Steelers snap six-game skid with 20-10 win over Browns

Pittsburgh, PA - Pittsburgh finally put an end to six weeks of frustration, defeating the Cleveland Browns 20-10 in Week 8 to snap a six-game losing streak.

The Steelers entered the game with one win and had not celebrated a victory since before their skid began. They emerged with a balanced offensive total, disruptive defensive numbers and a 10-point win over a Cleveland team that arrived at 4-3.

Neither side created a large statistical advantage in first downs or on the ground. Both teams recorded 14 first downs and 111 rushing yards, but Pittsburgh finished with 275 offensive yards compared with Cleveland’s 243. The Steelers also converted 5 of 10 third downs, while the Browns went 5-for-12.

Jaylen Warren provided Pittsburgh’s biggest gain on the ground. With 7:44 remaining in the third quarter, Warren ran 34 yards for a touchdown. It was the longest rush of the game and accounted for most of his 56 yards on four carries.

Cleveland produced its touchdown later in the quarter. At the 2:30 mark, Tua Tagovailoa connected with Jerry Jeudy for a 32-yard score. Jeudy’s lone reception went for the touchdown, and the play was Tagovailoa’s longest completion of the game.

Warren was not Pittsburgh’s only contributor in the backfield. Rico Dowdle carried 17 times for 43 yards and scored a rushing touchdown, giving the Steelers two different runners who reached the end zone. Dowdle also caught two passes for 30 yards, while Warren added two receptions for 29 yards.

"Four carries isn’t a big workload, so I wanted to get everything I could out of each opportunity," Warren said. "The biggest thing is that we finished with a win. After the stretch we’ve been through, that’s what matters to us."

Aaron Rodgers completed 13 of 23 passes for a game-high 182 yards. His longest completion covered 34 yards, also the longest completion by either quarterback, but Cleveland intercepted him twice and finished with three sacks.

Michael Pittman was Rodgers’ most productive target, catching six passes for a game-high 87 yards. Pittman’s 34-yard reception was the longest catch of the game. Pittsburgh finished with 164 passing yards as a team and made one touchdown and one field goal across three red-zone trips.

"The two interceptions aren’t the standard, and I have to be better with the football," Rodgers said. "But the best part of today is ending that losing streak. We needed to walk out of here with a different feeling, and we did."

Tagovailoa completed 16 of 22 passes for 167 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He also rushed five times for 27 yards. Cleveland finished with 132 passing yards as a team and did not score a touchdown on either of its two red-zone trips, coming away with one field goal.

The Browns had more production from their primary runner. Quinshon Judkins posted the game’s highest rushing total with 80 yards on 18 attempts, including a 23-yard run. Harold Fannin Jr led Cleveland’s receivers with six catches for 60 yards, but Jeudy supplied the team’s only receiving touchdown.

"Completing passes isn’t enough if we turn it over and don’t finish our opportunities inside the 20," Tagovailoa said. "We had two red-zone trips and didn’t get a touchdown. That’s something we have to own when we look back at this one."

The defenses produced similar turnover numbers. Pittsburgh intercepted Tagovailoa twice and recorded four sacks, while Cleveland picked off Rodgers twice and brought him down three times. The Browns converted their only fourth-down attempt, but their offense finished with 32 fewer offensive yards than Pittsburgh.

For the Steelers, the result carried more weight than any one statistical edge. Their six-game slide is over, and a team that entered Week 8 at 1-6 finally has another victory to build from.

Up Next

Pittsburgh will have a week before traveling to face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10, while Cleveland will look to rebound on the road against the New Orleans Saints in Week 9.