Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 5:59AM |  10°
MENU
Advertisement
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) jumps for the ball and fumbles while playing the Cleveland Browns at the Huntington Bank Field on Thursday, November 21, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Browns won 24-19.
1
MORE

Gerry Dulac: Steelers can't shake Browns jinx despite impressive Russell Wilson performance

(Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette)

Gerry Dulac: Steelers can't shake Browns jinx despite impressive Russell Wilson performance

CLEVELAND — The team that was tied for the worst record in the NFL, had scored the second-fewest points in the league and was guilty of playing with all the intensity of a Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight did it to them again.

The franchise that has had four winning seasons and just one playoff victory since returning to the NFL in 1999 did it to them again.

The Cleveland Browns, who don’t seem to do anything right, did something right Thursday night — they halted the Steelers' five-game winning streak with a 24-19 victory and continued their spell against them along the shore of Lake Erie.

Advertisement

Whatever it is, the Steelers can’t seem to shake the jinx.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (19) catches the ball in the endzone for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns at the Huntington Bank Field on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Browns won 24-19.
Brian Batko
Steelers-Browns rematch will come quickly and with no shortage of rivalry juice

They are 1-5-1 in their past seven games in Cleveland and seem to lose any number of ways. This one, though, hurts a little more because of the way they had positioned themselves in the AFC playoff race.

“Missed opportunities,” defensive end Cam Heyward said. “They made more plays in the end.”

After impressive back-to-back victories against the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers (8-3) took a step back and cooled all the talk about being Super Bowl contenders.

Advertisement

“We could have some head-scratching about what was displayed, but, man, just take it and move on,” Heyward said. “Everybody’s [upset] about the loss, but we got to learn from it.”

In a season of misery, the Browns (3-8) can now boast they’ve done something no other team can claim — they beat the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in a four-week span of the season.

And they did it when running back Nick Chubb scored on a 2-yard run with 57 seconds remaining, two plays after quarterback Jameis Winston converted a 4th-and-6 at the Steelers 29 with a 15-yard completion to receiver Jerry Jeudy.

“Our guys fought, but it wasn’t enough,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “It’s painful, but it’s life in this business.”

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin walks off the field after losing to the Cleveland Browns at the Huntington Bank Field on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Browns won 24-19.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Paul Zeise Live: Are Steelers still true AFC contenders after Browns loss?

On a night when Huntington Bank Field was turned into a snow globe, the Steelers battled back from an 18-6 fourth-quarter deficit behind Russell Wilson — and even Justin Fields — and took the lead when Wilson hit Calvin Austin III for a 23-yard touchdown with 6:15 remaining.

The touchdown was set up when outside linebacker Nick Herbig stripped the ball from Wilson on a sack, and safety DeShon Elliott recovered at the Browns 27.

It was an impressive performance by Wilson, who completed his first 10 passes and finished 21 of 28 for 270 yards and a 116.7 passer rating.

“We should have won that game,” Wilson said. “We felt like we battled. We fought our butts off. Unfortunately, we came up short.”

After Winston scored on a 2-yard scramble on fourth down to make it 18-6 with 12:16 remaining, Fields jump-started the comeback two plays later with a 30-yard run around the right side to the Browns 35. Two plays later, a roughing the passer penalty by linebacker Jordan Hicks on Fields moved the ball to the Browns 22.

That led to a 3-yard touchdown by Jaylen Warren to make it 18-13 with 7:57 remaining. That’s when it got interesting.

The Browns’ winning touchdown was set up when Corliss Waitman chunked a punt 16 yards to the Steelers 46 after Fields failed to get a first down on a three-and-out with 3:22 remaining.

Making matters worse, the Steelers decided to accept an illegal touching penalty on a Winston incompletion rather than force a 4th-and-2 at the Steelers 25. However, there appeared to be confusion about the penalty because the official initially signaled intentional grounding, as well, which is a loss of down.

That’s why Tomlin originally told the officials he would decline the penalty.

