PITTSBURGH — It felt like they never had a chance.
Already eliminated from postseason contention, the Browns rolled into Pittsburgh and showed little fight in a 26-14 loss to the Steelers on "Monday Night Football." Cleveland fell to 7-9 on the season, clinching its 13th losing record in 14 years with one game left.
Ben Roethlisberger kept his team's playoff hopes alive in what could be the final home game of his career. The future Hall of Famer had just 123 yards on 46 pass attempts, but did have a first-quarter touchdown to Diontae Johnson that put the Steelers on the board first.
Pittsburgh led 10-0 at halftime, mostly due to the Browns' anemic offense. Nick Chubb had just four touches in the first two periods, while Baker Mayfield had 10 straight incompletions at one point, including an interception into double coverage.
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Fresh off a four-interception performance in Green Bay, Mayfield was dreadful again Monday night, completing only 42% of his passes with two picks. He was also sacked nine times, four of them coming from T.J. Watt.
Mayfield would throw two TD passes in the second half to give Cleveland a chance, but it was too little, too late, and many were left wondering why he threw 38 times while Chubb had a mere 12 carries for 58 yards. Instead, the star running back on the night was Najee Harris, whose touchdown with less than a minute to go not only put the game on ice but capped a 188-yard night that saw him blow past Franco Harris' rushing record for Pittsburgh rookies.
At 8-7-1, the Steelers can still make the playoffs if they win Sunday in Baltimore and the Indianapolis Colts lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars (the Los Angeles Chargers-Las Vegas Raiders game also can't end in a tie). As for the Browns, they'll return to FirstEnergy Stadium to host the AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals in the season finale.
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What follows is a comprehensive, drive-by-drive recap of tonight's action, with the most recent plays and updates closest to the top. Stay tuned for analysis all evening long on both WKYC.com and 3News.
4TH QUARTER
0:10: Tre Norwood picks off Baker Mayfield, putting the finishing touches on a dreadful night for the Browns quarterback.
0:51 - Steelers 26, Browns 14: Minkah Fitzpatrick recovers the onside kick, then Najee Harris puts the game on ice with a 37-yard touchdown run.
1:10 - Steelers 19, Browns 14: It's not over yet, as with the aid of several penalties the Browns cap a 17-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Harrison Bryant. An onside kick will be forthcoming.
5:48 - Steelers 19, Browns 7: The punt return sets up Chris Boswell's fourth field goal of the night, this time from 48 yards away.
7:23: Sacks and penalties kill another Browns drive, and Dustin Colquitt comes out to punt again. Ray-Ray McCloud returns the kick all the way to the Cleveland 37.
9:45 - Steelers 16, Browns 7: Pittsburgh takes advantage of the great field position and gets a 50-yard field goal from Chris Boswell, making it a two-possession game once again.
13:36: Austin Hooper starts the drive off with a 21-yard reception, but a holding penalty by JC Tretter on the next play stops the Browns in their tracks. To make matters worse, Dustin Colquitt shanks the punt and appears to hurt himself, and the Steelers have the ball at their own 43.
3RD QUARTER
0:02: The Steelers go three-and-out as Ben Roethlisberger skips a pass to Ray-Ray McCloud. Donovan Peoples-Jones returns the punt to his own 30, and the Browns will have a chance to take their first lead of the night.
0:56 - Steelers 13, Browns 7: The Cleveland offense finally gets going with a 39-yard catch-and-run by Donovan Peoples-Jones. Three plays later, Baker Mayfield lofts it to David Njoku who makes a fingertip catch for a 3-yard touchdown to get the Browns back in it.
2:58: Jadeveon Clowney gives the Browns a little life as he sacks Ben Roethlisberger back at the Steelers 4-yard line. Corliss Waitman barely gets the punt away, and Donovan Peoples-Jones returns it to the Pittsburgh 48.
5:06: A first-down pickup by Nick Chubb does no damage as Baker Mayfield is forced to slide on third down at the line of scrimmage. Ray-Ray McCloud muffs the ensuing punt, but recovers it at the Pittsburgh 5.
In another injury update, Greedy Williams is out after hurting his shoulder.
