Several Browns celebrated their first-ever snow game by doing snow angels on the field after the 24-19 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Cleveland Browns)
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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.
The pro-dome argument took a major hit Thursday night when Cleveland’s first snowfall of the year turned a tense, Browns-Steelers defensive struggle into a joyous, fluffy, instant classic.
“These are like those childhood games in the backyard,” said defensive tackle Shelby Harris. “You love to play in games like this and that’s what we live for.”
For three quarters, cold, wind and misty rain made for a typical dreary setting for the turnpike rivals. Myles Garrett’s three sacks and a Nick Chubb touchdown run set the tempo for a 10-6 Browns lead.
Then in the fourth quarter, an act of God turned Huntington Bank Field into a snow globe, and all hell broke out.
The teams combined for 237 yards and 27 points when heavy, wet snow rained down on the field, making footing treacherous and bringing on the grounds crew to sweep the yard-lines during timeouts.
Jameis Winston survived two turnovers and led two touchdown drives in the final quarter to turn back Russell Wilson and send Mike Tomlin’s Steelers on their miserable bus trip home, losers by 24-19.
It was Tomlin’s fourth loss in Cleveland in four games on Thursday night and dented the Steelers’ hopes of pursuing the AFC No. 1 playoff seed. They fell to 8-3.
It was the second time in four weeks the Browns ended a five-game winning streak of their fiercest division rivals. They did the same to the Baltimore Ravens. Just like in that game, they survived a last-gasp pass into the end zone to seal the victory.
Fittingly, Chubb, in his first game against the Steelers since his serious knee injury in Pittsburgh 15 months ago, scored the winning touchdown – his second of the night -- on a 2-yard run with 57 seconds left.
True to character, Chubb didn’t celebrate the touchdown.
“He’s my favorite player on the team. You can tell everybody else I said that,” coach Kevin Stefanski said.
“Before this game, I told Nick, I said, ‘I got you today,’” Winston said. “I know how important this was for him. And we ain’t going to talk about last year. Y’all know the gig, but I’m so grateful and happy that I was able to see a smile on his face after that sweet victory against this team.”
After Chubb’s TD, Wilson took the Steelers to the Browns’ 35. But his final pass, released just before he was decked by linebacker Jordan Hicks, was knocked down in the end zone by safety Grant Delpit.
A bunch of Browns playing in their first snow game of their lives celebrated by doing snow angels on the field.
“That was an unbelievable atmosphere for a football game,” said Stefanski, who cooled off his coach’s hot seat with his second division win in three games despite a 3-8 overall record. “Our fans were unbelievable. Maybe believable just how incredible they were from the jump. And then the snow globe … it’s a special night for our fans and I think they deserve it.”
The Browns had multiple heroes besides Garrett and Chubb.
Winston (18 of 27, 219 yards, 76.0 passer rating) was 1 of 10 on third-down conversions, but converted 4-of-4 on fourth down, including a hard, 2-yard TD run to give the Browns an 18-6 lead, and a completion to Jerry Jeudy on fourth-and-3 on the winning drive in the last three minutes.
Jeudy was 6 of 6 on targets for 85 yards. “This is definitely what I expected [when traded to the Browns],” Jeudy said.
And right tackle Jack Conklin held Steelers edge rusher and Garrett-nemesis T.J. Watt to zero sacks.
Garrett’s game (5 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 strip of Wilson) was among his most memorable as a Brown. He improved his season total to 10 sacks, and served notice that he’s not ready to relinquish his defensive player-of-the-year crown.
“I wanted to make it known that I’m the guy, I’m the number one edge defender,” he said. “That was a statement I was intending to make, and I think I made.”
Garrett admitted during the week that he was offended by disparaging social media comments made by Watt last year after Garrett unseated Watt as DPOY.
“You know, you don’t want to put a chip on Myles’ shoulder, all right?” Winston said. “Because he will definitely go off. He spoke to us in the locker room before the game and he called on everybody to step up and fight with him and he really set the tone.”
Wilson (21 of 28, 270 yards, 1 TD, 116.7 rating) was outplaying Winston most of the evening and took a 19-18 lead on a 23-yard TD to Calvin Austin with 6:15 to play. When Winston tossed an interception right to Pittsburgh cornerback Donte Jackson with 4:22 on the clock, it felt like the game was over.
But the Browns’ defense forced a 3-and-out and Pittsburgh punter Corliss Waitman shanked a punt of 15 yards out of bounds at the Steelers’ 45.
Winston faced fourth-and-3 at the Steelers’ 38 and completed a pass of 5 yards to Jeudy to keep the drive alive. Then on third down, Jeudy converted a first down with a 15-yard reception. A Pittsburgh penalty advanced the ball to the Steelers’ 9.
From there, the indefatigable Chubb rushed for 7 yards and then final 2 for the touchdown.
The Steelers are still in the driver’s seat for first place in the AFC North. But their division gauntlet now continues with games in Cincinnati and a rematch with the Browns in Pittsburgh.
“Conditions played a huge, huge part in this game,” said Steelers receiver George Pickens (4 catches on 7 targets for 48 yards). “I don’t think the Cleveland Browns are a good team. The conditions kind of saved them today.”
Which may have Cleveland anti-dome politicians smiling.