How The Steelers Got Humbled In The Snow Globe
The perfect letdown spot became just that, a letdown for the Steelers. Going to Cleveland on the short week was enough to stumble Pittsburgh in the AFC North showdown. The Browns came out of the fistfight victorious by a score of 24-19. In typical Steelers fashion, it was a stressful game that came down to the wire, with multiple lead changes in the final five minutes.
Unfortunately, the football gods didn’t want the Steelers to win this game. They topped Cleveland in time of possession and total yards, winning the turnover battle, but losing the game. It looked like the Steelers had a chance to take another step to the top of the AFC, but Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns had other plans. Pittsburgh usually finds itself on the other side of these odd games.
5. Steelers Slow Start
Pittsburgh has long been a second-half team, but if they have a pulse in the first half, they likely go home with a win on Thursday night. The Steelers trailed 10-3 at the half, failing to find the endzone again in the first half. Chris Boswell missed a 58-yard field goal, a tough ask in the windy winter conditions. The Steelers shot themselves in the foot, allowing Garrett to take over the game. He had three sacks and a forced fumble by halftime.
4. Sloppy On Both Sides Of The Ball
It’s tough to pinpoint one thing that hurt the Steelers. Everyone was to blame. The offense started slow, with Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith having his worst game in Pittsburgh. The ground game wasn’t flowing the way they had imagined. Smith made a couple of atrocious play calls on fourth down. The offensive line didn’t settle in until the fourth quarter, fueling the Steelers’ comeback attempt.
Pittsburgh’s lethal pass rush felt non-existent all night. Cleveland held them to just one strip sack by Nick Herbig. TJ Watt didn’t have a big game and Garrett had some words for him postgame. The Steelers made Jerry Jeudy look like an All-Pro, giving him six catches for 85 yards. The Browns took the Steelers to Wendy’s, going four for four on fourth down on the night.
3. Questionable Officiating
The Steelers did themselves no favors, so it is tough to blame officiating, but there were some questionable no-calls on Thursday Night Football. On the Browns game-winning drive, the referees deemed that an intentional grounding was instead a flag for a lineman illegally touching the ball. Cleveland would’ve been at fourth and 15 if it would've been called grounding. Instead, it was third and seven.
There were a few questionable no-calls on plays that could’ve been pass interference, including the final play scuffle between George Pickens and Greg Newsome. The Steelers had a case on their two-point conversion, where Cordarrelle Patterson appeared to be interfered with. The Steelers should’ve run a better play at the end of the day. They can’t blame officiating for tough losses.
2. The Weather Factor
Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland looked like a snow globe on Thursday night. Lake Erie made its presence felt, whipping snow all over the place. It was perfectly on-brand for an AFC North football game. Out in the elements, run the football, old-time football games. It was picture-perfect. Unfortunately, Cleveland is set to move into a dome soon.
Jameis Winston excelled in his first career game below the temperature of 40 degrees. He went 18/27 for 212 yards and a rushing touchdown. Every time it looked like the Steelers were about to get to him, he came prancing out to throw a seed downfield. He even added a rushing touchdown to salt the wound.
1. Classic AFC North Battle
They say to throw out the record books in AFC North games and Thursday night proved it. A two-win Browns team was able to knock off the division-leading Steelers. Pittsburgh always has to lose to a bad team for some reason. The gritty Ravens team that the Steelers battled with in week 11 lost to the same team. It was a good win by Cleveland. Pittsburgh shouldn’t feel the need to push the panic button yet. Don’t crash out now, Steelers Nation.