8:20 - Steelers 13, Browns 0: Najee Harris breaks Franco Harris' record for rushing yards by a Steelers rookie, and Chris Boswell converts a 30-yard field goal.
On the injury front, Denzel Ward is questionable to return after hurting his groin, while Sione Takitaki is out with a shoulder issue.
12:36: After a long absence, Nick Chubb gains 7 yards on three carried, but on third down Baker Mayfield is brought down by Cameron Heyward. Another Dustin Colquitt punt is returned by Ray-Ray McCloud to the Steelers 22.
2ND QUARTER
0:00: The Steelers have a chance to get some more points, but Ben Roethlisberger's last pass of the first half gets intercepted by A.J. Green.
0:34: Baker Mayfield finally completes a couple of passes for first downs, but on third-and-2 from the Pittsburgh 39 gets sacked by T.J. Watt again. Ray-Ray McCloud returns Dustin Colquitt's punt to his own 19-yard line.
3:02 - Steelers 10, Browns 0: Pittsburgh burns some clock but can't get in the end zone, so Chris Boswell bangs through a 20-yard field goal.
7:03: Disaster strikes as Baker Mayfield is picked off by Ahkello Witherspoon. The Steelers get it right back in Browns territory at the 43-yard line.
Mayfield now has 12 interception this season and 55 since his rookie year in 2018, the most of any quarterback in the NFL.
7:09: Now the Steelers go three-and-out, with the Browns aided by a Jadeveon Clowney sack of Ben Roethlisberger. A penalty on the punt gives the Browns the ball at their own 26.
9:46: Another Browns three-and-out ends with two more Baker Mayfield incompletions, making him only 1 of 9 to start the game. Dustin Colquitt's punt travels 53 yards this time, but Ray-Ray McCloud manages a 15-yard return to the Steelers 37.
10:39 - Steelers 7, Browns 0: Cleveland appears to get a third-down stop, but Jadeveon Clowney gets hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after inexplicably throwing Chase Claypool's shoe off his foot.
Three plays later, Ben Roethlisberger hits Diontae Johnson for a 5-yard touchdown pass to put Pittsburgh on the board first.
14:53: The Browns go three-and-out for the first time tonight as Baker Mayfield is sacked by T.J. Watt on third down. Dustin Colquitt's punt travels just 36 yards and puts the Steelers at their own 34.
1ST QUARTER
0:43: This time, the Steelers drive into Browns territory, but are hit with a fourth-and-5 at the 36. Instead of trying a field goal, Ben Roethlisberger tries to throw it to Pat Freiermuth, but it's batted away by Malik McDowell.
5:28: A long run by Nick Chubb and an end-around by Jarvis Landry get the Browns into field goal range, but a false start on Austin Hooper makes it third-and-7 and the Pittsburgh 38. After an incompletion, Cleveland elects to go for it, but Cameron Heyward bats away Baker Mayfield's pass at the line of scrimmage to give the Steelers the ball back.
7:57: A false start makes it third and long, and Ben Roethlisberger throws behind the line of scrimmage where Najee Harris is tackled by Denzel Ward. Corliss Waitman's ensuing punt puts the Browns at their own 27 for the second straight drive.
10:43: Baker Mayfield hits Jarvis Landry in stride for a first down, but three straight incompletions (including a drop by Austin Hooper) force a Dustin Colquitt punt. The kick rolls into the end zone for a touchback, and the Steelers start at their 20.
12:14: After a quick first down, Sione Takitaki blows up a screen pass to help force a Steelers punt. On the return, Justin Layne grabs Donovan Peoples-Jones' facemask, giving the Browns the ball at their own 27-yard line.
PREGAME
6:46 p.m.: Despite being banged up for most of the season and the playoffs no longer being a possibility, Baker Mayfield will be under center for the Browns tonight. Starting safeties Ronnie Harrison Jr. and John Johnson III are both out with injuries, while running back Kareem Hunt had been listed as questionable but also won't play with a bad ankle.
Other inactives for Cleveland include:
- QB Kyle Lauletta
- LB Mack Wilson (personal matter)
- CB Troy Hill
- OG Hjalte Froholdt
For the Steelers, punter Pressley Harvin III is out for personal reasons, so rookie Corliss Waitman will fill in for the second straight game.