Steelers @ Browns
Final Score: Browns 24, Steelers 19
Senior Writer: Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1 on Twitter)
Two teams at the opposite end of the playoff picture met at Huntington Bank Field with the snowflakes lightly falling on a bitterly cold Thursday night. Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers looked to put a firm hold on the AFC North against bottom-dwellers the Cleveland Browns and the always-entertaining Jameis Winston. A drab first half was littered with mistakes from the Steelers, with Wilson fumbling the ball away and taking three sacks from defensive powerhouse Myles Garrett. That allowed Winston to loosen up and lead an impressive 12-play, 80-yard touchdown drive polished off with a goal line run from Nick Chubb to give Cleveland a narrow 10-3 lead at halftime.
The weather intensified in the second half as the wind and snow took hold and turned into a full-on blizzard. Both offenses started to prioritize the run game without much joy. It was the magic of Winston through the air that extended the Browns’ lead. Connections with tight ends Blake Whiteheart and Jordan Akins took the ball inside the 10-yard line before Winston escaped a collapsing pocket to scramble and twist into the end zone for a score. David Njoku, who had dropped an easy touchdown pass only a few plays prior, hauled in the 2-PT conversion to give Cleveland a two-score lead midway through the fourth quarter. A big Justin Fields run set up an immediate answer from the Steelers as Jaylen Warren ran the ball in from three yards out to make it 18-12 with less than eight minutes to play.
Step up the Steelers’ defense, with Nick Herbig annihilating Winston from his blind side to hand the ball back to Pittsburgh just outside of the red zone. Wilson threw a perfect ball over the middle for emerging wideout Calvin Austin III to put the Steelers ahead 19-18. Game on! Winston’s fourth-quarter rollercoaster turned into a nightmare with a poor throw to turn the ball over in Steelers territory. However, an immediate three-and-out gave him another opportunity to orchestrate a winning drive, which, of course, he did with some gutsy throws. Chubb once again ran in the ball from a couple of yards out. It was all that Cleveland deserved.
Three Up
- Nick Chubb – the popular running back who has been devastated by injury looked a little bit more like himself in this game, another encouraging step forward on his return from injury and two scores to go with it.
- Calvin Austin III – leading the Steelers in yardage and hauling in the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, the young wideout couldn’t have made a more important impact at the perfect time.
- Jerry Jeudy – arising as the primary wideout in this offense, Jeudy has finally become fantasy-relevant after a turbulent couple of years in Denver and Cleveland – created separation on a late out-route to haul in a 15-yard grab to set up the game-winning points.
Two Down
- Najee Harris – a tough night on the ground for the reliable veteran, who saw Warren outpace him on the ground and see the touches at the goal line.
- David Njoku – the primary tight end dropped an easy touchdown and also saw the backups eat into his snaps and outperform him through the air.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback
Russell Wilson: 21/28, 270 Yards, TD, 4 Sacks, Fumble (Lost) | 3 Carries, 10 Yards
Disappointing execution from the Steelers’ offense in the first half put Wilson in a tough spot as the weather intensified after the break. The Steelers’ offense was slow coming out of the blocks, and Wilson contributed a turnover by losing the ball out of one hand in the pocket on contact from Garrett as halftime approached. The veteran really struggled under pressure from the impressive Cleveland defensive front and took three sacks. He made a couple of elite throws in the second half, in particular, the touchdown pass to Austin to put his team ahead. However, the integration of Fields further into the offense meant that on three occasions, Wilson was on the sidelines for key plays – two of them, a failed fourth down attempt in the first half and a third down late in the game, effectively ending two drives that then allowed the Browns to go and score touchdowns. So, in some way, he could be deemed not responsible for some of the offense’s shortcomings. Saying that, he had plenty of opportunity to affect the result.
Notes
- An excellent start for Wilson in this game only resulted in three points despite going 10-for-10 for 128 yards through four drives. A missed field goal, a turnover on downs, and a costly fumble midway through the second quarter hampered the Steelers’ effort. Myles Garrett had already had a couple of pressures before forcing the ball from Wilson’s hands on an ill-advised scramble from the veteran quarterback.