“I thought it was grounding initially,” Tomlin said. “When I realized it wasn’t ruled grounding, I got information from them and made the call I wanted to make. The distance was more important to us. We wanted to move them 5 yards back and make the field goal a longer one.”

It became a moot point when Winston, who passed for 219 yards, converted the 3rd-and-6 with a 15-yard completion to Jeudy. The Steelers got off to a fast start and had more yards (90-19) and first downs (3-0) than the Browns after one quarter. Nonetheless, after Chris Boswell missed only his second field goal attempt of the season from 58 yards, the Steelers could do nothing with the start.

That included Fields being stopped for a 2-yard loss on a 4th-and-2 play from the Browns 38 on the second series. Boswell eventually gave them a 3-0 lead with a 48-yard field goal early in the second quarter, but the missed opportunities caught up with them again.

On the next possession — after the Browns failed to have a first down for more than a quarter — they had five first downs, and Winston completed all six passes for 55 yards on a 12-play, 80-yard drive to take a 7-3 lead.

Then, after Wilson was stripped of the ball on a sack by defensive end Myles Garrett, the Browns turned that into a 34-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins for a 10-3 lead with 40 seconds remaining in the half.

Wilson, who completed his first 10 passes for 128 yards, got the Steelers near midfield with a 19-yard pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth. But the drive stalled right there.

First Published: November 22, 2024, 5:53 a.m.
Updated: November 22, 2024, 6:31 p.m.

RELATED
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) gestures after running the ball for a first down against the Cleveland Browns at the Huntington Bank Field on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Browns won 24-19.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
WATCH: Was Steelers offense hurt by Russell Wilson, Justin Fields splitting time?
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (19) celebrates scoring a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns at the Huntington Bank Field on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Browns won 24-19.
Jason Mackey
Jason Mackey: Ugly loss to Browns leaves Steelers with several issues they'll need to address — quickly
Pittsburgh Steelers place kicker Chris Boswell (9) celebrates with holder Corliss Waitman (8) in the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland.
Brian Batko
Steelers notes: Coldest game of NFL season, snow flurries result in offensive slog
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Jameis Winston (5) and tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Brian Batko
Instant analysis: Steelers stunned by Browns late after digging early hole
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) brings down Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) at the Huntington Bank Field on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Browns won 24-19.
Gerry Dulac
Gerry Dulac: Steelers defense failed to close out a win — again
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (14) misses a catch while playing the Cleveland Browns at the Huntington Bank Field on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Browns won 24-19.
Jason Mackey
Jason Mackey: After strong start to season, Mike Tomlin deserves blame for Steelers' frustrating loss to Browns
SHOW COMMENTS (96)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Traffic passes by U.S. Steel in Braddock on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. An activist investor has accused U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt of potential insider trading as the group pressures investors to support its own plan for the iconic Pittsburgh steelmaker, which includes a new board and abandoning a planned merger with Japan’s Nippon Steel.
1
business
Ancora launches ‘Make U.S. Steel Great Again’ campaign, accuses CEO of insider trading
Gov. Josh Shapiro is joined in the broadcast booth by Curtis Aiken before the start of Pitt-Syracuse on Tuesday night at Petersen Events Center.
2
sports
Governor Josh Shapiro aims to make Pennsylvania 'compete' in NIL, bring 'stability' to transfer portal
The WPIAL basketball playoffs are underway.
3
sports
WPIAL boys basketball playoffs: Down go the Highlanders, all the way out of PIAA playoffs
President Donald Trump listens as Elon Musk speaks in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
4
news
McCormick on board with Trump, DOGE shakeup while Fetterman blasts 'chaos, confusion'
Head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith watch a receivers and defensive backs drill at Steelers Minicamp at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex Thursday, June 13, 2024.
5
sports
Gerry Dulac: Next season’s major decisions loom this week for Mike Tomlin, Steelers staff
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) jumps for the ball and fumbles while playing the Cleveland Browns at the Huntington Bank Field on Thursday, November 21, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland Browns won 24-19.  ((Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette))
(Benjamin B. Braun/Post-Gazette)
Advertisement
LATEST sports
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story