Thomas was impressed by how Kizer bounced back from the interception to lead a touchdown drive. The last time the Steelers lost in a regular season game was November 13, 2016 against the Cowboys. Watt dipped into zone coverage and leapt for the interception, which he returned 17 yards. When it was all said and done Brown finished with 182 receiving yards, more than half of Roethlisberger’s passing yards. The receivers were OK but made no big plays, and saw Kenny Britt drop a ideal throw on what could have been a big gain. The addition of Bell – along with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Antonio Brown – makes the Steelers offense one of the most potent in the league. However, the Cleveland Browns rookie bounced right back after that early bit if frustration to lead a 12-play, 68-yard drive.
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As SB Nation notes, Roethlisberger now has more wins in Cleveland than any Browns starter since 1999. He had one TD pass, one interception. James made the catch with 45 seconds left in the second quarter.
Watt spent the rest of the interview session trying to downplay everything about that impressive debut. Overall he showed promise and ability in the face of one of the fiercest teams in the NFL. The Browns defense was much improved. They also know they escaped with a win in an AFC North game.
Brown seems to approve of his quarterback’s response, though at least one Cleveland linemen does not.
Like always, there were bright spots. Roethlisberger, who also has taken quite a few hits, offered encouragement to Kizer. Kizer was very accurate, successfully moved the ball down the field, and put 14 of the Browns’ 18 points on the board. They were successful, but that’s as far as the rally went. He didn’t get the chance to complete the comeback, though, as the Steelers – thanks to Antonio Brown – ran out the clock.
Le’Veon Bell is expected to be in the lineup today when the Steelers and Browns meet at 1 p.m.at FirstEnergy Stadium. He certainly did not look like a guy who deserves the $17.5 million per year he is asking for. He admitted he held the ball too long on the sacks.
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There are lots of reasons for Browns fans to finally be excited and have some hope for their football team. However, with an exciting rookie quarterback and talented young roster, this year’s opening day defeat felt more like a moral victory than typical Browns misery. Before that, however, the Browns defense had forced four straight punts to start the game against Pittsburgh’s offense. Derek Anderson, who played for the Browns from 2005-09 and was the last quarterback to lead the team to a winning record (10-6 in 2007) trails Big Ben with 10 wins in Cleveland.
