The first snowfall turned Huntington Bank Field into a snow globe. (TheLandOnDemand)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst of the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Instant takeaways from Browns' 24-19 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers …
1. Let it snow: In his first game in Cleveland snow, and perhaps in his NFL career, Jameis Winston survived two turnovers in the fourth quarter to lead the Browns to a 24-19 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Appropriately, Nick Chubb scored the winning touchdown from 2 yards with :57 left. Chubb had opened the Browns’ scoring with a 2-yard TD in the second quarter in his first game against the Steelers since his brutal knee injury in Pittsburgh last year. The winning drive was set up when the Browns’ defense forced a punt after Winston’s interception with 4:22 to play and Pittsburgh punter Corliss Waitman shanked his kick 16 yards to the Pittsburgh 46. The game wasn't over until Russell Wilson's Hail Mary into the end zone was batted down by the Browns, leading to snow angels all over the field in celebration. The win was the Browns’ fifth straight on Thursday night at home under coach Kevin Stefanski and upped them to 3-8. The Steelers dropped to 8-3 after losing their ninth straight on Thursday night in a division road game under coach Mike Tomlin.
2. And there it is: Winston was playing error-free football and held an 18-13 lead until he was strip-sacked by linebacker Nick Herbig with 7:05 left in the game. Safety DeShon Elliott recovered at the Browns’ 27. Three players later, Russell Wilson found Calvin Austin beating Greg Newsome in the end zone from 23 yards out. Wilson’s 2-point pass failed. Steelers ahead, 19-18, with 6:15 to go.
3. Winston loving it: Winston put together his finest drive of the night when the snowfall was at its heaviest in the third quarter. No. 3 tight end Blake Whiteheart jumpstarted the series when he reached high for a 29-yard reception. Nick Chubb converted a fourth-down run to keep it alive. David Njoku had a short pass knocked out by Patrick Queen’s blasting hit. But Winston got the touchdown on a fourth-down run and dive into the end zone after nearly getting sacked. Njoku atoned for his drop and made a good catch on the 2-point play to give the Browns an 18-6 lead.
4. Back at you: The Steelers responded abruptly for a 69-yard TD drive, Jaylen Warren running it in from 3 yards. Two big plays helped their cause: a 30-yard run by backup quarterback Justin Fields and a roughing-the-passer penalty on Browns linebacker Jordan Hicks. It was 18-13, Browns, with 7:59 to play.
5. Third time a charm: The Steelers finally converted a fourth down to extend a drive in the third quarter when Wilson connected with tight end Pat Freiermuth. It set up a Boswell field goal of 28 yards through thick falling snow and cut the Browns lead to 10-6.
6. Another Steelers failure: Cedric Tillman lost a fumble after reception on the Browns’ first possession of the second half when DeShon Elliott aimed his helmet on the ball and Donte Jackson recovered at the Steelkers’ 25. But six plays later, the Steelers were stopped for the second time on fourth down when Maurice Hurst buried Jaylen Warren after a deep handoff for a 2-yard loss.
7. Good half: The Browns were comfortable getting dragged into the Steelers’ grimy game and they outplayed them in the first half. Myles Garrett had two sacks – one knocked the Steelers back to a failed 58-yard field goal try, the other stripped Wilson of the ball and was recovered by Winston Reid, which led to a Dustin Hopkins 34-yard field goal. Nick Chubb had a 2-yard TD run and the Browns led, 10-3.
8. Russ's ups and downs: Besides Garrett's three sacks, Wilson was charged a fourth sack when he was forced out of bounds on a keeper for a 2-yard loss. Aside from those negative plays, he was 11 of 13 passing for 147 yards.
9. Chubb! Chubb!: Fans chanted to give Chubb the ball from the Steelers’ 2, and Ken Dorsey complied. Chubb scored his second TD of the season. Chubb was introduced last in the pre-game, accentuating his first game against the Steelers since his knee injury in Pittsburgh in 2023.
10. Garrett on fire: Garrett added a third sack on the final play of the first half, giving him 10 on the season – 2.5 more than Watt, his Steelers’ rival, who was quiet the first 30 minutes.
11. Steelers’ foibles: Chris Boswell missed a 58-yard field goal try wide right – only his second miss in 31 attempts. The other was from 62 yards. The next Pittsburgh possession, Tomlin gambled on fourth-and-2 from the Browns’ 38. Justin Fields came in, took a direct snap, was hesitant deciding where to run, and was buried for a 2-yard loss by Grant Delpit. Boswell later made a field goal from 48 yards on a possession extended by a Wilson-to-Calvin Austin connection of 46 yards.
12. Unspecial teams: The infection inflicting Bubba Ventrone’s special teams units spread to usually reliable punter Corey Bojorquez, who shanked a punt for 12 yards. Also, Jerome Ford muffed a kickoff and took a knee in the end zone for a touchback that was placed at the 20-yard line.
13. Pre-game notes: As expected, Germain Ifedi made his first start at left tackle and was the fourth player to start there in 11 games. Jedrick Wills (knee) was ruled out Wednesday and made inactive. That left newly acquired Geron Christian as the only backup tackle. Other inactives: quarterback Bailey Zappe, running back D’Onta Foreman, cornerback Chigozie Anusiem and tight end Geoff Swaim.