Baker Mayfield, Browns Beat Roethlisberger, Steelers; 1st Playoff Win Since 1995

No practice makes perfect?

The Cleveland Browns dealt with an outbreak of COVID-19 within the organization in the week leading up to their first playoff appearance in 18 years and weren't able to practice until Friday. They held a walk-through Saturday before flying to Pittsburgh. 

But it worked out, as the Browns used a monster first quarter to upend the Pittsburgh Steelers, 48-37, and advance to to the divisional round next weekend.

The Steelers, who lost five of their last six after starting the season 11-0, started to mount a comeback in the third quarter, but couldn't catch up to the high-flying Browns.

Notable Performers

• Baker Mayfield, QB, Browns: 263 yards (21-of-34), 3 TD
• Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Steelers: 501 yards (47-of-68), 4 TD, 4 INT
• Kareem Hunt, RB, Browns: 48 yards, 2 TD
• Chase Claypool, WR, Steelers: 59 yards, 2 TD

Browns Shake Off the Rust in Historic 1st

On Thursday, Baker Mayfield said he hadn't thrown a football since defeating the Steelers the previous weekend. He finally practiced the next day, but with everything on the line in a postseason matchup, the Browns couldn't afford to miss a beat against the revenge-hungry Steelers.

The odds were stacked against them given their lack of preparation and the fact that two starting cornerbacks—Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson—were still on the reserve/COVID-19 list alongside guard Joel Bitonio, receiver KhaDarel Hodge, head coach Kevin Stefanski and multiple other assistants.

And with all of that in mind, the Browns prevailed. 

Mayfield carried Cleveland to a 28-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, starting with a defensive touchdown on the opening play from scrimmage. Once he got the ball, he opened with a 40-yard touchdown pass that found Jarvis Landry, and it was supplemented by a pair of rushing scores from Kareem Hunt. 

It was a historic effort from the Browns when it mattered most. 

In the second quarter, Austin Hooper grabbed a seven-yard ball from Mayfield to make it a 35-7 ballgame. The Steelers tacked on a field goal to close the half at 35-10, and a Pittsburgh comeback was brewing.

Steelers Fall Short in Second Half Comeback

Against the Browns last week, the Steelers didn't score a touchdown until the fourth quarter, settling instead for three field goals over the course of the first three frames.

Granted, that was with Mason Rudolph and Joshua Dobbs splitting time under center as Ben Roethlisberger rested, but the team's top signal-caller got off to a slow start in his last outing, a Week 16 come-from-behind win over the Indianapolis Colts in which the team fell into a 24-7 hole and Roethlisberger didn't throw a touchdown pass until the end of the third quarter.

Pittsburgh's defense was off from the start, as demonstrated by the 28-0 start for the Browns, but Roethlisberger couldn't produce anything on his side, either.

He was picked off three times in the first half, throwing for just 177 yards on 20 completions (30 attempts). When they did finally get on the board, it was a rushing score from James Conner. 

Something changed at halftime, and in similar fashion to that AFC North title-clinching game against the Colts when the Steelers trailed by more than two touchdowns at the half, they started to crawl out of their hole. After trailing 35-10 at the break, Roethlisberger threw a pair of touchdowns to enter the fourth quarter down 35-23, though one score was limited by a failed two-point conversion attempt.

The clubs traded touchdowns, and when the Steelers had the chance to make it a two-score game with a successful two-point conversion after a 29-yard pass to Chase Claypool, they missed again, settling for a 42-29 scoreline. 

The Browns tacked on a pair of field goals before a touchdown from Roethlisberger and, finally, a conversion for two. An onside kick attempt recovered by the Browns sealed the deal and allowed Cleveland to advance.

Though he ended the night with an NFL-record 47 completions, the Steelers couldn't recover from their brutal first half. 

What's Next? 

The Browns will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round next week.