With last night’s 27-24 loss, the Steelers have dropped five in a row to the Browns in Cleveland, and last night’s frustration was compounded by the loss of yet another cornerback.
Andre Szmyt kicked a 56-yard field goal with ten seconds remaining to give the Browns the win.
Aaron Rodgers rallied the Steelers from 14 points down in the fourth quarter when he threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to tight end Darnell Washington and a 3-yard scoring toss to tight end Pat Freiermuth, with Rodgers himself punching in a two-point conversion to tie the game at 24 with 1:46 to play. But the Browns drove the ball upfield to set up the winning field goal. Rodgers then threw an interception on a Hail Mary pass to end the game.
The Steelers made plenty of costly mistakes, including the defense giving up a 28-yard touchdown run to Browns backup running back Jaleel McLaughlin after Rodgers’ interception in the second quarter, a 60-yard pass from the Browns’ Deshaun Watson to Denzel Boston that led to Cleveland’s second score, and a missed 46-yard field goal by Chris Boswell that the Browns followed up with another touchdown drive.
Coach Mike McCarthy says the Steelers didn’t react well to the Browns’ intensity.
McCarthy says they had their chances but didn’t come through.
Aaron Rodgers was 22 for 40 for 299 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He says it wasn’t the Steelers’ “cleanest game.”
Linebacker TJ Watt says the Steelers’ defense didn’t do the job.
Already having traded Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas, the Steelers lost their other cornerback, Jamel Dean, to an ankle injury in the second quarter.
The Browns are 3-1 and lead the AFC North. The Steelers fell to 2-2. The other two AFC North teams both play at home on Sunday, with the Ravens hosting the Titans and the Bengals taking on the Jaguars.
