Cleveland Browns instant reactions to Week 6 loss to Steelers

Week 6 instant reactions as Cleveland Browns lose to Pittsburgh

The Cleveland Browns came into Week 6 hoping to score a huge win over their hated rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers. As far as their defense went, they started out doing all they could to give them a chance.

Cornerback Denzel Ward deflected a pass in the end zone intended for James Washington on 2nd and 6 on the first drive which led to the Steelers needing to kick a field goal. This was a win for the Browns as they held the Steelers to three despite James Conner running all over them on that drive.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t long until they lost that momentum. Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield threw a pick-six on the Browns first chance at a third down. He didn’t see Minkah Fitzpatrick, who took it to the house and put the Steelers up 10-0.

Still, the defense kept doing their part for much of the first half. Safety Sheldrick Redwine, who has been good since filling in for several injures safeties, sacked Ben Roethlisberger after the Browns offense had another three-and-out.

Eventually, the dam broke though. Mayfield had another first-half pick and the quick drives (ending in punts) continued to put pressure on the defense and they gave up a touchdown to James Washington and a rushing score to Conner. Before long, the Browns were going into the half trailing 24-7, with Mayfield looking as though he had taken a thorough beating — which he had.

By the fourth quarter, head coach Kevin Stefanski pulled Mayfield and inserted backup Case Keenum. This could end up leading to some questions about who will start going forward but it shouldn’t. This wasn’t Mayfield’s day but much of that could have been due to his rib injury.

In the end, the Browns lost 38-to-7. The defeat is frustrating for sure but with them sitting at 4-2, there’s no reason to panic just yet. They’ve dealt with a ton of injuries and are still two games above .500 with a game against the Bengals right around the corner. This season is still going incredibly well, but this loss hurts. Mostly because the Steelers are such a hated rival.

Quick Hits

Mayfield continues to show some of the same struggles we saw in 2019. He has been double-clutching the ball often, showing he has little confidence in what he’s seeing. He’s also struggled to keep his throws down, evidenced by a third-and-long incompletion to Odell Beckham, Jr. OBJ caught the ball but since it was so high, he was forced out of bounds.

Jack Conklin struggled in this one, but he wasn’t alone. T.J. Watt flew past him but interior pressure was unreal as well from Stephon Tuitt and Cameron Heyward.

Positivity Corner

There was a lot to be frustrated with but let’s look for some positives. One, Joe Woods is the real deal. The Browns defensive coordinator has done as good as he can with a plethora of injuries. He’s down to fourth and fifth options at safety and still finding ways to get some stops. It’s easy to bash the defense for this loss but there were some great plays.

Also, Myles Garrett continued to prove he should be in the talk for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He finished with another sack which gives him 7 on the season.