Browns vs. Steelers: Cleveland Grades, Notes and Quotes
Johnny Manziel looked like an NFL starter while throwing for 372 yards and one touchdown, but his good outing came in another losing effort by the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland’s 30-9 loss is its fifth in a row and 13th in its last 15 games.
Ben Roethlisberger came on for Landry Jones after the Pittsburgh quarterback was injured on the team’s first series. He threw for 379 yards—an NFL record for passing yards by a quarterback who did not start the game, per ESPN Stats & Info—and three touchdowns in relief duty.
It was another sloppy game by the Browns overall.
The team was flagged for 12 penalties, including a launching penalty on Armonty Bryant on a Steelers field-goal attempt. Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown for a touchdown on the very next play and the subsequent two-point conversion, putting the Steelers up 14-3 instead of 9-3 with three minutes and 27 seconds left in the first half.
Another Steelers drive was sustained almost exclusively by Browns pass interference penalties. The back-to-back penalties on Johnson Bademosi and Tramon Williams moved the ball 77 yards for Pittsburgh.
The Browns held, though, and Chris Boswell made a 25-yard field goal to give the Steelers a 24-3 lead.
Manziel continued to move the Browns offense in the second half, but Andrew Hawkins fumbled in Browns territory and the quarterback was intercepted on a 4th-and-goal attempt from the Steelers' 7-yard line.
That came after the quarterback appeared to score a touchdown on a miraculous scramble, but he was ruled down and the ensuing challenge by coach Mike Pettine failed.
The Browns self-destructed from there, committing back-to-back holding penalties—one negated a touchdown run by Isaiah Crowell—and then a sack on Manziel pushed the team out of the red zone on 2nd-and-goal.
Roethlisberger sealed the deal on a fourth-quarter slant pass to Brown that he took 56 yards for his second score of the game. The Browns blitzed and Bademosi was on an island in man coverage, but the special teamer was outmatched and burned by one of the best receivers in the game.
Brown executed a running front flip over the goal line and landed it perfectly. We’ll rate the score and flip a perfect 10 out of 10.
The Browns kept fighting and got back into the red zone late in the fourth quarter, but Travis Benjamin dropped an easy touchdown and Gary Barnidge had another pass bounce off his extended hands.
Manziel’s earlier touchdown to Barnidge was a nice corner fade that had perfect touch and was thrown where only his player could catch it, which allowed the tight end to get two feet down.
Position Grades for Browns
1 of 6
| Position | Grade |
| QB | B+ |
| RB | C |
| WR | C- |
| TE | B |
| OL | D |
| DL | C- |
| LB | C- |
| DB | F |
| Special Teams | C- |
| Coaching | C |
Manziel led the Browns offense much better this week but ultimately fell short, especially in the red zone. He looked light years better in the pocket, and his improved footwork and presence were encouraging. One first-down throw to Brian Hartline, a 17-yard strike on a long third down, stood out.
His receivers didn’t do him many favors near the goal line, but they were pretty solid as a group overall. Barnidge (6'6", 250 lbs) is the only prototypical-sized target the young quarterback has to work with in those situations.
Aside from Cameron Erving, who was embarrassed multiple times throughout the game, Cleveland's offensive line did play well.
The 2015 first-round pick didn’t look like he belonged on an NFL offensive line. Barring some big improvement as an anchor, you have to wonder where he’s going to find a spot to play in the future.
Defensively, there are no real positives from the game other than the unit’s ability to prevent DeAngelo Williams from running free for over three quarters. Stops behind the line of scrimmage and better form tackling were definite signs of improvement from the NFL’s worst rush defense.
Pittsburgh finished with just 60 rushing yards on 2.9 yards per carry.
Rookie Charles Gaines, Bademosi and Pierre Desir were all toast in the defensive backfield. Brown and Martavis Bryant made them look every bit like the young and inexperienced players they are.
Veteran Tramon Williams made some good plays but wasn’t much better overall. He also dropped what would have been a pick-six in the fourth quarter. Gaines recovered after being beaten deep by Bryant, stripping the ball away for the Browns to recover. Jordan Poyer also snagged a tipped interception.
