Andre Szmyt’s Career-Best FG Propels Browns Over Steelers in a Tight One

Andre Szmyt hit a career-best 56 yard field goal with 10 seconds to go, Grant Delpit intercepted Aaron Rodgers’ Hail Mary attempt a few seconds later, and the Cleveland Browns managed to hold on to a 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Huntington Bank Field, giving them sole possession of the AFC North lead until Sunday, at the very least.

The Browns now hold an all-time record of 5-0 against their divisional foes on Thursday night matchups, while the Steelers fell to 0-8 on the road against AFC North opponents on Thursday night games.

Cleveland looked like it had the game pretty much in control going into the fourth quarter with a 21-10 lead, but the Steelers managed to take advantage of multiple Browns’ miscues late in the fourth quarter to tie it up at 24 with less than 2 minutes to go in the game.

Deshaun Watson, who had been effective for most of the game, overcame a fourth quarter pick and a couple of really inaccurate throws late to put Szmyt in position to win it with a seven-play drive that ate up about a minute and a half on the clock, leaving the Steelers hoping for a miracle that didn’t come to fruition. It was a close call for the Browns, though.

Watson ended up completing 24 of 33 passes for 268 yards with one touchdown, but he also threw his second pick of the season on a deep pass into triple coverage for rookie Denzel Boston.

Pittsburgh opened up the game scoring on their first possession through a Roman Wilson 12-yard reception, but Rodgers was intercepted on the Steelers second drive by Denzel Ward, setting up the Browns to score 21 unanswered points.

Jaleel McLaughlin weaved through defenders after taking the handoff for a 28-yard run to the house at the beginning of the second quarter, for Cleveland’s first rushing touchdown of the season. Quinshon Judkins quickly added a second one on a 2-yard bruising run through the middle to put the home team up by 14-7 midway through the second quarter.

Watson then connected with Fannin for a quick 2-yard toss in the end zone, with the second-year tight end doing a nice job of using his body to shield the ball away from Pittsburgh’s star defensive back, Jalen Ramsey.

It was actually a rough night for the Steelers defensive backs, one day after the team officially traded cornerback Joey Porter Jr. to the Dallas Cowboys. Pittsburgh gave up nine receptions for 153 yards to Browns’ rookies KC Concepcion and Boston, while veteran Jerry Jeudy made a couple of key catches towards the end for Cleveland. Steelers’ starter Jamel Dean left the game with an ankle injury in the first half and didn’t return.

For the Browns, Thursday night’s victory was a costly one, too. Team sack leader Mason Graham left the game with a knee injury in the opening quarter and was promptly ruled out, while fellow defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. saw his leg get rolled up by a teammate before also exiting the contest in the second.

Penalties were also a big part of the game, including two critical flags against Cleveland on Pittsburgh’s drive to tie it up at 24 inside the 2 minute mark in the fourth quarter. Rookie safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was called for defensive pass interference on fourth and 10 from the Browns’ 11-yard line, giving the Steelers a lifeline. Rodgers found Pat Freiermuth for a 3-yard score on the very next play. Then Jared Verse committed an atrocious defensive offsides penalty on the 2-point conversion, halving the distance to go for the Steelers to tie the game, which they promptly did on a Rodgers’ sneak.

But Watson managed to put together a game winning drive with strikes to Fannin, Jeudy and Concepcion, and if it weren’t for a grossly overthrown pass to Concepcion on 3rd and 8 from the Steelers’ 38, Szmyt’s game winner would have been much shorter.

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