The Browns would leave Pittsburgh with a 38-7 beating that some teams never recover from and with many doubts about the immediate future.
Baker Mayfield threw for the only Browns score when he tossed a thirteen-yard pass to Rashard Higgins in the second quarter, but Mayfield also threw two interceptions, one of which Minkah Fitzpatrick returned for a score and finished with a mere 119 yards.
Cleveland slips to 4-2 with the defeat and will complete their AFC North road schedule next week in Cincinnati against the 1-4-1 Bengals.
Brownie Bits
1) Baker Mayfield was just awful in this loss.
To be fair, Mayfield did enter the game with bruised ribs from a hit in the Browns win over Indianapolis, but his decision making continues to be poor as well as his accuracy.
The rumblings have mildly started about Case Keenum replacing Mayfield due to the sore ribs.
2) Should the Browns make that call, the team could be in a difficult spot if Keenum plays well.
Can the Browns afford to switch back if Keenum would play well?
Keenum did play during garbage time in this one and didn't dazzle anyone in completing five of ten passes for forty-six yards, but it's something to keep an eye on.
There isn't a controversy yet and I don't think that there should be, but Baker Mayfield is slowly playing his way into one.
3) However, the Browns had more to blame than Baker Mayfield as the offensive line was overwhelmed by the Steelers' pass rush.
Jedrick Wills and Joel Bitonio had major struggles against Bud Dupree and Stephon Tuitt and the Browns were never able to establish anything on the ground with the longest run of the game coming from a nineteen yard run in garbage time from Dontrell Hilliard.
The Browns were bullied back by Pittsburgh's physicality and it shows that the Browns still have a lot of paths to cover before catching up to them.
4) The Browns were a terrible one of twelve on third downs and the first third down of the game came when Baker Mayfield fired a bullet to Steeler safety Minkah Fitzpatrick with Fitzpatrick taking the pass for the score.
The Steelers were intent on placing the Browns in third-down situations that would force Mayfield to throw and since the Browns quarterback was less than healthy, accurate, or effective on this day, Pittsburgh was able to stop this with ease.
5) Kareem Hunt rushed for forty yards on thirteen carries, which isn't the greatest day for sure but what I really like about Hunt is that he never takes a play off.
The Browns were well behind and yet Hunt still ran like the game had only started.
Hunt never stops driving forward and isn't afraid of contact.
The Browns need more like Hunt.
6) The Steelers pass rush was effective, but the Browns missed Wyatt Teller badly.
I wouldn't have thought Teller's absence would have made that much of a difference, had you asked me a few months ago, but he was playing at a Pro Bowl level before his calf injury.
Teller is still week to week, but it will be interesting to see how the Browns line plays next week in Cincinnati if Teller doesn't play again.
7) Rashard Higgins caught the only touchdown for Cleveland, but it was also the only ball that he caught all day.
Baker Mayfield clearly looks for Higgins in clutch situations and what I liked a lot after the catch?
The Browns were trailing 24-7 and instead of his red carpet celebration, you could see Higgins wave his teammates off and flipped the ball to the referee.
Very classy to not bring attention to himself when his team is getting smashed.
8) Bud Dupree did what he normally does when he sees the Browns-turn from a very good player into the second coming of Lawrence Taylor with two sacks, multiple pressures, and along with Cameron Heyward punish Baker Mayfield's injured ribs that would eventually run him from the game.
9) Wish I could applaud Odell Beckham's behavior on the sidelines late in the game when he slammed his helmet, punched a cooler, and took his cleats off.
I get his frustration after getting beaten so badly and finishing with only two catches for twenty-five yards, but a little less me would go a long way.
10) All and all, a horrible game by the Browns and one that shows the gulf between the Browns and the Steelers and Ravens at the top of the division.
Two games vs the pair and outscored on the road 76-13.
They will have to do better when they play both of the two at home to give an idea how they stack up by the end of the season.
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