4:06 p.m.-BROWNS FALL TO STEELERS IN PITTSBURGH
PITTSBURGH -- The Cleveland Browns will have to wait for another day to snap their road losing streak and another year to end their 15-year skid against the Pittsburgh Steelers in games played at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
Despite forcing another three turnovers to build onto their league-leading total of 23 takeaways, the Browns had no answer for Pittsburgh’s playmakers, particularly running back James Conner and wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Conner rushed for a game-best 146 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, and added another 66 yards on five receptions out of the backfield, while Brown converted his six catches into 74 yards and two scores on the way to a 33-18 victory over the Browns in an AFC North Division game at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh Sunday.
Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 22 of his 36 attempts for 180 yards and two touchdowns against one interception, while running back Nick Chubb accounted for 65 yards on 18 carries.
The Browns’ losing streak in Pittsburgh started with a 34-23 setback on October 10, 2004, and they have not won an away game of any sort since October 11, 2015, an NFL-record streak of 25 consecutive losses on the road.
PHOTOS: Cleveland Browns face Pittsburgh Steelers in key AFC North Game in Pittsburgh
3:18 p.m.-JAMES CONNER TAKES OVER ON STEELERS SCORING DRIVE
PITTSBURGH -- James Conner made a couple plays in the first half against the Cleveland Browns, but he saved his best for a third-quarter drive that put the Pittsburgh Steelers in front, 23-12, with 2:42 to play in the period at Heinz Field.
Conner accounted for 60 rushing yards on just four attempts, including the final 12 on a run around right end that finished in the end zone.
Earlier in the drive, Conner rushed for 30 and 16 yards on two previous carries.
3:10 p.m.-BROWNS DRAW CLOSER ON MAYFIELD TD PASS TO CALLAWAY
PITTSBURGH -- The Cleveland Browns gave up a safety when left tackle Desmond Harrison was flagged for holding in the end zone, but that negative play turned into a positive, and the offense capitalized on a Pittsburgh Steelers miscue late in the third quarter at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
After the Browns recovered a free kick, which the Steelers treated as a punt instead of the live ball that it was, at the Pittsburgh 24-yard line, the offense drew four penalties on the drive, three of which were accepted.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Antonio Callaway, which trimmed the Steelers’ lead down to four points, 16-12, but it would get no closer, as kicker Greg Joseph pulled the PAT try wide left.
The Browns drew a roughing the passer penalty when Mayfield was hit in the helmet on a throwaway attempt, and then, pass interference and defensive holding calls later in the drive, and since both those fouls occurred in the end zone, that gave the offense plenty of opportunities from the Pittsburgh one-yard line.
The defensive holding penalty negated a sack that would have backed up the Browns into a third-and-goal from the Pittsburgh seven-yard line. Instead, it gave them a first-and-goal from the Pittsburgh one-yard line.
2:25 p.m.-ANTONIO BROWN HAULS IN LATE TD PASS FROM ROETHLISBERGER
PITTSBURGH -- It has long been said that football is a game of inches, and the Cleveland Browns learned that the hard way late in the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a key AFC North Division game at Heinz Field in “The Steel City.”
Browns safety Damarious Randall looked to be in position to snare an interception of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on a screen pass, but the ball went over his head before he could secure a catch, and wide receiver Antonio Brown benefitted, as he caught the throw and scooted across the goal line for his second receiving touchdown of the game.
With Brown’s second touchdown of the game and the ensuing extra point, the Steelers took a 14-6 lead over the Browns into the locker room at halftime.
1:55 p.m.-STEELERS TAKE LEAD ON ANTONIO BROWN TD CATCH
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers took advantage of good field position following a missed field goal from the Cleveland Browns, and turned the advantage into a one-point lead with 11:26 to play in the first half at Heinz Field.
After not converting a single first down in the first quarter, the Steelers needed just six plays to go 69 yards, the final 43 of which came on a Ben Roethlisberger touchdown pass to wide receiver Antonio Brown. With the point-after conversion, the Steelers took a 7-6 lead over the Browns.
On first-and-10 from Cleveland’s 43-yard line, Roethlisberger took the snap out of the no-huddle offense, escaped an initial rush from the Browns’ defensive linemen, stepped up in the pocket and lofted a pass down the left sideline for Brown.
Brown got a good release off the line of scrimmage and sprinted behind the coverage of rookie cornerback Denzel Ward. With several steps on Ward, Brown found an open spot on the field, secured a catch and hustled the final few yards for the touchdown.
1:37 p.m.-BROWNS ADD ONTO LEAD
PITTSBURGH -- The Cleveland Browns could not get a touchdown out of their first takeaway against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they did manage to get points.
After the six-play, 29-yard drive stalled at the Pittsburgh 27-yard line, Browns kicker Greg Joseph converted a 45-yard field goal attempt, and his second scoring play of the game gave Cleveland a 6-0 lead over Pittsburgh with 2:34 to play in the first quarter at Heinz Field.
The Browns started the drive at their own 44-yard line after safety Derrick Kindred caught a deflected pass from Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger that was intended for wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster over the middle of the field.
1:12 p.m.-BROWNS TAKE 3-0 LEAD OVER STEELERS
PITTSBURGH -- The Cleveland Browns took the opening kickoff and marched 66 yards in 11 plays, and when the drive stalled, kicker Greg Joseph converted a 34-yard field goal, which gave them a 3-0 lead over the Pittsburgh Steelers with 9:10 to play in the first quarter at Heinz Field.
Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was six of seven for 57 yards on the opening drive, including a long pass of 21 yards that turned a third-and-six from Cleveland’s 38-yard line into a first-and-10 at the Pittsburgh 41.
However, the drive stalled when, on third-and-three at the Pittsburgh 13-yard line, running back Duke Johnson Jr. was stopped in the backfield for a three-yard loss.
12:30 p.m.-Hue Jackson: Cleveland Browns ready to put criticisms 'to bed' against Pittsburgh Steelers
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns have heard all of the criticisms about their lack of success against the Pittsburgh Steelers, especially as it relates to games played at Heinz Field, but they have a chance to take a step in a positive direction this weekend.
After fighting to a 21-21 tie in the 2018 regular-season opener at FirstEnergy Stadium, the Browns (2-4-1) get a return match against the Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, a place they have not won since October 5, 2003.
“This is a very confident team,” Coach Hue Jackson said of the Browns. “Our team is a very confident group. We do not get concerned about the record.
“Obviously, we want a better record, but this is a division team. This team is leading the division. What better way to make a statement about playing of the road and winning on the road than in Pittsburgh? Here is a tremendous opportunity for the group to put some of those to bed.”
The Browns have posted a 1-17 overall record in Pittsburgh since Heinz Field opened in 2001, and are 1-16 in regular-season games heading into Sunday. Additionally, the Browns suffered a 36-33 loss at the Steelers in an AFC Wildcard Playoff game on January 5, 2003.
“Their fans,” Jackson said of what makes life difficult for opposing teams at Heinz Field. “Obviously, they have good players, a good team. Their fans, that is home field, and that song (Renegade by Styx) that they play before all of a sudden the kickoff happens.
“I know it is coming. That is what I think their advantage is. It is a hostile place to play. We get it. We think that our stadium is just as tough to play in, as well. We welcome that. In order to be the team that we want to be, you have to go into those environments and win. That is what we are trying to do.”
Last Sunday’s 26-23 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, was the Browns’ third non-winning result in four overtime games over the first six weeks of the 2018 regular season, as they came up short in three-point losses at New Orleans and in Oakland along with the season-opening tie with the Steelers.
All but one of the Browns’ four losses this season have come on a field goal in the last minute of regulation or overtime.
Despite being close in three of those four losses, the Browns still find themselves two games behind the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens in the win column and two in the loss column in back of the Steelers in the AFC North Division standings.
“I think that [the public perception is] ‘the sky is falling’ here because we have been in so many games,” Jackson said. “You are so close. If you can win a couple of those, nobody would be feeling that way. We just have not. Does not matter what the reasons are, we just have not done it.
“They have been down before where they have not started fast, and all of a sudden, they get on a run and away they go. We just have not done that yet. When we become that team that starts winning games consecutively, week in and week out -- regardless of where it is, on the road, at home, wherever -- then, I think that the narrative will change. We will change it, but it is not going to change until then.”
9:15 a.m.-Cleveland Browns relish 'tremendous opportunity' to close ground in AFC North at Pittsburgh Steelers
CLEVELAND -- The race for the top spot in the AFC North Division is a tight one, and the Cleveland Browns are hoping to make it a little tighter come Sunday.
After fighting to a 21-21 tie in the 2018 regular-season opener at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, the Browns get a return match against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, a place they have not won since 2003.
“I think they are ready to play,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said of his players. “I think they understand what is at stake. We have not won on the road. We have not won in Pittsburgh. They hear it all. It is no question.
“We understand that we are in this race. You go win this game, you are way in this race. It is a huge game. It is a tremendous opportunity for us, and it is a huge stage, so let’s go conquer this. Let’s go to Pittsburgh and play the best football game we have played all year and go win the game.”
Down by a 21-7 count midway through the fourth quarter, the Browns scored 14 unanswered points to draw even with the Steelers in the waning moments of the season-opening tie. However, neither team was able to mount a drive that resulted in points in the overtime session.
After forcing their sixth turnover of the game when rookie linebacker Genard Avery stripped Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of the football on a sack, which fellow linebacker Joe Schobert recovered, the Browns had a first-and-10 at Pittsburgh’s 24-yard line.
Three plays later, kicker Zane Gonzalez had a 43-yard game-winning field goal attempt blocked by Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt.
“Just to see that we tied with them the first time, we definitely want to get this win,” linebacker Christian Kirksey said. “We still have not had a division loss. For us to have the opportunity to play another division opponent and with this rivalry that we have with them, it would be good to get a win and keep our momentum going.
“Things in the last game could have gone different ways. I am pretty sure that they are thinking the same things. If a play or two could have gone a different way, then it could have been a different outcome of the game. This game will definitely be intense. It is a road game for us. We have to win on the road, and I think we will.”
All but one of the Browns’ four losses this season have come because of a field goal in the last minute of regulation or overtime.
Despite being close in three of those four losses, the Browns still find themselves two games behind the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens in the win column and two in the loss column in back of the Steelers in the AFC North Division standings.
“It is a big game,” wide receiver Jarvis Landry said. “We understand that. We understand that. It is no secret. We have to win the game. We want to win the game.
“That is our mindset going into the game and going against any team, but obviously, more importantly, in the division. If you can win in the division, you have a pretty good chance of making it to the playoffs. That is part of our goals and one of our goals. This is a big one for us.”
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