If revenge is a dish best served cold, jealousy is best served as Acrisure Stadium at around 65 degrees with cloudy skies. As the Cleveland Browns lost their 22nd consecutive regular-season road game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, all Myles Garrett could do was watch from the sidelines as the Steelers’ defense teed off on rookie QB Dillon Gabriel.
Pittsburgh recorded six sacks in its 23-9 win. Garrett and the Browns posted a goose egg. After the game, Garrett couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to play from the Steelers’ perspective.
“Must be nice,” Garrett told reporters as shared by ESPN beat reporter Daniel Oyefusi.
Pittsburgh played with the lead the entire game. Though it took until the second half to find the end zone, a trio of Chris Boswell field goals built an early advantage. The Steelers took away the Browns’ effective running game, forcing Gabriel to throw the ball 52 times in his second NFL start. He paid the price. Six sacks and nearly a couple interceptions later, the Browns’ offense continues to struggle.
The Steelers’ plan and execution fared much better. The running game wasn’t elite but effective. Pittsburgh ran for exactly 100 yards as RB Jaylen Warren ran hard and pushed the pile forward. Pittsburgh also booted to the right and away from Garrett throughout the game That neutralized Garrett, who finished with just two assisted tackles, no QB hits, and zero sacks.
With the win, Pittsburgh moves to 4-1 and is in firm control of the AFC North. Cleveland falls to 1-5, holding hands with the Baltimore Ravens in the division basement. Not only are wins hard to come by for Cleveland, but winning by double digits is even rarer. The Browns haven’t won a game by nine or more points since late in the 2023 season. In fairness, Pittsburgh rarely wins as comfortably as it did today, a 14-point differential, but often build a fourth quarter lead and stave off a comeback. Just as the Steelers did in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings.
After building an early-season lead, Garrett now leads T.J. Watt by just a half-sack, 4.0 versus 3.5. And Watt’s career lead over Garrett continues to grow. But the difference is in goals. Garrett’s focused on the individual accolades. Watt has shifted his to team and legacy based.
Before the game, Garrett hoped to put QB Aaron Rodgers in the graveyard. The only grave Myles Garrett’s dug is one for himself. One where he rescinded a trade request to accept a blank check and remain a Cleveland Brown, either full-well knowing the team was sinking or convincing himself there was a plan to turn the franchise around. The Browns’ outlook continues to look bleak, already preparing for next year before Halloween rolls around.
