In a thrilling AFC North battle, the Pittsburgh Steelers maintained their dominance at home over the Cleveland Browns with a hard-fought 26-22 victory on Monday night. Linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith were the heroes for the Steelers, each scoring their first career regular-season touchdowns in a game filled with dramatic moments.
T.J. Watt’s pivotal moment came in the fourth quarter when he returned a fumble 16 yards for the decisive touchdown with just under seven minutes remaining. This touchdown secured Pittsburgh’s 20th consecutive regular-season home win against the Browns. Highsmith had set the tone earlier in the game, opening the contest with an interception return for a touchdown on the game’s very first drive.
George Pickens played a crucial role for the Steelers, catching four passes for 127 yards, including a spectacular 71-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kenny Pickett. Pickett completed 15 of 30 passes for 222 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Pittsburgh defense was relentless, accumulating a total of six sacks throughout the game.
On the opposing side, Deshaun Watson led the Cleveland Browns with 235 yards, one touchdown, and one interception on 22-of-40 passing. It was a closely contested matchup, with Cleveland aiming for their first 2-0 start to a season since 1993 when Bill Belichick was the head coach and Nick Saban was the defensive coordinator.
The game took an unfortunate turn for the Browns when star running back Nick Chubb was carted off the field in the early moments of the second quarter due to a potentially serious left knee injury. Chubb had rushed for 64 yards on 10 carries before the injury. Jerome Ford stepped up in his absence, contributing 106 rushing yards on 16 attempts and also catching a touchdown pass. Pierre Strong added a rushing touchdown for Cleveland.
While the Browns had previously secured a playoff victory in Pittsburgh following the 2020 season, this regular-season win marked an important victory for the Steelers.
Additionally, T.J. Watt’s performance in the game allowed him to become Pittsburgh’s all-time leader in sacks with 81 1/2, surpassing the record held by James Harrison.
Despite injuries affecting both teams, the Steelers showcased their resilience and defensive prowess to secure a crucial win and even their record to 1-1.
