3 Takeaways from Browns' Week 3 Win vs. Steelers
It's been a few days since the Cleveland Browns' big Week 3 win over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, and we've had plenty of time to digest what took place on Thursday night.
The victory was an emotional one for many Browns fans. Cleveland traditionally hasn't fared well against Pittsburgh during the expansion era, and the team couldn't find a way to get past its rivals at all last season.
However, Thursday's win showed that head coach Kevin Stefanki—now 4-3 against Pittsburgh, including playoffs—has learned from last year's mistakes. It also helped erase the bitter taste of last week's meltdown against the New York Jets.
It wasn't all positive for Cleveland, though, as starting linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. was lost for the season to a torn quad tendon. Still, the Browns moved to 2-1 for the season and showed why they can be a headache for opponents this season.
Here are our biggest takeaways from Cleveland's 29-17 win over Pittsburgh.
Offense in Good Hands with Jacoby Brissett
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After leaning too heavily on the pass against Pittsburgh in 2021, Stefanski trusted his running game (38 runs, 31 passes) this time around. The strategy worked, as the Browns racked up 171 rushing yards and held the ball for more than 36 minutes of game clock.
Yet, Cleveland wouldn't have won this game without some standout play from quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The journeyman backup finished 21-of-31 for 220 yards and two touchdowns, and he also picked up a trio of first downs with his legs.
The 29-year-old's big game came just days after he had a similarly strong performance against the Jets, albeit in a loss. He finished that game 22-of-27 for 229 yards, one touchdown, and an interception that came on a desperation drive, following New York's shocking 14-point surge late in the fourth quarter.
Last week's pick ended Cleveland's hope, but it's not why the Browns lost to the Jets. Brissett has a career-high passer rating of 94.3 on the season, and it's clear he can be the game-manager Cleveland needs to execute its run-heavy attack.
"He's doing a great job leading us and he's hungry, too, man," running back Kareem Hunt said, per Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal. "He's a heck of a football player going out there and showing what he can do."
With Mitch Trubisky on the other side, the Browns clearly had the best quarterback in the game—something they've rarely been able to say against Pittsburgh in recent years.
Amari Cooper Trade Was Brilliant Move for Cleveland
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As long as both are healthy, Cleveland's offense will run through Hunt and Nick Chubb. However, the Browns can benefit tremendously by having a reliable No. 1 receiver to lead the passing attack.
The offseason trade for former Dallas Cowboys wideout Amari Cooper is providing that.
The 28-year-old shined for the second straight week and has already established himself as Brissett's favorite target. After catching nine passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in Week 2, he caught seven for 101 and a score on Thursday.
According to Pro Football Focus, Cooper has provided a 103.8 passer rating when targeted this season.
Tight end David Njoku (9 catches, 89 yards, 1 TD) also played a big role on Thursday, but it's Cooper who has established himself as a go-to target.
The decision to trade for the Alabama product is already proving to be a brilliant move. The Browns surrendered a 2022 fifth-round pick and swapped sixth-rounders with Dallas, but it was a small price to pay for a player who likely would have been released if the Cowboys hadn't found a trade partner.
Cleveland did pick up Cooper's $20 million-per-year contract, but after the receiver market skyrocketed in the offseason—with players such as Christian Kirk earning close to $20 million per season—his deal appears rather reasonable.
The four-time Pro Bowler is still a No. 1-caliber receiver, and he's proving to be a tremendous fit for Cleveland.
Defense Is Still Developing
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If there's a negative to take away from Thursday's game, it's that the Browns defense is still a work in progress.
The unit is loaded with talented standouts such as Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II and Jadeveon Clowney—though Clowney didn't play against Pittsburgh because of an ankle injury.
However, the Browns defense has yet to play a truly complete game this season.
Miscommunication and blown coverages nearly cost Cleveland in Week 1 and did cost them in Week 2. Fixing that problem was a point of emphasis heading into Week 3, and the defense held a players-only meeting during the week.
"It is pretty clear how important those things are to clear up communication and clear up team chemistry that we have always been talking about all offseason and to bring it into reality," linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah told reporters. "That is something that we are doing and working towards."
The defense didn't break down in the second half as it did against the Jets and the Carolina Panthers. However, it started slowly against a sluggish Steelers offense (18.5 points per game over the first two weeks).
In the first half, the Browns' D surrendered 197 yards, eight first downs, 14 points and an average of 5.5 yards per rush. Pittsburgh also left three points on the board with a missed Chris Boswell field goal.
The defense was better in the second half and did enough to put the Steelers away, but we still have yet to see a complete game from that side of the ball. That must change if the Browns hope to push for the postseason in 2022.
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