Cleveland Browns: Grades from the bizarre defeat in Pittsburgh

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Jan 1, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) scrambles against pressure by Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Dan McCullers-Sanders (93) in overtime at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 27-24 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Quarterback: C

Robert Griffin III played his best game of the season in his final opportunity, appearing much more comfortable under center than in the past three weeks.

Finishing 29 for 40 and throwing for 232 yards, the 26-year-old put himself in position to be well in the conversation as one of Cleveland’s options next season. Looking efficient and making sound decisions for most of the afternoon, it was clear to the Browns that the root of their troubles is no longer the quarterback position.

Despite his adequate play, Griffin was not spectacular, and certainly has not returned to how he played during his rookie season. Throwing an accurate deep ball was once his specialty, but Cleveland connected on just one of these this week, a 43-yard completion to Terrelle Pryor.

For what it is worth, Griffin’s quarterback rating on the afternoon ended up being just 50.9. This is lower than the league average of around 62, but does not necessarily tell the entire story.

Griffin’s struggles are not entirely his fault, and he should be given a great deal of credit for keeping Cleveland in a game which they did everything in their power to throw away. But moving forward to 2017, the future is uncertain, and several mediocre performances raise concern.

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