The Pittsburgh Steelers are on the road against the Cleveland Browns in an AFC North divisional matchup. The Browns are without their starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson, who was ruled out for the season with a fractured bone in his shoulder. Filling in will be rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
The Steelers will be looking to win their third straight and move to 3-0 in divisional play, but the Browns defense is the stingiest unit in the NFL, so that will not be a walk in the park. Pittsburgh has all of their starters on offense for the first time since the first half of Week One, so that should be a lift to the unit.
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Steelers Inactive:
QB Mason Rudolph (3rd)
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
DT Montravius Adams
OT Dylan Cook
CB Darius Rush
RB Godwin Igwebuike
Browns Inactive:
WR Marquise Goodwin
S Juan Thornhill
DE Isaiah McGuire
DT Siaki Ika
OL Luke Wypler
Pittsburgh won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. They will start the game on defense.
START OF GAME
The kickoff resulted in a touchback.
1st and 10, Jerome Ford up the middle for 4 yards. Timeout #1 called by Pittsburgh. 12 men on the field, so they called the timeout. Hopefully not a sign of things to come with communications. 2nd and 6, Ford up the middle for 3. 3rd and 3, Thompson-Robinson designed run to the right and he gained enough to convert. Joey Porter Jr. was lined up in the neutral zone, but the penalty was declined.
1st and 10, a screen to Elijah Moore out wide to gain 4 yards. 2nd and 6, complete to Cooper for a first down on the 11 yard gain.
1st and 10, Ford tackled for no gain up the middle. 2nd and 10, incomplete to Njoku. 3rd and 10, a checkdown to Ford, and a gain of just three. Keeanu Benton brought down Ford on that play. The Cleveland punt was downed at the 4 yard line.
Kenny Pickett and the entire starting offense will take the field together for the first time since Week One. 1st and 10, Garrett came in untouched to sack Pickett. Very nearly a safety, but they ruled it down at the inch line. 2nd and 18, Harris up the middle for no gain. Once again, almost a safety. 3rd and 18, complete to Robinson for 6 yards. They created enough room to get off the punt. Pressley Harvin’s punt was fair caught at the 50 yard line.
Alex Highsmith brought down Ford for a gain of 2 on 1st down. 2nd and 8, complete to Njoku wide open in the flat for a first down.
1st and 10, Watt and Porter combined to take down Ford after a gain of 5. 2nd and 5, Ford gained 13 and Peterson was called for a face mask.
1st and goal from the 6, Ford up the middle for about a yard. 2nd and goal, Ford gained about 3. 3rd and goal from the 1, the Steelers stuffed him short of the goal line. 4th and goal, the Browns are challenging that it was stopped short of the goal line. They overturn the ruling and give the Browns a touchdown. I haven’t seen the camera angles yet, but they must have seen something decisive. 7-0 Browns.
They just discussed how they had a great angle and then proceeded to show us two terrible angles on the broadcast.
The kickoff resulted in a touchback.
1st and 10, Pickett complete to Pickens for a gain of 6. 2nd and 4, Harris up the middle for 5.
1st and 10, Pickens reverse and he was tackled for a loss of 1. 2nd and 11, a swing pass to Warren for no gain. Three Browns swarmed to the football. Pickett called timeout #2. 3rd and 11, a toss to Darnell Washington for 8 yards, but short of the line to gain. Harvin’s punt fair caught at the 10 yard line.
1st and 10, Alex Highsmith limited the gain to just 1. 2nd and 9, the pass was high to Njoku and fell incomplete. 3rd and 9, Njoku gained about 8, but not quite enough. 4th and 1, they are lining up to go for it.
END OF 1ST QUARTER: 7-0 BROWNS
Massive punt by Bojorquez, 65 yards out of bounds at the 16.
1st and 10, Harris gained 9 up the middle. 2nd and 1, pass batted at the line. 3rd and 1, Warren punched through for a fresh set of downs.
1st and 10, the play didn’t get off in time and delay of game. 1st and 15, complete to Pickens along the sideline and he reached to gain a couple more. 2nd and 1, Warren hit the spin move and stiff arm to gain 10 yards.
1st and 10, Warren gained 6 off the right tackle. 2nd and 4, Pickett’s pass was tipped at the line again by Shelby Harris. 3rd and 4, Myles Garrett back on the field, incomplete to Diontae Johnson with pressure coming.
Harvin’s punt was fair caught at the 11.
1st and 10, Kareem Hunt tackled after gaining two. Nick Herbig in on the tackle. 2nd and 8, Cameron Heyward ended the gain in the open field for a gain of 4. 3rd and 4, and nothing there on the run play. That should be another three-and-out forced by the Steelers’ defense. The punt went 51 yards and was returned 14 yards to the 33 by Calvin Austin III.
1st and 10, Harris up the middle for 5. 2nd and 5, Pickett scrambled and slid for the first down.
1st and 10, Harris picked up 4 with a stiff arm towards the boundary. 2nd and 6, Pickett scrambled for 4 yards. 3rd and 2, in Cleveland territory, Pickett sacked for a loss of 11.
The punt was fair caught at the 18 yard line.
1st and 10, Elijah Moore dropped what would ahve been a 9 yard gain. 2nd and 10, Moore made up for it with a 12 yard reception.
1st and 10, a reverse to Tillman for 8 yards. 2nd and 2, Hunt up the middle for 2.
1st and 10, Joey Porter Jr. called for holding on the incompletion.
1st and 10, Hunt tackled after gaining 6 up the middle. 2nd and 4, Hunt stopped for no gain by Mykal Walker.
TWO MINUTE WARNING.
3rd and 4, Thompson-Robinson kept it himself and converted around the left end. The previous play is under review, not sure if its the spot of the ball? That should be plenty to convert.
1st and 10, Ford gained 6 yards on the ground. 2nd and 4, 1:14 remaining, Cooper picked up 7 through the air and Porter made the tackle.
1st and 10, quick pass on the slant to Cooper for 8 yards. Timeout #1 taken by the Browns. Highsmith tackled Njoku for a loss of 1. Timeout #2 by the Browns. 3rd and 3, a sack would make the field goal very difficult, complete to Njoku to convert. Timeout #3.
1st and 10 from the 16 with 00:32 remaining in the half. Complete to Moore for 10 yards. The Browns clock the ball with a spike. 2nd and goal from the 6 yard line, incomplete to Njoku with Trenton Thompson in coverage. 3rd and goal from the 6, Porter Jr shut down the attempt to Cooper in the end zone. The field goal was good. 10-0 Browns.
With just five seconds left in the quarter, this game is headed to halftime. Pickett sent the game to halftime with a kneel down.
END OF 1ST HALF: 10-0 BROWNS
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