Rookie Nate Orchard looked good as a contain defender this week. He had a forced fumble that Pittsburgh fell on and a pass deflection on third down to force a Steelers field goal.
Armonty Bryant’s launching penalty and a missed extra point by Travis Coons are the lowlights for the Browns special teams this week. Coons did connect on his 16th straight field goal, though.
Coaching wasn’t especially poor in this game, but the amount of penalties, lack of execution and nonexistent consistency are alarming from their players.
Is that all due to poor coaching and personnel decisions? Maybe some of it is, but players need to play when on the field, and they aren’t doing enough to be competitive.
Browns Lose Andrew Hawkins, Taylor Gabriel and Randy Starks to Injuries
2 of 6
Hawkins missed last week's game while recovering from a concussion, and he left during the fourth quarter of the team's Week 10 matchup in Pittsburgh with his second of the season. The team confirmed his injury shortly after he left the field.
Taylor Gabriel also suffered a concussion in the closing minutes, Pettine said during his postgame press conference. He said both receivers are in the NFL concussion protocol, per Scott Petrak of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.
Veteran defensive lineman Randy Starks left the game early on after suffering a knee injury. He was questionable to return but was ultimately ruled out, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal.
According to Ulrich, Pettine said Starks will have an MRI on Monday.
Losing Starks didn't seem to matter, and Hawkins and Gabriel leaving late in the game didn't have much of an impact on the outcome. It'll be interesting to see how much time Hawkins will miss after his second concussion in the last few weeks.
Browns Now Hold NFL Draft's Top Pick
3 of 6
You're in luck if you're a Browns fan who is already looking forward to the 2016 NFL draft. Losing in Week 10 puts the Browns at 2-8 and also drops them to the worst overall record in the league.
If that draft—still over six months away—were today, the Browns would have the coveted top pick.
It's safe to say the 2015 Browns' season is over, and it's now time to evaluate personnel and start planning for 2016. Coach Pettine might not want to admit that, but barring a miracle, there is no late-season surge awaiting this Browns team after its upcoming bye week.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
John Greco: Manziel Took Another Step
4 of 6
Both offensive lineman John Greco and Pettine acknowledged that quarterback Johnny Manziel took some positive steps forward during another encouraging performance.
"Yes, he took another step, but we've always known he has the talent to do it," Greco said after the game, according to Steve Doerschuk of CantonRep.com. Pettine called it a "big step forward," per Petrak.
It's impossible to not see the good things Manziel has done. According to Dustin Fox of 92.3 The Fan, he said after the game that the more he plays, the more comfortable he feels with the multitude of things he's responsible for as an NFL quarterback.
That shouldn't be surprising to anyone. Developing at the quarterback position is a process that is undoubtedly expedited by actually playing in live game situations.
Jimmy Haslam Says No Changes to Coaching Staff During Bye Week
5 of 6
Prior to the start of the 2015 season, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said he was not going to "blow things up" again by firing coaches and executives, no matter what the team's win-loss record looks like.
After another embarrassing loss in Week 10, the Browns are now 2-8, but Haslam said the team will make "no changes" during its bye week, per Tom Reed of the Plain Dealer.
There's a difference between firing a coach—like he did when he sent Rob Chudzinski packing after just one season—and letting an inept leader continue in his post for the sake of continuity. Pettine has reached that point and should be fired before next season.
Whether Haslam does that now or waits until January, that fate is becoming increasingly likely for most of the decision-makers involved in putting this Browns team together.
Firing Chudzinski for losing the locker room but then keeping Pettine and his staff after losing 13 of their last 15 games is indefensible.
Mike Pettine: Agreement on All Picks by Ray Farmer
6 of 6
Some might think Pettine isn't on the same page as general manager Ray Farmer given some of his curious personnel decisions, but the coach shot down the idea that there is any discord between the two coworkers.
After the game, the coach said he was on board with all players Farmer has added during their nearly two years together in Cleveland, per Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan.
Former first-round pick Justin Gilbert was a healthy scratch against Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Desir, Gaines and Bademosi were torched by Pittsburgh receivers.
If Gilbert is truly not as far along as those guys, the team needs to admit it made a mistake and move on. And if that's the case, both Pettine and Farmer should have to answer for their mutual decision to use a top-10 pick on him.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