Justin Fields: 0/1 | 3 Carries, 26 Yards
Fields was worked into the offense on short-yardage situations a little more in this game after Arthur Smith‘s controversial “we have two starting quarterbacks” comment earlier in the week. However, a fourth down play was stuffed at the line of scrimmage as the Steelers rolled the dice late in the first quarter. Fields also threw incomplete on third down to give the Browns another shot at winning the game late in the fourth quarter. That bad balanced with a 30-yard run down the right sideline that kickstarted the Steelers comeback in the fourth quarter when trailing by 12 points. So, he did some good things.
Running Back
Najee Harris: 16 Carries, 41 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 13 Yards
The workmanlike back out of Alabama struggled against a stout Browns interior defensive line that showed up on cold, wintry night to stymie the Steelers up the middle in an environment designed for the run game. Harris posted only one run of over 10 yards and labored to a pedestrian 2.6 yards per carry on 16 rushes. The ineffectiveness of the downhill back meant that change-of-pace man Warren got more attempts to impose his style. Warren’s 11 carries were his third-most in a game this season, and the majority came in the second half as a lackluster Steelers offense struggled to make any inroads. Harris is in no danger of losing the role he has as Warren is such a different player, but the likelihood of this kind of fantasy dud occurring is more common with him than we would like.
Jaylen Warren: 11 Carries, 45 Yards, TD | 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 19 Yards
Significantly more efficient with his touches than Harris, Warren also benefited from the negative game script to see the field more in the second half, as the Steelers had to come from behind and go into a passing offense. That meant that he was in the hurry-up offense when Pittsburgh finally worked the ball near the goal line midway through the fourth quarter. Warren saw space open up on the inside and took a handoff down the seam for a rushing score, his first of any format this season. It is unlikely that many fantasy managers would have benefited from his performance given the TNF matchup, but if you did, handy!
Cordarrelle Patterson: 1 Carry, -2 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Calvin Austin III: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 78 Yards, TD
A big night for the young receiver, whose impact could have won the game for his team, albeit for other offensive inefficiencies. He executed a perfect route deep downfield to burn Browns safety Grant Delpit and haul in a bomb from Wilson for a huge 46-yard gain at the start of the second quarter before coming up big early in the second half with another grab. His main contribution was hauling in the touchdown pass from 23 yards out late in the fourth quarter to give the Steelers an unlikely lead. Austin has slowly developed as a genuine WR3 prospect this season.
Pat Freiermuth: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 59 Yards
Modest production from the much-loved tight end who was most definitely underused on a night where he caught all four balls thrown his way in contested situations. The Steelers could have gone to the big unit a bit more on third and fourth down, given his dominant nature as a pass-catcher. His highlight was a nice route out of the slot in which he found space between the linebackers and defensive backs to rumble downfield for a 22-yard gain. His four targets were the most he has seen in the last seven games. Not good for the once fantasy-relevant tight end.
George Pickens: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 48 Yards
Emerging as a star wideout with better passing from his quarterback, Pickens hauled in a 31-yard deep ball late in the first quarter on third down by using every part of his lower body to ensure the ball didn’t hit the ground. It was a nice play as he manipulated his body to secure the catch. That was as good as it got for the Steelers’ primary receiving threat, as he caught just two more balls for 14 yards the rest of the contest. There was also a clear miscommunication with his quarterback in the end zone as the two failed to connect despite Pickens beating his man and presenting wide open. The last play of the game was a Wilson Hail Mary that the receiver never even looked back for as he jostled with Greg Newsome – the two had to be separated as heated words were exchanged as the game ended. A disappointing fantasy output for a wideout that has been excellent since Wilson took over under center.
Van Jefferson: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 39 Yards
Darnell Washington: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 14 Yards
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Jameis Winston: 18/27, 219 Yards, INT, Sack | 3 Carries, 7 Yards, TD
After a slow start to the game, Winston kickstarted the offense in the second quarter by hitting Jeudy downfield on three catches for 39 yards to put the Browns in field goal range. Stefanski kept the offense on the field for a fourth down, with Chubb moving the sticks inside the red zone. Winston then found tight end David Njoku on a short pass that took his offense to the goal line. Chubb then punched the ball in from a yard out to give the Browns the lead. Winston continued to spearhead the offense after halftime with several high-level throws, including two perfect throws to put the ball inside the Steelers’ 10-yard line at the start of the half – the quarterback finishing the drive himself with a gutsy scramble out of the pocket and into the end zone, taking a big spinning hit crossing the plain.
Winston then went into mini-meltdown mode as he lost a fumble before throwing a terrible interception to allow the Steelers to come back and take the lead in the fourth quarter. The magic needed to be rekindled, and after the Browns defense forced a punt with just over three minutes remaining, Winston tore away to his superhero suit and led a 9-play, 45-yard touchdown drive that saw Chubb punch in his second score of the night with just 57 seconds left of the clock. It proved to be the winning points, and deservedly so, as he was the superior quarterback in the contest.
Running Back
Nick Chubb: 20 Carries, 59 Yards, 2 TD | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 1 Yard
A big fantasy night for the returning running back, who has battled horrible injuries over the last few years. A battling performance on the ground, where he averaged a mediocre three yards per carry, was bookended by two rushing scores that made him the premier fantasy producer from the contest. Chubb notched two short-yardage touchdowns on the first attempt as he hit paydirt for the first time since scoring in Week 7, his first game back from knee surgery. With the Browns maintaining a lead for much of the game, Chubb enjoyed 21 touches, the most in any game since returning. That’s a promising sign for future fantasy points in the coming weeks as Chubb ramps up his sharpness and speed. He will continue to handle the bulk of the workload for an entertaining Browns offense rejuvenated by Winston.
Jerome Ford: 4 Carries, 19 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 8 Yards
Alongside 72 kick and punt return yards, Jerome Ford acted as the take-a-breather back for Chubb, carrying the ball four times for 19 yards and taking his only target in for an 8-yard gain. Ford has had fantasy value as both a starter and flex option this season, however, since Chubb’s return, he has remained firmly in a backup role. He can be ignored in terms of fantasy.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jerry Jeudy: 6 Targets, 6 Receptions, 85 Yards
Now firmly established as the primary receiver in Cleveland, Jeudy notched his fourth-straight double-digit fantasy point game by leading the Browns in targets, catches, and yardage. The wideout has been reborn in Cleveland since Amari Cooper left for the Bills, and you can see the enjoyment in his game, missing for so long in Denver. Jeudy made key contributions with multiple catches on the first touchdown drive before converting on 4th-&-3 from a pass from Winston to move the sticks approaching the two-minute warning at the end of the game. It was pertinent that the Browns saw Jeudy as the best man to make a play when needed under pressure. And so it was when they found themselves on third down, needing six yards to convert with less than two minutes left. Jeudy ran a solid route and ensured he protected the football when expecting pressure. A big-time catch.
Jordan Akins: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 38 Yards
Blake Whiteheart: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 29 Yards
Cedric Tillman: 4 Targets, 2 Receptions, 28 Yards
The emerging wideout has shown promise in stepping up with the departure of Cooper and has out-performed more experienced wideouts like Elijah Moore to become the WR2 for the Steelers. Tillman started the game well and looked to have the quick feet at the line of scrimmage needed to create separation quickly. Two catches preceded a huge hit to the upper body and chest/neck area that the medical staff deemed to be a possible concussion. He spent significant time in the blue tent after taking a huge hit on third down late in the third quarter. He looked jelly-legged after the play and eventually did not return. Ouch!
Elijah Moore: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 21 Yards
This was a disappointing development for Moore, who seemed to have built more of a rapport with new quarterback Winston in a make-it-or-break-it part of the season for both his team and his own future. Moore wasn’t an integral part of the offensive game plan and saw three other unheralded individuals outperform him. He remains on the outside of fantasy relevance.
David Njoku: 5 Targets, 1 Reception, 9 Yards, 2PT
Photos courtesy of Icon Sportswire
Adapted by Kurt Wasemiller (@kurt_player02 on IG & Threads, @kuwasemiller on Bluesky)