Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Week 4 Live Updates, Highlights and Analysis

Browns 27, Steelers 24

There's going to be a lot of proselytizing over the next few days about what these Browns are and what they aren't.

The reality is we don't know yet.

We know they make far too many mistakes that have to be corrected. We know that despite those mistakes, this team has showed up in the fourth quarter of three straight games. There's no quit in these Browns.

We might not truly know how good the Browns are for a while. But there's one thing we know with certainty--even if it's just for a few days.

The 3-1 Browns are all alone in first place in the AFC North.

WOOF!

Nothing to add here.

That young man NAILED that kick--his 22nd straight dating back to a year ago.

Stop if you've heard this before--penalties are killing the Browns.

A DPI on fourth down leads to Rodgers' third touchdown pass. An offsides call sets up a Rodgers sneak for two.

And we're tied.

A perfect back-shoulder throw can't be defended. And Rodgers' throw to DK Metcalf was just that.

Pittsburgh knocking on the door at the two-minute warning.

Three minutes left. Steelers driving.

Ugh.

The Browns forced a Pittsburgh punt, but it was a beauty that KC Concepcion shouldn't have let roll past him.

The Browns are pinned DEEP.

A first down here would be huge.

And Watson got one with a seed to Denzel Boston.

Giggity.

It was not an especially pretty drive--at all.

But the Browns moved 40 yards in seven plays, shaved 3:30 off the clock and Andre Szmyt puts the Browns back up eight with a 44-yard kick.

Now the defense needs to make a play and close it out.

DK Metcalf gets past Myles Harden for a 43-yard gain, Aaron Rodgers finds tight end Darnell Washington from 21 yards out and Cleveland's second turnover does come back to bite them.

However, linebacker Quincy Williams stones Jaylen Warren on the try for 2.

Browns by five, 10:10 to play.

Sam Williams' turn.

Cleveland's pass rush has had easily its best game of the season Thursday night.

I'm not going to harp on Deshaun Watson too much here--his long pass was tipped, resulting in an interception that might as well be a punt.

But a turnover is a turnover.

And turnovers are the kiss of death.

That's four sacks and eight QB hits--without Mason Graham.

Kudos to Cleveland for playing team defense.

It also knocked Pittsburgh out of field goal range--that defense bailed Watson out.

Because the penalties aren't bad enough.

Deshaun Watson fumbles on a botched zone-read, Steelers edge-rusher T.J. Watt recovers, a drive that appeared headed for points ends with Pittsburgh at midfield.

Just inexcusable.

The only reason Adin Huntington is playing is that both Mason Graham and Michael Hall are hurt.

Someone forgot to tell Huntington he isn't good--he'd have two sacks had the first not been wiped out by (wait for it) a penalty.

Pittsburgh's offense is stuck right now.

Two more flags on Cleveland's first drive of the second half. First pinned Cleveland deep. Second killed any offensive momentum they had.

Ball back to the Steelers with good field position.

Mistakes lead to losses. And while the Browns are winning, it's not sustainable this way.

It just ain't.

The good news is the Browns gave up nothing on Pittsburgh's first drive.

The bad news is that Mason Graham was ruled out, and you have to think an MRI will be coming Friday.

The Good

Deshaun Watson was nearly perfect in the first half--14 completions in 17 attempts for 181 yards, a touchdown and a passer rating over 130.

The Bad

Quinshon Judkins scored Cleveland's first rushing touchdown of the season. But outside that Jaleel McLaughlin score the Browns have nine carries for 13 yards.

The Ugly

Nine accepted penalties for 65 yards is a bad game. It's an atrocious half.

Browns nickel corner Myles Harden gets roasted like a Christmas ham and a sack gets wiped out by penalty No. 8. But the Cleveland defense holds and forces a field goal just before the half.

This is--this is the Deshaun Watson the Browns traded for.

Watson hits tight end Harold Fannin for a short score/

It's 21-7 Cleveland.

