The Cleveland Browns snatched a wild 27-24 home victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football, thanks to kicker Andre Szmyt booming a 56-yard field goal with just 10 seconds left on the clock. This wasn’t just any win for the Browns; it was their third straight, pushing them to a red-hot 3-1 record and dropping the 2-2 Steelers, who were actually 2.5-point favorites heading into this AFC North slugfest. Talk about a gut punch.
The Cleveland Comeback, Pittsburgh’s Punch, and a Crazy Third Quarter
Things kicked off with Aaron Rodgers doing Rodgers things, hitting Roman Wilson for a 12-yard score to cap a monster 17-play, 78-yard drive for Pittsburgh. But then the Browns just exploded. Jaleel McLaughlin ripped off a 28-yard touchdown run, Deshaun Watson found Denzel Boston for a huge 60-yard gain, and Quinshon Judkins punched it in from two yards out. The Steelers tried to respond, but Chris Boswell missed a 48-yard field goal, and Cleveland pounced again, going 62 yards in 11 plays with Harold Fannin Jr. reeling in a two-yard TD pass. Just like that, it was 21 straight points for the Browns. Boswell did hit a 31-yarder before halftime, cutting Cleveland’s lead to 21-10. Then the third quarter? Crickets. Five drives, four punts, and Watson fumbled, forced and recovered by Steelers edge-rusher T.J. Watt. It was a defensive grind, and you could feel the tension building.
Rodgers and Metcalf Fight Back, But Szmyt Has the Last Word
The fourth quarter was a pure brawl. Rodgers started connecting, finding former Seahawk DK Metcalf for a huge 43-yard gain, then hitting Darnell Washington for a 21-yard score. The two-point try failed, keeping Cleveland up 21-16. Andre Szmyt tacked on a 44-yard field goal, making it 24-16 with 6:37 to go. But Rodgers wasn’t done. He marched the Steelers down the field, finding Metcalf again for 50 total yards on two crucial catches. Pittsburgh stalled at the Browns’ 11-yard line on 4th-and-10, but a defensive pass interference flag on Emmanuel McNeil-Warren gave them new life. Rodgers then found Pat Freiermuth for a three-yard touchdown and rushed up the middle himself for the two-point conversion! Tied at 24-24, with only a couple of minutes left! But the Browns, not flinching, drove 36 yards in seven plays. That set up Szmyt for the 56-yard game-winner, and he absolutely threaded it. Ballgame.
What a finish for the Browns, who just keep stacking wins in the AFC North. This kind of resilience, coming back after giving up a late lead to a guy like Aaron Rodgers, shows exactly what this Cleveland squad is made of.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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