Okay, so on Sunday, we all watched the Ravens and Cowboys put on a masterclass of how to handle the absolute chaos of a game’s final seconds, especially with these wild new kickoff rules. Or, you know, how *not* to handle them. Well, if you were hoping the Steelers and Browns were taking notes, you’re gonna be disappointed, big time. These two apparently learned exactly nothing.
Browns’ Clock Blunder Opened the Door
The Browns had just kicked what became the game-winning field goal, right? You’d think they’d run that clock down to the absolute wire, leave no time on the board. Nope. They left a baffling 10 seconds remaining. And then, like the Cowboys who gave up that walk-off field goal to the Ravens, the Browns kicked the ball into the end zone. That move gifted the Steelers the ball all the way out at the 35-yard line. Honestly, the TV cameras cut to Browns coach Todd Monken and his face pretty much screamed “dismay.” He knew they messed up.
Steelers Fumbled Their Shot at Overtime
You’d think, given that gift of field position and with a timeout still in their pocket, the Steelers would have a clear path to at least get a field goal attempt and force overtime, right? The Browns were even playing a similar kind of outside leverage defense that the Cowboys deployed when the Ravens, with only seven seconds to work with, somehow gained 27 yards and got their walk-off kick. That defense actually gave the Steelers a wide-open shot at completing a pass in the middle of the field. All they needed was a quick throw, a moderate gain, and a shot at the uprights. But the Steelers, for some wild reason, didn’t call that play. Instead, we saw quarterback Aaron Rodgers roll to his right, looking… and that’s where the play, and the article, just stops. But you know it didn’t end well for forcing overtime.
It’s just wild to see two teams make such baffling decisions in critical, game-deciding moments. You gotta wonder what they were even thinking.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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