Steelers sink to bottom of division
Steelers wide receiver Markus Wheaton can’t catch a pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter. Wheaton finished with four receptions, but Ben Roethlisberger targeted him 11 times.
Cleveland strong safety Donte Whitner taunts Steelers wide receiver Lance Moore after an incompletion in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game, Pittsburgh's worst loss to Cleveland in 11 years.
CLEVELAND – Forget about the close calls for the Cleveland Browns.
After having their first four games decided by three points or fewer, the Browns made sure it didn’t happen again Sunday against the Steelers.
Cleveland exploded for 21 points in the second quarter and cruised to a 31-10 win at FirstEnergy Field.
The loss left the Steelers (3-3) in last place, looking up at the Browns (3-2), in a very competitive AFC North Division.
“We didn’t do the job, that’s the reality of it,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “We have to swallow this one, and we will. Hopefully, it will be a learning experience moving forward, but it is what it is today.”
It was Cleveland’s biggest win over the Steelers since a 33-13 victory in Pittsburgh in 2003.
At first, it looked like business as usual for the Steelers at Cleveland, where they had won 12 of 15 since 1999.
Cleveland had minus-8 yards on its first two possessions and the Steelers were moving the ball on the ground. Pittsburgh had 57 rushing yards on 15 first-quarter carries but scored just three points.
The Steelers bogged down at the Cleveland 2-yard line after three consecutive runs inside the 10, settling for a 20-yard Shaun Suisham field goal. Then, Pittsburgh failed on another drive that started at the 50. Holder Brad Wing mishandled the snap from center on a field-goal attempt from the Cleveland 17. Wing was tackled at the Browns’ 32, turning the ball over to Cleveland.
“I thought the big swing (in momentum) was when they had already kicked a field goal, went right down the field and mishandled the second one,” said Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine. “You feel a big swing there. They went right down the field, got a field goal and then didn’t get one. It really just steamrolled from there.”
That it did.
Cleveland quarterback Brian Hoyer, who threw for 217 yards and a touchdown, had two of his eight completions in the game – on 17 attempts – go for big gains on the next possession.
First, Hoyer connected with wide receiver Miles Austin for a 17-yard gain to midfield on third down. Then, he found Jordan Cameron for a 42-yard pass on a misdirection play, throwing back across the field to the tight end, who was wide open after slipping off the line of scrimmage.
“We didn’t cover the tight end. We got caught up in the play-action,” said Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons.
One play later, Isaiah Crowell scored on a 4-yard run and Cleveland led 7-3.
Hoyer again made the Steelers pay with a second long pass to Cameron on the Browns’ next possession. Facing third-and-1 at midfield, the Browns got the Steelers to bite on a play-action fake and Cameron got behind cornerback Cortez Allen for a 51-yard touchdown and a 14-3 lead.
“You can’t give up big plays,” said Tomlin. “It changed the flow of the game in a positive way for them and a negative way for us.”
From there, the rout was on.
The Browns tacked on the first of two Ben Tate touchdown runs just before the half, then continued to keep the Steelers from scoring while drianing clock, adding a 40-yard Billy Cundiff field goal in the third quarter to go ahead 24-3.
By the time the Steelers finally got into the end zone with 2:45 remaining in the game on a 26-yard pass from Roethlisberger to Lance Moore, the Browns secured the win and left Pittsburgh wondering would happen if they defended play-action passes better.
Roethlisberger was 21 of 42 for 228 yards and lost to the Browns for just the second time in 20 career starts.
“We’re 3-3. Our record says we’re an average football team. We’ve got to get things fixed,” said Roethlisberger.
The defense was feeling the same way.
“When we did what we were supposed to do, we kicked their (butts),” said Steelers safety Mike Mitchell, referring to Pittsburgh’s 30-27 win Sept. 7 over the Browns.
“Those two throws, that’s probably 100 yards right there. We don’t give those up, I’m not sure they get touchdowns. Hats off to them, though, their coordinator called it. We didn’t defend it well enough.”
Browns Pro Bowl center Alex Mack suffered a broken leg. … Steelers nose tackle Steve McLendon (shoulder), Mitchell (knee) and defensive ends Cam Heyward (knee) and Brett Keisel (knee) each were injured. Heyward was particularly upset after his injury. He said it happened on a chop block by offensive tackle Joe Thomas. Heyward, who refused to shake Thomas’ hand after being helped up, called the play, “cowardly.” … Antonio Brown had seven receptions for 118 yards for the Steelers. Le’Veon Bell had 82 yards on 18 carries and added 23 yards on four receptions, the sixth-consecutive game in which he has had 100 yards from scrimmage. … After being outscored 27-3 in the first half by the Steelers in the opener, Cleveland has outscored Pittsburgh 55-13 in the last six quarters. … Safety Ross Ventrone was activated from the Steelers’ practice squad for the game. Offensive lineman Wes Johnson was released.