The Cleveland Browns went from surprising everyone with five wins in their first seven games to getting absolutely throttled, 27-6, by Pittsburgh. That wasn’t just a loss, it was a brutal reality check, especially against an AFC North rival who clearly heard all the trash talk.
The Talk Was Cheap, The Beatdown Was Real
Remember that 27-24 victory on October 1? Linebacker Jared Verse and his teammates were feeling themselves after that one, doing plenty of talking. Well, the rematch in Pittsburgh? It was a whole different story. The Steelers straight up dominated all four quarters, showing the Browns are still a young squad.
Coach Todd Monken called it a “good learning lesson for this young team,” saying “you speak with your play.” And man, did they get schooled. Verse, the guy who gave Pittsburgh “plenty of bulletin board material” with his “dirty play” comments from the first game? He was a ghost, pulling down only one assisted tackle and making zero impact. Even he had to admit, “We didn’t do enough on our end… That’s completely on us, on offense, defense, special teams, across the board… nobody did enough.” Ouch.
Offensive Line Implosion and a Ground Game Gone Missing
If Verse was a ghost, the Browns’ run game was completely invisible. They averaged a pathetic 2.3 yards per carry, with the longest gain a measly 7 yards. You can’t win like that! Deshaun Watson threw for 324 yards, but guess what? A whopping 155 of those came in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach. That’s window dressing, not game-changing offense.
And talk about trouble up front. The left side of that offensive line was a turnstile. Rookie offensive tackle Spencer Fano had his worst game yet, giving up seven pressures and two sacks. Guard Zion Johnson allowed five pressures and two sacks. Pittsburgh’s defense ate them alive, racking up eight sacks and 12 quarterback pressures overall. That kind of protection, or lack thereof, is a recipe for disaster.
Bright Spots and a November Gauntlet
It wasn’t all bad, if you squint. Cornerback Denzel Ward is on a roll, snatching interceptions in consecutive games for the second time in his career. He’s got three picks this season, matching his career high. And tight end Harold Fannin Jr. had himself a day, hauling in a career-high 10 receptions for 154 receiving yards. That’s the second most by a tight end in franchise history, so shout out to him for showing up!
But let’s be real, the run defense needs some serious work. Pittsburgh’s Jaylen Warren carved them up for 143 yards, and the Steelers finished with 200 rushing yards. That’s the third running back to hit 100 yards against them this season. Yikes.
Coach Monken’s challenge now is to keep the 5-3 Browns from dropping consecutive games for the first time this season. He’s trying to get them to “flush it” and focus, reminding them “We’re 5-3… This is a good spot to be in.” Still, he knows the sting of not being 6-2 and 3-0 in the division.
They’ve got a “favorable” November schedule coming up: a trip to New Orleans next week, then a home game against “underachieving” Houston on November 15, before their bye. After that, they host Las Vegas on November 29 before diving back into division play against Cincinnati.
One more thing: defensive tackle Maliek Collins is dealing with an elbow injury. Keep an eye on that.
So, what’s next? Avoiding back-to-back losses is the immediate goal. Can they shake off that Pittsburgh beatdown, quiet down the noise, and actually speak with their play? New Orleans is up next, and the Browns have to show they learned their lesson, or this promising 5-3 start could unravel faster than you can say “Jared Verse.”
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply