late tie.
The Steelers faced a fourth-and-10 at the Cleveland 11 with 1:51 left. Rodgers targeted Washington for the third straight game and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was penalized for pass interference. Rodgers then hit Pat Freiermuth for a 3-yard touchdown on the next play with 1:42 left. Rodgers tied it with a quarterback steal on the 2-point conversion from the 1-yard line after Jared Verse jumped offside.
The Steelers, however, could not stop the Browns, who drove 36 yards in seven plays for the game-winning field goal.
Cleveland finished with 372 yards and the Steelers 361.
Rodgers went 22 of 40 for 299 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Jaylen Warren ran for 93 yards with 17 carries, and DK Metcalf caught five passes for 115 yards. Roman Wilson added three catches for 74 yards.
The Browns sacked Rodgers five times, but they had to overcome 14 penalties for 88 yards.
