CLEVELAND, OH – While it wasn’t a thing of beauty, nothing ever is when it comes to the bitter Browns-Steelers rivalry. Thanks to rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s game-winning drive and a putrid Steelers offense, Cleveland scratched out a gutsy 13-10 win over Pittsburgh.
Here are my thoughts and observations from the Browns-Steelers latest AFC North old-school grudge match.
1.) This Browns team has some seriously good mojo going on in beating their longtime rivals in Pittsburgh and the original Browns, in the current Baltimore Ravens, in back-to-back wins at home and away. While it has been a long time in recent memory that Browns 2.0 have beaten both the Steelers and Ravens in back-to-back weeks, but it’s a HUGE monkey off the shoulders of this “cursed” so-called franchise.
2.) How a fifth-round QB in Thompson-Robinson, or DTR for those in the know, managed to hang tough against one of the game’s best pass rushers in perennial DPOY nominee in Steelers edge rusher, TJ Watt on making some clutch throws late, and not making any mistakes—except for his lone INT is impressive. What a difference a full week of preparation, as opposed to two hours makes since his first carrier start in that disastrous 28-3 loss to Baltimore.
One could see a huge mental jump from that game in place of Watson. While his numbers may not reflect it, in completing 24-of-43 passes for 165 yards and one interception, his game-winning drive, where DTR looked cool and command in going 4-of-4 for 48 yards to set up Dustin Hopkins’ game-winning 34-yard FG, showed that he did just enough to win.
Despite the win, the Browns would be wise to bring in such a big-name and proven veteran such as former raven and Super Bowl MVP, Joe Flacco as DTR’s backup/mentor, if the rumors of him potentially signing with the Browns are true.
If so, great low-key move by a team that is some competent QB play away from a serious post-season run.
3.) For all the hate and criticism that Stefanski gets from fans and the media at times, he called a good game in leaning on his NFL leading No.1 defense and putting DTR in a good position to manage the game and win his first one.
It also didn’t hurt that Cleveland was facing an inept Steelers offense led by soon-to-be-gone—if not too soon—embattled Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada, whose offense accumulated a meager 249 total yards of offense. For a whole game.
That is not a typo.
If Canada is still employed by Monday in the Steel City, then there are bigger problems than his so-called play-calling, which calling it that and describing it as atrocious is too kind for print.