No, really.

Deshaun Watson is slinging it.

The rookie wide receivers are doing damage downfield.

After a screen to Concepcion goes for 25, the Browns are in scoring position again.

This is...this is nice.

Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has been a problem--he already has over 80 total yards on 12 touches.

But Cleveland's second sack of the first half stalls the drive, and Chris Boswell's 48-yard field goal gets a push from the wind and sails wide.

It's a shame.

Really.

Quinshon Judkins got Cleveland to the doorstep with a catch-and run.

Only fitting to let him kick it in.

The Browns are attacking Pittsburgh's defense vertically.

And it's working. Denzel Boston's stellar start continues with a 60-yard catch-and-run--Browns in the red zone.

The Browns defense realized the game started. After three plays, Cleveland gets it back at the 27-yard line.

Joking aside, Cleveland needs to figure out a way to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The secondary is playing well, but no one can play coverage forever.

If you had Jaleel McLaughlin scoring an anytime touchdown Thursday night, congratulations.

You don't have to work anymore.

Granted, Aaron Rodgers made a bad decision with the football on Denzel Ward's interception.

But he did that in part because Ward baited him.

First momentum of the night for the home team.

The Browns get Pittsburgh pinned inside the one-yard line--and then promptly jump offside.

The Browns have five penalties for 40 yards--in a quarter.

End of the first.

This is not going well--at all.

A pretty 21-yard catch from rookie KC Concepcion winds up being for naught, because apparently the Steelers can't commit defensive pass interference even when they obviously do.

I blame those ugly uniforms.

Ball back to the Steelers, but pinned deep.

17 Plays. Eight first downs. 78 yards, And a 12-yard pop-pass from Aaron Rodgers to Roman Wilson.

If that's all Cleveland has defensively (Mason Graham is in the locker room) Thursday night, it's going to be a long evening.

The Browns get a Maliek Collins sack to force the Steelers into third-and-16.

And then committed three penalties on the next play--all of which were automatic first downs.

You cannot make this up.

NOOOOOOOOOO!

Defensive tackle Mason Graham was off to an outstanding start to his second NFL season--four sacks in three games after just half a sack in his rookie season.

After getting bent backward awkwardly in the first quarter Thursday, Graham hobbled to the blue medical tent.

The Browns are already struggling to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Losing Graham for an extended period would be a killer.

The Browns committed a penalty on the opening kickoff (because of course they did) and were backed up. Three plays later it's punt time.

And time for Corey Bojorquez to shine.

Bojorquez uncorked a 68-yarder (53 net yards) that flipped the field.

Don't care for them. Too much brown.

The atmosphere at Huntington Bank Field is off the chain.

Granted, not old Municipal Stadium off the chain, but still...

Amazing what a rivalry game in primetime when the Browns are actually relevant can do.

Three keys to a Cleveland victory in Week 4.

Don't Beat Yourself: It goes without saying that turnovers are the kiss of death. But the Browns are also the AFC's most-penalized team after three games. Todd Monken has to get that cleaned up.

Run the Damn Ball: The Browns are averaging just 87.7 yards per game on the ground—fourth-worst in the NFL. Quinshon Judkins is averaging three yards a carry. The Browns have to get the run game going.

Make Aaron Rodgers Uncomfortable: He may be old, but he's still Aaron Rodgers. Let him sit in a clean pocket and go through his reads, and he's going to find somebody open. The Browns need to heat Rodgers up and disrupt his rhythm.

Hope can be a dangerous thing for Browns fans.

But the Browns are 11-1 all-time in Thursday night games. At home, they are a perfect 4-0.

Meanwhile, the Steelers have played in six Thursday night games since 2020—and won once.

The Browns have also dominated this rivalry at home in recent years—over the last eight meetings with the Steelers in Cleveland, the Browns are 6-1-1.

I'm not saying. I'm just saying.