Steelers continue their domination of Browns
One by one the dominos toppled. The NFL’s best running game fell first. The passing game came next, quickly followed by the optimism that somehow things would be different for the Browns.
It never is. Not in Pittsburgh anyway. Players change. Coaches change. Decades change. The result when the Steelers host the Browns does not. The home team wins.
The Browns might be on their way back to relevance, but the Steelers provided a stark reminder of how far they still have to go in a 38-7 victory Sunday.
James Conner ran for 101 yards and a touchdown, Ben Roethlisberger passed for 169 yards and a score and the defense chased aching Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield in the third quarter. The Steelers improved to 5-0 for just the second time in the franchise’s 87-year history.
They sacked Mayfield four times and picked him off twice — including Minkah Fitzpatrick’s 33-yard sprint to the end zone on the Browns’ first possession. That gave the Steelers a quick 10-0 lead they never came close to squandering, extending their home winning streak over the Browns to 17 years.
“That was varsity ball today,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.
The Browns (4-2) were unable to get anything going against a defense that gave Mayfield little time to throw or running back Kareem Hunt any space to maneuver. They gained 75 yards on the ground — 113 below their season average — and basically were forced to abandon their game plan after falling behind by 24 in the first half.
Broncos 18, Patriots 12
Brandon McManus kicked six field goals and linebacker Malik Reed came up with a big sack late in a game twice postponed by positive coronavirus tests for both teams as visiting Denver topped New England.
The Patriots rallied from an 18-3 deficit and nearly pulled off the comeback but had three turnovers. Drew Lock finished 10-for-24 for 189 yards in his first start since injuring his shoulder in the Broncos’ Week 2 loss to the Steelers.
Ravens 30, Eagles 28
Lamar Jackson threw for a touchdown and ran for a score as Baltimore held on against host Philadelphia. The Eagles came in missing seven offensive starters, including four offensive linemen, and then lost two more when running back Miles Sanders left in the third quarter and tight end Zach Ertz exited in the fourth.
Still, the Ravens needed to prevent a two-point conversion with 1:55 remaining to secure the win. Carson Wentz was stopped by L.J. Fort and Matthew Judon trying to run it in.
Colts 31, Bengals 27
After trailing 21-0, Philip Rivers rallied host Indianapolis over Cincinnati with three touchdown passes, including the go-ahead score on the first play of the fourth quarter. It equaled the largest comeback in the franchise’s regularseason history. None of the previous four came at home, and the last time the Colts achieved the feat came in 2003 at Tampa Bay.