Pittsburgh Steelers Win Game Over the Cleveland Browns
The Pittsburgh Steelers faced off against the Cleveland Browns in a hotly-anticipated contest today, with the Steelers emerging victoriously. The final score saw Pittsburgh 28 – Cleveland 24, with Pittsburgh narrowly holding on for the win.
Steelers Take Command of First Half
The Steelers were the better team for most of the first half. The team opened the game with a touchdown pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to wide receiver Antonio Brown. Roethlisberger continued the pattern of success, throwing a second touchdown pass in the first quarter to tight end Jesse James before Pittsburgh kicker Chris Boswell kicked a field goal in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Browns were only able to put up three points in the first half, letting the Steelers take a commanding 21-3 lead into the half.
Browns Unfurl Comeback in the Second Half
The Browns came back to life in the second half, turning the tables on the Steelers and making them fight for the win. Quarterback DeShone Kizer performed a complete 180 from the first half, throwing two touchdowns in the third quarter to wide receivers Rashard Higgins and Kenny Britt. To make matters worse for the Steelers, kicker Cody Parkey was able to hit two of his three field goal attempts, narrowing the gap in the score to a manageable 28-17 going into the fourth quarter.
Steelers Survive Browns’ Slew of Fourth Quarter Points
The Steelers were not able to score any points in the fourth quarter, allowing the Browns offense to keep chipping away at their lead. Kizer threw his third touchdown pass of the game in the quarter, this time to tight end Seth DeValve. Parkey added his third field goal as well, keeping the Browns within four points. But the Steelers held on, preventing the Browns from scoring the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter and finishing with a hard-earned 28-24 victory.
Key Takeaways
The Steelers have some work to do if they want to continue their winning ways, as the Browns came closer to winning today than the final score might indicate. Nonetheless, the team should be proud of the way they pulled through a close game against their long-time rivals. With the win, the Steelers position themselves atop the AFC North at 5-2, cemented as the leading team for a spot in the playoffs.
Player of the Game
The offensive MVP of the game was definitely Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who ended the game with 224 passing yards and three touchdowns. Without his performance in the first half, the Steelers might not have come out of this game with a win.
