Shedeur Sanders passed for 186 yards and a touchdown, Cleveland’s defense made a defensive stand at its own seven to end the game and the host Browns snapped a four-game losing streak Sunday to keep the Steelers from claiming the AFC North title, beating their rivals 13-6 in a shocking Week 17 victory.
Eighty yards from paydirt and down four with 2:16 left, the Steelers (9-7) went four-and-out to give the ball back to Cleveland at the two-minute warning. Andre Szmyt’s 33-yard field goal soon made it 13-6.
However, Aaron Rodgers (21 of 39 for 168 yards) drove his squad to the seven, but three straight incompletions handed the Browns (4-12) their first win in the division in five tries.
Sanders went 17 for 23 with two interceptions but put the only TD on the board in the first quarter. Jerry Jeudy had five receptions for 54 yards as Cleveland totaled only 262 yards but allowed just 291 to Pittsburgh, including 58 on the final drive.
With a hard rain covering Cleveland’s stadium, Sanders led the home offense, playing without top rusher Quinshon Judkins (broken leg), into field-goal range on the opening drive. Szmyt then drilled a 50-yard field goal at 10:48.
Sanders was sharp again on the next possession, guiding the Browns down to the Pittsburgh 28 before lobbing a ball that Harold Fannin Jr. twisted around, caught at the goal line and rolled in at 5:11 for a 10-0 lead to end an 86-yard drive.
Pittsburgh tallied on its second series on the second quarter’s first play when Chris Boswell booted a 44-yard field goal despite the snap being dropped and the hold quickly placed.
Steelers linebacker Jack Sawyer intercepted a pass and raced 27 yards after Sanders was hit while throwing. However, the Browns’ defense buckled up and forced a turnover on fourth down as Rodgers tried for a touchdown on a deep ball instead of gaining the single yard needed.
On the half’s final play, Boswell knocked in three more points from 40 yards to make it 10-6 at the break.
After a scoreless third, Cleveland’s defense stiffened with Alex Wright sacking Rodgers for a five-yard loss. Boswell then pushed a 54-yard kick wide right.
Punter Corey Bojorquez boomed a 61-yard punt that was fair caught at the Pittsburgh 20, setting up the Steelers with 2:16 left, but Cleveland’s defense forced the first of two consecutive turnovers on downs for the win.
The Steelers will play the Ravens next week with the winner claiming the AFC North title.
–Field Level Media
