The Cleveland Browns are in rough shape early, turning over the ball on both of their first two offensive possessions and giving the Steelers an early 7-0 lead. It’s only the start of the game and Cleveland is already in a deep, deep hole.
Watson’s Early Exit Sets a Troubling Tone
Cleveland’s very first offensive possession set a bad precedent. Deshaun Watson had to leave the game for a concussion check after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit on a third-down passing attempt. The officials threw a flag for roughing the passer, but that didn’t stop the concern. While Watson was being evaluated, Shedeur Sanders stepped in and played out the rest of the drive. That possession ultimately ended with a Harold Fannin fumble on third down. The Steelers got the ball back, but they couldn’t capitalize on Fannin’s miscue. Kicker Chris Boswell lined up for a 57-yard field goal attempt, but he pushed it wide left. No points for Pittsburgh there, giving Cleveland a temporary sigh of relief.
Dowdle Capitalizes on Browns’ Woes
That relief didn’t last long, though. Deshaun Watson came back out for the Browns’ next drive, but things went from bad to worse almost immediately. On second-and-7, Watson was strip-sacked, and the Steelers recovered the ball deep in Cleveland territory. This time, Pittsburgh made them pay. Running back Rico Dowdle absolutely dominated the drive, first rushing for 15 yards to get the Steelers into the red zone. Then he followed that up with two consecutive 9-yard runs. The second of those runs? Yep, that went for the touchdown, putting the Steelers up 7-0 in what’s shaping up to be a brutal start for the Browns.
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Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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