Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes as the Pittsburgh Steelers topped the visiting Cleveland Browns 23-9 on Sunday afternoon.
Rodgers, who completed 21 of 30 passes for 235 yards, found Connor Heyward and DK Metcalf for second-half touchdowns. Chris Boswell added three field goals for Pittsburgh (4-1) while Jalen Ramsey had two of the Steelers’ six sacks.
Dillon Gabriel was 29 of 52 for 221 yards for Cleveland (1-5), which has not won a regular-season game in Pittsburgh since 2003. The Browns managed only 248 total yards of offense — highlighted by rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr.’s seven receptions for 81 yards — as they have yet to score more than 17 points in a game this season.
Rodgers and Darnell Washington hooked up for a 36-yard pass on the second play of the game, which led to Boswell’s 44-yard field goal.
The AFC North-leading Steelers tacked on two more field goals in the second quarter before the Browns finally got on the board on Andre Szmyt’s 31-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.
However, the Browns were unable to carry over any momentum into the third quarter as they went three-and-out to open the second half.
Pittsburgh cashed in on its ensuing possession, driving 79 yards to the end zone. Rodgers sprinted out right before finding a well-covered Heyward for a 12-yard score and a 16-3 lead with 7:46 left in the third.
Szmyt responded with a 53-yard field goal for the Browns before the Steelers came back with another touchdown to take a 23-6 lead. Rodgers found Roman Wilson (12 yards) and Washington (14 yards) for nice gains during the drive, then Metcalf got open down the right sideline for a 25-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Gabriel and the Browns then compiled an 18-play drive, but they had to settle for Szmyt’s 32-yard field goal to get within 23-9 with 9:29 left.
Boswell slipped on a field-goal attempt with under four minutes to go, keeping it a two-possession game. Cleveland drove into the red zone in the waning minutes, but Gabriel’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete.
–Field Level Media
