Sunday, December 22, 2024

Thursday Night Football: Browns overcome the snow, Steelers to win 24-19

Must read

On a snowy night in Cleveland, the Browns pulled a win out of their helmet.

Nick Chubb scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 57 seconds remaining to give the Browns a 24-19 upset of the Steelers. Cleveland, with wins over the Ravens and Browns in the past three games, moves to 3-8. The Steelers fall to 8-3 with their losses to the Colts, Cowboys and Browns.

Steelers punter Corliss Waitman shanked a punt for 16 yards to the Pittsburgh 46, giving the Browns good field position with 3:22 left. Jerry Jeudy made a sliding 5-yard reception from Jameis Winston on fourth-and-3 to keep the drive alive.

With two minutes left, the Browns faced a third-and-2 at the Pittsburgh 25. Patrick Queen forced Winston to throw the ball away — while in the pocket — and offensive lineman Ethan Pocic tried to catch it. The Steelers originally declined the illegal touching penalty, which would have forced the Browns to decide whether to go for it on fourth down or try a field goal in the whiteout conditions.

Instead, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin changed his mind and took the penalty, and on third-and-6, Winston completed a 15-yard pass to Jeudy. Jeudy was not touched down but when Beanie Bishop tried to knock the ball loose, officials penalized him 5 yards for defensive delay of game.

The Browns scored the game-winning touchdown two plays later.

The Steelers got the ball back at their own 36 with 50 seconds left and reached the Cleveland 35 to set up a Hail Mary that Grant Delpit batted down.

The Steelers looked dead with 12:16 left as the Browns took an 18-6 lead on Winston’s 2-yard run as he went airborne into the end zone on fourth down before completing the two-point conversion to David Njoku.

Pittsburgh, though, scored two touchdowns in 6:01. Jaylen Warren scored on a 3-yard run. Then, after Nick Herbig had a strip-sack of Winston that was recovered by DeShon Elliott, Calvin Austin caught 23-yard touchdown pass from Wilson.

But the Browns continued their winning streak on Thursday Night Football in Cleveland.

Winston lost a fumble and threw an interception but went 18-of-27 for 219 yards and ran three times for 7 yards and a touchdown. Chubb ran for 59 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, and Jeudy caught six passes for 85 yards.

Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett dominated the first half with three sacks and had five tackles, three quarterback hits and a forced fumble. His Steelers’ counterpart, edge rusher T.J. Watt, made four tackles, including one for loss.

The Steelers outgained the Browns 368 to 304.

Wilson was 21-of-28 for 270 yards and a touchdown, and Justin Fields threw an incompletion and ran for 26 yards on three carries. Warren had 11 carries for 45 yards and a touchdown. Austin caught three passes for 78 yards and a touchdown, and George Pickens added four catches for 48 yards.

Latest article