PITTSBURGH — Just in case the Pittsburgh Steelers–Cleveland Browns rivalry didn’t have enough simmering resentment, lightning-rod receiver George Pickens spent the better part of three weeks pouring some gasoline on the flames.
Just two weeks ago, the Steelers’ surprising loss in Cleveland ended with Pickens wrestling Browns defensive back Greg Newsome II behind the end zone. Pickens continued to chirp Cleveland after the game, saying, “I don’t really think the Cleveland Browns are a good team at all. I think the (snowy) conditions kinda saved them today.”
This week, he doubled down and provided more bulletin board material. When asked about Newsome on Friday, Pickens said, “I don’t even know who that is.”
As both teams prepared for the second meeting of the season, it sure seemed the stage was set for Pickens to play the main character. Instead, he didn’t play at all.
Limited at Friday’s practice with a hamstring injury and listed as questionable on the official injury report, Pickens was a late scratch 90 minutes before the game when the inactives were announced.
“We didn’t feel like he was going to be able to play the type and number of snaps that we thought would be worth putting him in a uniform for,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “We didn’t want a small problem to become a big problem.”
While Pickens is an unquestioned star, the Steelers are a team that prides itself on just that — the team. After wins, players have consistently talked about being a complementary football team that can get contributions from unexpected places and in all three phrases.
Playing without their most dynamic weapon, that notion was tested — and the words became reality in a 27-14 victory over the Browns on Sunday that was imperfect yet impressive in its own way.
“The strength of the pack is the pack,” Tomlin said. “We got a bunch of guys that want to be the reason why we’re successful.”
Without Pickens to take the top off the defense and force the Browns to dedicate extra coverage in his direction, the Steelers’ offense stumbled out of the gate. Pittsburgh went three-and-out on four of its first five offensive possessions. By halftime, quarterback Russell Wilson had completed just 8 of 17 passes for 46 yards.
However, a defense that got bailed out by a 44-point offensive outburst last week in Cincinnati returned the favor this time around and, in the process, earned a measure of redemption after the loss in Cleveland.
“When you are better than the (other) team and you know you’re better than the team, when you go in there and you lay a big old goose egg on Thursday night game, it really sucks,” safety DeShon Elliott said. “But at the same time, it was not a ‘get back’ game.”
Jameis Winston’s insertion into the Browns’ lineup has created a different kind of challenge for opposing defenses. The gunslinger made that much clear last week against the Broncos, throwing for nearly 500 yards and four touchdowns.
From the first Browns possession, the defense made it known that wouldn’t be the case. Alex Highsmith, who missed the previous three games with an ankle injury, sacked Winston on third down to help give the Steelers great field position. Pittsburgh finished the ensuing drive with a field goal.
The Steelers sacked Winston three times and intercepted him twice. They limited him to two touchdown passes and 212 passing yards on 41 attempts.
The first of those interceptions came from a somewhat unexpected place with the Steelers trailing 7-3 early in the second quarter. Defensive tackle Keeanu Benton perfectly read a screen pass and snagged the ball out of the air for his first NFL interception.
BIG MAN SNAG 🙌 @keeanu_benton
📲 Stream on NFL+: https://t.co/COxKRnr6Mc pic.twitter.com/OU0Kt7f6zl
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 8, 2024
“Usually the guys across from you are supposed to block you,” Benton said with a smile. “When they screen, they don’t. So you find the ball or find the running back.”
The Steelers’ offense finished the drive with a Najee Harris touchdown to pull ahead, 10-7. They never again trailed.
“You can’t panic in those situations,” Wilson said. “It’s a four-quarter game for a reason. It’s always great when you score in the first quarter and you score multiple times. But if not, let’s just score in the second and the third and the fourth. Let’s find a way.”
After halftime, the dam broke. Wilson led an eight-play, 67-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass to Van Jefferson. Wilson, who said afterward he had several options on the play, pulled the ball on an RPO, ran right and flipped it to Jefferson.
After the Pittsburgh defense forced a turnover on downs and set the offense up with a short field, Wilson delivered again. This time, he led a five-play, 46-yard touchdown drive, finding tight end Pat Freiermuth up the seam for the score. Wilson said that he and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith tweaked the play a bit during their Friday film study, recognizing that they could expose Cleveland’s defense in the middle of the field.
Let Russ cook!! 👨🍳 This TD pass to Freiermuth is a dart
📺: #CLEvsPIT on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/f1pIGabeAS— NFL (@NFL) December 8, 2024
Although Pickens wasn’t there to celebrate, Freiermuth, took a page out of the receiver’s playbook by punting the ball into the stands.
“Someone had to get fined,” Freiermuth said in a jovial postgame locker room, alluding to the numerous fines Pickens drew last week.
This was far from the offense’s best performance. However, the unit got better as the game went on, leaning on both running backs and using tempo to its advantage. Najee Harris (16 carries for 53 yards) and Jaylen Warren (nine carries for 47) combined for exactly 100 yards.
Wilson, who connected with 10 different pass catchers last week, found nine different targets on Sunday. He finished the day 15 of 26 for 158 yards and two touchdowns.
“In our mind, we feel like we’re all the best receivers,” said Calvin Austin III. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, I gotta step up.’ It’s not putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves. At the end of the day, God blesses you with this talent to be able to play at this level, which means we have that ability. So it’s about trusting yourself.”
With the win, the Steelers proved that the loss in Cleveland was a blip on the radar, not an early warning sign that things might unravel in December. Pittsburgh has now won seven of its last eight games, including going 6-1 with Wilson behind center.
As a result, the 10-3 Steelers have a two-game lead on the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North standings and a feel-good vibe around the organization.
“I think we just have a complete team,” said defensive co-captain Cameron Heyward, who recorded a pair of sacks. “We have a team that’s complementary of everybody.
“I’m not saying that against the teams we’ve had in the past. But you can look at the time of possession on the offensive side of the ball. You can look at the big special teams plays. You can look at the defensive big plays as well. All three facets, there’s playmakers. There’s guys that can take over a game.”
How far can this “complete team” go in the postseason?
Well, we won’t have to wait until January to get a preview. Beginning Sunday in Philadelphia, the Steelers are about to embark upon an absolute gauntlet. They’ll play the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs — three of the NFL’s best teams, with the first two on the road — within a span of 11 days from Dec. 15 to Dec. 25.
“Gotta love it,” Freiermuth said. “If we want to win games in the playoffs, we got to start it now. Man, what an opportunity for us to play three big-time games.”
(Photo of Pat Freiermuth, 88, and Najee Harris: Justin Berl / Getty Images)
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