CLEVELAND — An unimaginable collapse nonetheless contemporary of their minds, the Browns managed to keep away from a second one in 4 days.
Jacoby Brissett threw two landing passes, Nick Chubb ran for a rating and Cleveland bounced again from its epic meltdown by ending off the rival Pittsburgh Steelers 29-17 on Thursday evening.
“We had the fitting males in that room to have the ability to get previous it,” Brissett mentioned, “and I believe we answered that decision. We knew it wasn’t going to be straightforward. The blokes answered the bell.”
The Browns (2-1) constructed a nine-point lead early within the fourth on Chubb’s 1-yard run after which held on for expensive life.
The Steelers (1-2) pulled inside 23-17 on Chris Boswell’s 34-yard area objective with 1:48 left earlier than Pittsburgh tried an onside kick. However not like in Sunday’s 31-30 loss, when the New York Jets overcame a 13-point deficit within the last 1:55 helped by a restoration, the Browns batted the ball out of bounds.
For a break up second, it seemed like Sunday yet again.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski was requested what he was pondering because the ball bounced round close to Pittsburgh’s sideline. He paused for six seconds earlier than answering.
“Quite a bit,” he mentioned.
Cleveland followers may lastly exhale when cornerback Denzel Ward fell on a Steelers fumble ultimately zone on the ultimate play for a meaningless landing.
Brissett related with Amari Cooper and David Njoku for TDs, and completed 21 of 31 for 220 yards. The 29-year-old had his second straight strong recreation as he fills in whereas Deshaun Watson serves an 11-game suspension.
Chubb had 113 yards and pushed and twisted throughout the objective line on fourth-and-goal with 9:29 left to place the Browns forward 23-14.
Mitch Trubisky and the Steelers’ stagnant offense confirmed indicators of life within the first half, however slowed down after halftime, punting on their first three possessions whereas gaining simply 54 yards.
Criticized for not throwing deep the primary two weeks, Trubisky launched a couple of lengthy balls however didn’t join almost sufficient.
“I believe Mitch made some performs, however all of us collectively got here up brief,” mentioned Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who mentioned he has no plans to modify to rookie QB Kenny Pickett. “Successful is our enterprise. I wasn’t seeking to be impressed, I used to be seeking to win the sport.”
Pittsburgh’s protection is lacking star finish T.J. Watt, however deal with Cameron Heyward mentioned that wasn’t the problem.
“If you attempt to arm-tackle Nick Chubb, he’s going to make you pay,” Heyward mentioned. “We have to do lots higher.”
The win smoothed over a tough few days for Cleveland.
Sunday’s debacle was adopted by Myles Garrett criticizing followers for booing the Browns as they left the sector, and a fan was arrested on costs he threw a plastic bottle within the route of proprietor Jimmy Haslam on the sideline.
However there was little drama this time, only a win over their hated neighbors from Pennsylvania.
“That’s not a straightforward factor to bounce again from,” Stefanski mentioned. “We talked about it on Sunday. We talked about it on Monday. What I’m happy with with these guys is you possibly can’t let a loss linger, and we received’t let this win linger both. However I’m happy with how they responded. You’ve acquired to be resilient.”
Though there was little time to recuperate, Garrett was assured the Browns would be capable to shake off Sunday’s loss.
“I didn’t have a doubt in my thoughts realizing this workforce and the fellows who're on it,” he mentioned. “I do know all people was anxious to get again on that area and get that style out of our mouths and play a whole soccer recreation, and that’s what we did.
“All people did their job and all of the groups got here collectively to make it a very particular win.”
Rookie Cade York’s 34-yard area objective gave the Browns a 16-14 lead within the third quarter, when Cleveland misplaced 4 gamers, together with beginning linebackers Anthony Walker Jr. and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, to accidents.
Brissett’s 7-yard TD go to Njoku put the Browns up 13-7 with 8:58 left earlier than halftime. However for the second straight week York missed an additional level.
Trubisky led the Steelers on a 75-yard scoring drive — 51 yards approaching the bottom — earlier than the QB rolled proper and scored from the 1. Boswell’s PAT put Pittsburgh forward 14-13.
Steelers rookie receiver George Pickens expressed frustration about not getting the ball throughout a loss to New England final week, saying he was open “90% of the time.” He wasn’t joking, both.
Trubisky lastly hit him with an extended ball, however it took a spectacular, one-handed catch by Pickens for a 36-yard achieve.
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