Harold Fannin's sixth receiving TD of the year gave the Browns an early 10-0 lead. Fannin had to leave the game after aggravating a groin injury on the play. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Instant takeaways from Browns 13-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers …
1. You just knew it: Ring up a fourth Browns win in a row in Cleveland over the Steelers. They sent the Steelers slinking back to Pittsburgh with a hard-fought, 13-6 defeat that may affect several decisions in the Browns’ offseason. The Browns victory upped their record to 4-12 and moved them down to No. 6 in the draft order. That could mean a stronger commitment to Shedeur Sanders as the starting quarterback in 2026. Sanders’ record improved to 2-5 as a starter. He built a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and then held on to survive two interceptions. Andre Szmyt’s 33-yard field goal with 1:40 to go came after the Steelers turned it over on downs for the second time in the game. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers thwarted Myles Garrett’s sack-record pursuit with quick passes all day, but they were ineffective in moving the Steelers down the field – until the very end. Rodgers moved the Steelers from their 35 to the Browns’ 7 in the final 1:40. But on fourth-and-goal, Rodgers’ pass for Marquez Valdes-Scantling was out of his reach with Denzel Ward blanketed all over him. The Steelers (9-7) host the Ravens in the final game to decide the AFC North title.
2. Big time stops: The Browns special teams, which had played a clean game, allowed a 25-yard punt return to Scottie Miller to the Steelers’ 43 with 7:03 to go. But after a 7-yard run by Jaylen Warren, Grant Delpit pinned Warren for a 1-yard loss and Alex Wright had a 2-yard TFL on Kenneth Gainwell. After the Pittsburgh punt, Sanders took over at his 10-yard line with 4:54 to go and a 10-6 lead. But the Steelers forced a three-and-out and the Browns punted from their 19.
3. Oh no, not that: Sanders reminded everyone he’s still a rookie with his worst decision of the game. From the Browns’ 49, he backpedaled against pressure, couldn’t find anyone open and instead of throwing away the ball he threw it up in the vicinity of Jerry Jeudy who was behind safety Kyle Dugger. Sanders couldn’t put much on the throw, however, and Dugger posted-up Jeudy for the easy interception. It was Sanders’ second INT of the game. A third was dropped.
4. Tug of war: The Steelers slowly were taking control of the clock and game in the third quarter, with Rodgers avoiding Myles Garrett’s furtive sack attempts with lightning-quick releases for short, chain-moving gains. The Browns had only one possession in the quarter. With the Steelers in field goal range, Alex Wright scored the first sack of Rodgers, knocking them back to 36-yard line. Kris Boswell’s 54-yard field goal try floated outside right and a tad short. The Browns took over at their 44 with a 10-6 lead and a quarter to go.
5. Good half: The Steelers were able to put up a 40-yard field goal on the last play of the first half to close the Browns’ lead to 10-6. But it could’ve been worse. At the 2:46 mark of the second quarter, linebacker Nick Herbig dropped an interception that would easily have been six points. Nobody was between him and the goal line.
6. Nice start: Sanders (12 of 17, 164 yards) was outplaying Rodgers (9 of 17, 72) in the first half. He drove the Browns to a field goal and touchdown on their first two possessions. Stefanski took the ball first and it resulted in a 50-yard Andre Szmyt field goal. Sanders jumpstarted the second possession with a perfect strike to Cedric Tillman for 40 yards on first down. The TD came when Harold Fannin leaped for a throw-it-up ball at the goal line as Steelers DBs Assante Samuel and Kyle Dugger lost sight of the ball. The 28-yard TD made it 10-0 in the first quarter. Fannin, however, aggravated a groin injury and was slow to walk off the field. He did not return.
7. Only one mistake: Sanders’ lone mistake was an interception in the second quarter when his pass deflected off a helmet as he was hit in the back by linebacker Alex Highsmith. Linebacker Jack Sawyer’s interception and return to the Browns’ 31 set up a short field. But it fizzled when Mike Tomlin eschewed a 40-yard field goal and went for it on fourth-and-1 from the 22. Rodgers’ fade for Scottie Miller in the left corner was too long. Rodgers was really upset with his throw.
8. Don’t do that: The Steelers got a big break to extend their second series. Tight end Darnell Washington came up five yards short of a first down on a third-and-16 reception. As Washington picked himself up and walked to the Pittsburgh huddle, safety Rayshawn Jenkins taunted him verbally and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Then on third-and-1 from the Steelers’ 49, fullback Connor Heyward took a direct snap from the quarterback sneak formation and scampered around right tackle for 29 yards. The series ended in a 44-yard field goal by Chris Boswell.
9. Another fourth-down failure: Stefanski went for it on fourth-and-6 from the Steelers’ 33 rather than try a 51-yard field goal into the closed end. Sanders’ pass for tight end Sam Cannella was short.
10. All quiet: Although the Browns held the Steelers to 145 total yards the first half, Myles Garrett wasn’t close to getting his record-breaking sack. Rodgers was releasing the ball so quickly, Garrett couldn't get near him.
11. Pre-game notes: Birthday boy Dillon Gabriel, who turned 25 on Sunday, was inactive, as expected, because of a shoulder injury. Bailey Zappe served as QB2. Other inactives for the Browns: cornerback Myles Harden, guard Kendrick Green, offensive tackle Jeremiah Byers, receiver Jamari Thrash, tight end David Njoku, and defensive tackle Sam Kamara.