Browns lose again and Nick Chubb suffers major knee injury

Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.

PITTSBURGH, PA

Instant takeaways from Browns 26-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers …

1. The worst outcome: It was a brutal night. Not only did the Browns extend their regular-season losing streak in Pittsburgh to 20 games, they probably lost running back Nick Chubb to a gruesome, season-ending knee injury. The Steelers prevailed, 26-22, by producing four turnovers, scoring twice on defense, sacking Deshaun Watson six times and sending Chubb into probable knee surgery. Watson also fumbled twice, was penalized twice for face-masking and tossed at least five passes out of bounds in losing to counterpart Kenny Pickett for the second time. Watson’s fourth-down pass from the Browns’ 49 was incomplete for Donovan Peoples-Jones to put an end to a street fight. The Browns have not won here since 2003 and this one hurt more than the 19 others because of the Chubb injury. The Browns, 1-1, have to recover fast. They play the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

2. Twin terrors: The mismatch between Pittsburgh’s edge rushers and the Browns’ young offensive tackles was prevalent throughout the night. Midway through the fourth quarter, they combined for Pittsburgh’s fourth defensive turnover and second touchdown. On second-and-9 from his own 20, Watson was strip-sacked by Alex Highsmith, who crushed Jedrick Wills, and the ball was picked up by T.J. Watt, who ran 17 yards for the touchdown. With 6:58 to play, the fourth lead change of the game put the Steelers ahead, 26-22. It was Watson’s fifth sack.

3. Don’t look: If one is available, it is advised not to look at the replay of Chubb’s injury, although it was needed to identify the Steelers player who made contact with Chubb’s left knee. It was safety Minkah Fitzpatrick who dive-bombed Chubb low while linebacker Cole Holcomb was tackling Chubb at the Steelers’ 3. It was Chubb’s 10^th carry of the game and he was the only one on both sides doing anything offensively. He had 64 yards basically in one quarter. The point of contact was a gruesome sight. Almost instantly, players from both teams dropped to one knee. In short time, a cart came out. When Chubb was lifted onto the cart, players from both teams paid their respects to Chubb with a tap or words of encouragement. The Browns were able to score on the very next play when Watson rolled to his right and tossed the ball to Jerome Ford in the end zone. After an offsides penalty on the PAT, the Browns took the point off the board and went for two from the 1-yard line. Ford ran it in for an 11-7 Browns lead.

4. Ford had a better idea: Ford figures to be the new lead back now, and he flashed his ability on a 69-yard run in the third quarter. Out of the pistol formation, he took the handoff to the right side, then reversed field and sped down the left sideline. He ran out of gas and was tripped up by – who else? – Fitzpatrick at the end, his elbow hitting the ground just inside the 1. RB3 Pierre Strong came in and scored the touchdown from 1 yard. Watson converted the Browns’ second two-point conversion with a skip into the end zone for a 22-19 Browns lead.

5. Frustration: Don’t think I’ve seen a quarterback draw a flag for unnecessary roughness, but Watson was penalized when he pulled linebacker Kwon Alexander by the facemask on a keeper run to the left sideline. It occurred right at the Steelers’ bench. Watson made contact with an official during a minor dustup. It was overlooked, but could’ve been grounds for an ejection.

6. Still kicking: During the heat of battle, the Browns were immune to the deflation palpable in their fan base at the sight of Chubb being carted off. Although the defense was burned for a 71-yard touchdown pass from Kenny Pickett to George Pickens – who split the middle of the field and raced past everyone to the end zone – the Browns got a boost at the end of a nearly two-hour first half of play with a scoring drive capped by a 55-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins. It was made possible tight end David Njoku took a short Watson pass and broke four tackles for a 26-yard gain just before the two-minute warning. Another big play was a 15-yard face-mask penalty on Steelers cornerback Chandon Sullivan. The first half ended with the Steelers ahead, 16-14. The Steelers had four first downs.

7. Are you kidding us?:First play from scrimmage: Browns open in three-tight end set with Watson in empty formation. Watson throws for Harrison Bryant, ball glances off his hands, into Fitzpatrick’s and then pops out in a collision with Jordan Akins and it is intercepted by edge rusher Alex Highsmith, who runs it 30 yards to the end zone for a Pick 6. Elapsed time of 7-0 Steelers lead: nine seconds.

8. Crazy quarter: The first quarter lasted almost an hour because of four turnovers – two by each team – and several replay reviews. The turnover-fest went this way: 1. 30-yard Pick 6 by Highsmith; 2. Interception by Grant Delpit; 3. Watson lost fumble; 4. Gunner Olszewski fumble forced by Denzel Ward and recovered by Delpit. The Watson fumble occurred on what should have been the last play of the quarter. Watson originally was ruled down and the quarter ended. But after a lengthy replay review, it was determined Watson lost the ball and the Steelers recovered. So 22 seconds was put back on the clock and the Steelers took over at their 42. After a false start, Ward jarred the ball loose after an Olszewski reception. Delpit recovered and a series of bobbles resulted in the ball going out of bounds at the Steelers’ 23.

9. Blown chance: After the Browns cut the early deficit to 7-3, the Steelers came out throwing on their first offensive series. Pickett’s third pass was intercepted by safety Grant Delpit at the Pittsburgh 19. Time for Mr. Chubb? No, Watson was sacked on first down by ex-Brown Larry Ogunjobi, threw to David Njoku for 1 yard, and then was incomplete for Elijah Moore on a ball thrown three yards out of bounds. Hopkins came on and missed wide left from 43 yards.

10. Why did he do that?: The Steelers’ first possession started at their 9-yard line when Hopkins’ short kickoff was caught by Gunner Olszewski as it appeared to be going out of bounds. Had he not caught it right at the sideline, the Steelers would have gotten the ball at their 49.

11. Pre-game notes: The Browns waited until they arrived at Acrisure Stadium before deciding Cooper (groin) would be active. Their inactive players were: cornerback Kahlef Hailassie, safety Ronnie Hickman, center Luke Wypler, defensive end Isaiah McGuire and defensive tackle Siaki Ika. Safety Rodney McLeod was the game captain.