The Pittsburgh Steelers did not play well enough in lousy weather to defeat the Cleveland Browns, who were almost as miserable as the weather going into Thursday Night Football. Many experts pointed to Mike Tomlin’s poor performance on Thursday night road games. Pittsburgh is now 1-8 in Thursday night road games as an excuse. The lone victory was against the Indianapolis Colts in 2016. The Steelers beat the Scott Tolzien-led Colts 28-7 on Thanksgiving night. It was so long ago that ESPN mega star Pat McAfee had a 35-yard completion that set up the Colts only score.
Steelers Produced Uneven Effort Against The Browns
The Steelers offset a poor defensive scheme to defend the Browns by not tackling. The offense was stagnant for most of the game, but it got a jolt from Justin Fields, just when all hope seemed lost. When Pittsburgh fell behind 18-6 they staged a furious rally with some timely runs by Fields and a few high-level throws by Russell Wilson. It produced a 19-18 lead in the fourth quarter. However, the joy of a potential comeback victory was short-lived.
In retrospect, a poorly conceived two-point conversion throw to third-string running back Cordarelle Patterson was the first in a series of mistakes that cost Pittsburgh the game. The Steelers forced Jameis Winston into an interception that gave them the opportunity to run a four-minute offense and ice the game. Pittsburgh stalled, and when Fields reentered the game, Arthur Smith dialed up a go ball from the pocket that fell incomplete. A poor punt and a defensive stand that evoked memories of George Custer instead of the Steel Curtain later, the failure was complete.
Steelers AFC Outlook May Not Be Sunshine And Rainbows, But It Is Not All Doom And Gloom
Pittsburgh was riding high after defeating the Baltimore Ravens just a short week ago. Talk of the Steelers securing their first number-one seed under Tomlin was rampant, and the Super Bowl window was open. The Browns victory, coupled with the Ravens’ defeat of the Los Angeles Chargers, has at least dampened the enthusiasm. The despair might be a little premature after a wild weekend in the AFC.
The Kansas City Chiefs barely escaped against the Carolina Panthers. Patrick Mahomes keeps finding a way, but Andy Reid’s team seems vulnerable. The Steelers already have beaten the Chargers, Broncos, and Ravens. There is no reason to believe they cannot do it again. The Buffalo Bills may be the class of the AFC, but it is Thanksgiving, and a lot can happen before the playoffs begin.
Final Thoughts
Pittsburgh needs to win the AFC North, but they hold a one-and-a-half-game lead in the division with six games to go. The black and gold could guarantee that, with a division title, they would not face the Bills until the AFC Championship game. The Steelers’ playoff history over the last decade has not been great, but a home playoff game in the AFC Wild Card Round could give TJ Watt a real opportunity to win the first playoff game of his career.
Sorry Kurt Warner, you may not see it but as Steelers Sanctuary’s own David Carob pointed out to you on social media, you may need to get used to it. The quarterback tandem of Fields and Wilson is capable and the defense is ferocious. In the suddenly wide open AFC, that could go a very long ways indeed. Check out the Steelers Sanctuary Podcast on YouTube or Buzzsprout for more great content, and share your opinions of what the rest of 2024 will look like. Happy Thanksgiving Steelers fans!
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