Szmyt's Late Field Goal Lifts Browns Past Rodgers' Steelers
Andre Szmyt kicked a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining to give the Cleveland Browns a 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, moving Cleveland to 3-1 and into first place in the AFC North. The victory came in just the first month of first-year head coach Todd Monken's tenure, a sharp turnaround for a franchise that won a combined eight games over the previous two seasons.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 24 of 33 passes for 268 yards with one touchdown and one interception, producing his strongest performance of the young season. He was particularly effective in the first half and closed the game by going 4 for 5 for 46 yards, using his mobility to extend plays and keep Pittsburgh's pass rush off balance. Watson, 31, has played sparingly over the past five years because of injuries and suspension, but his performance Thursday makes it unlikely Monken will turn to second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the near term. sailing betting online
Aaron Rodgers rallied Pittsburgh from a 21-10 fourth-quarter deficit, throwing a deep completion to DK Metcalf and a 21-yard touchdown pass to tight end Darnell Washington while scrambling away from pressure, then converting a two-point try on a quarterback sneak. He finished 22 of 40 for 299 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, but was sacked five times and struggled to connect on throws beyond 15 yards for most of the game. At 42, Rodgers showed flashes of his downfield accuracy and poise in the clutch, but the broader body of work suggested those moments are becoming harder to sustain over a full game.
Cleveland's roster showed significant young talent on both sides of the ball. Rookie receivers Denzel Boston (4 receptions, 89 yards) and KC Concepcion (5 receptions, 64 yards) made plays, as did second-year tight end Harold Fannin (3 receptions, 27 yards, one touchdown) and running back Quinshon Judkins (17 carries, 53 yards, one touchdown, plus six catches for 43 yards). On defense, edge rusher Jared Verse and linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, contributed to a unit that sacked Rodgers five times. But the Browns were penalized 14 times, including a defensive holding call and an offside by Verse in the final 5:30 that gave Pittsburgh extra opportunities to tie the game. General manager Andrew Berry's roster-building has produced a younger, more dynamic team, but the discipline issues remain a concern as Cleveland tries to sustain its early-season surge in a competitive AFC North.
