Coach: Browns handed ‘ sobering loss,’ that’s it
The Cleveland Browns entered Pittsburgh riding high Sunday, feeling the good vibes of a four- game winning streak and their best start since 1994, when Bill Belichick was head coach and Nick Saban was defensive coordinator.
They could’ve used those two at Heinz Field.
First- year head coach Kevin Stefanski faced the inevitable questions after his team’s 38- 7 loss to the Steelers, one that dropped the Browns to a respectable 4- 2 record but left them 1- 2 in the AFC North Division, with two road blowouts against the Steelers and Ravens by a combined score of 76- 13. Before Sunday, they led the league in rushing but couldn’t do much of that. They were one of the best run- stopping defenses in the league but failed to do that, too.
That’s not how you want to stack up with the leaders of your division, but Stefanski didn’t rip into his guys for how they performed. It was their 17th consecutive loss in this city, but this staff wasn’t here for the other 16.
“I just look at it as this game. If you want to call it sobering, that’s probably a pretty good word,” he said. “We lost this game and we’re going to react to this one and figure out how we can do better for the next one.”
As even- keeled as ever, Stefanski pointed the finger at himself for not having the offensive line prepared well enough to keep the Steelers from racking up four sacks for 20 yards. He disliked what he was seeing so much that he pulled starting quarterback Baker Mayfield from the game late in the third quarter, replacing him with veteran journeyman Case Keenum.
Mayfield’s exit wasn’t due to his play, according to Stefanski, though the 2018 first overall pick was just 10 of 18 for 119 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. His 54.9 passer rating was a season low.
“I didn’t want to see him get hit one more time,”
Stefanski said. “I put that on myself. We went into this game knowing we have to keep him clean, and we didn’t do a good enough job.”
Naturally, Mayfield confirmed that he wanted to stay in the game but understood his coach’s decision. The chest injury that he came in with, bruised ribs from his Week 5 win against the Colts, did not affect him, he said.
Meanwhile, with Mayfield on the bench, his No. 1 receiver was inserting himself back into headlines in Northeast Ohio. Odell Beckham Jr. was showed by the CBS broadcast stomping around on the sideline, cleats off, visibly frustrated by looking like the same old Browns. After Mayfield’s second interception, which he attributed to just not putting enough oomph on the throw, Beckham had the whole offense huddled around him and appeared to be lighting into them.
“That’s normal frustration when you come out and get beat like that,” Stefanski said. “You just can’t let one [ loss] turn into two.”
The Browns should have an easier go of it next week, facing the Bengals for the second time already, in Cincinnati. But they might have at least one tough night of sleep, given that they came into town feeling dangerous and got run out on a rail.
“I think with any loss, you can’t let it linger,” Stefanski said. “You learn from it and you move on. … That’s the simple answer, but I just think you can’t dwell on these things.”
Surely, long- suffering Cleveland fans won’t worry too much about it, right?
Pregame meetings
No one would be surprised if there was some level of bad blood between the two sides Sunday given what transpired a year ago, but there was no shortage of friendliness pregame. If they weren’t wearing Steelers and Browns helmets, you would have never known the recent history.
Most notable is that defensive end Myles Garrett, the primary villain of 2019, shared some words and a laugh with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin in warmups. There was no sign of Garrett trying to make amends with Mason Rudolph in- person, but it was only eight months ago that Tomlin went on ESPN to proclaim he was “hacked off” that Garrett did an interview doubling down on his assertion that Rudolph called him a racial slur on the field last year.
“Talking to him had nothing to do with what happened last year,” Garrett said. “Him, his brother, my mother and my uncle all went to school together in Virginia, so we were just talking about that, made a little joke about some phone games they were playing, and that was it. He said good luck, live your life, have fun, and tell your mother I said hello.”
That wasn’t the only reunion at midfield. Beckham and Steelers tight end Eric Ebron shared a handshake and a little jumping butt bump, just some love between two of the more outgoing personalities in the NFL.
As shown on the TV broadcast, Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner also sought out Browns defensive back Tavierre Thomas, who wears No. 20. Fichtner’s father, Ross, is a McKeesport native who spent eight of his nine seasons in pro football with the Browns wearing the same number.
Funny Ben
Another good bit from the CBS coverage was Ben Roethlisberger ribbing his one- time counterpart Tony Romo. Romo, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, was the color commentator for the game and believed receiver Chase Claypool clearly had a touchdown on his end- around in the first half.
An official came over to Roethlisberger to tell him “Romo thinks he got in,” and Roethlisberger broke into a smile as the replay was shown on the video board.
“Hey, Tony finally made
a good call! Good call, Tony!” Roethlisberger said into the camera. “Just joking, Antonio!”
Romo, who was indeed correct, laughed and marveled at Roethlisberger knowing his real name.
Who’s No. 1?
Baker Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, but he’s one of many top picks the Steelers sent home as losers over the years.
The Steelers have won 13 consecutive games against quarterbacks taken with the top pick in the draft. They are 62- 32- 3 against No. 1 overall quarterbacks, the highest winning percentage against top picks in league history.