The game played out to be a showcase between two gritty defenses and two Hall of Fame running backs. Trailing at halftime, the Steelers recorded a safety when linebacker Bob Schmitz tackled Jim Brown in the end zone. Legend has it that that was the first time Brown was tackled for a safety. Pittsburgh won the game when Ed Brown hit Gary Ballman for a nine-yard score in the fourth quarter. The Steelers were powered by John Henry Johnson, who rumbled for yards on 27 carries.
Brown ran for 99 yards on 19 carries. The Steelers' ultimately fell short of the Eastern Conference title, but their win over the Browns played a role in the Browns also falling short of the NFL title game. Cleveland would rebound the following season, as Brown and Hall of Fame receiver Paul Warfield led the Browns to their fourth championship.
The Browns would lose to the Steelers that season, however, behind an historic performance by Johnson. After getting blown out by the Steelers in Week 1, the Browns rallied to win five of their next seven games entering their Week 8 showdown at Heinz Field. Cleveland stormed out to a lead behind three touchdown passes by quarterback Derek Anderson. Trailing at halftime, the Steelers started the second half with a yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Hines Ward. Roethlisberger then gave Pittsburgh its first lead on a yard touchdown run, only to watch seconds later as Joshua Cribbs ran the ensuing kickoff yards for a touchdown.
The Steelers countered with a yard drive that took nearly eight minutes off of the clock. On their final drive, Anderson drove the Browns to within field goal range before Phil Dawson missed the game-tying, yard attempt with seconds remaining. While both teams finished the season with a record, the Steelers won the division by virtue of their season sweep of the Browns.
Cleveland's playoff drought which at that point was at five years would last until the season. With the Browns on the heels of the Steelers in the season, Ben goes 30 yards for six to give the Steelers the lead. Trailing , the Steelers rallied to force overtime behind Franco Harris' two touchdown runs in the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh won the game on Matt Bahr's yard goal in overtime. Dave Logan had his way with the Steelers vaunted secondary with yards on seven catches that included a yard reception. The Steelers enjoyed a stellar game from Harris, who complemented his rushing yards with nine receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Many viewed this as a "changing of the guard" game between the two franchises. After winning 11 of their previous 12 games against the Browns, the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Steelers fell to midway through the season after relinquishing a lead in Cleveland. The Browns rallied behind two touchdowns from running back Greg Pruitt and Ozzie Newsome's yard, game-winning touchdown pass from Brian Sipe. Sipe riddled the Steelers defense to the tune of yards and four touchdowns, while Steelers backup quarterback Cliff Stoudt threw for yards in a losing cause.
Cleveland would make the playoffs for the first time since , while Pittsburgh would fail to make the postseason for the first time since The rivalry was never more even than it was in the late '80s and early '90s. The two teams split their season series each year from And while the Steelers were the better team in , the Browns would salvage a series split by pulling off an electric upset win in front of a raucous home crowd of over 78, fans. After a scoreless first quarter, the Browns struck first when Vinny Testaverde hit Michael Jackson for a yard score.
Moments later, Eric Metcalf took a Pittsburgh punt 91 yards to pay dirt. The Steelers avoided the early knockout by getting the ball to running back Barry Foster and tight end Eric Green.
Foster's two short touchdown runs tied the score at intermission, while Gary Anderson's three second-half field goals gave Pittsburgh a fourth-quarter lead. Despite Metcalf's early score, Pittsburgh elected to punt to him again late in the fourth quarter. Once again, Metcalf quickly raced to the near sideline, where he broke the first tackle before following his convoy of blockers. Metcalf broke several other tackles before he was mobbed by his teammates in the end zone.
With or without Roethlisberger, the offense will likely see a major overhaul this offseason. Offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner, whose lackadaisical game scripts have earned him the ire of Steelers fans, may not return to the team.
Fichtner has been with the franchise since as a wide receivers and quarterbacks coach, and was promoted to offensive coordinator in Meanwhile, key offensive players in wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster, running back James Conner, and tackle Alejandro Villanueva are unrestricted free agents.
Though Smith-Schuster recorded nine touchdowns this season, a career high, he had only receiving yards and failed to become a star wideout, which seemed inevitable when he had 1, yards in Conner also had a down year, recording rushing yards and six touchdowns in yet another injury-riddled campaign. Villanueva, who made the Pro Bowl in and , will see his deal expire, too. Defensively, Bud Dupree is the biggest name to hit free agency.
Playing across from T. Watt, Dupree recorded eight sacks and 15 QB hits in 11 games. Free agency will bring tough decisions for the franchise. Only five teams have a larger projected cap number than Pittsburgh next season. The man who has called plays all season. They haven't been able to physically gather all week and practice how they'll communicate with the person filling in as playcaller.
They have zero chance. With all of these missing pieces, the Browns can't even practice with their replacements. The situation the Browns find themselves in is one of the most brutal mountains a team has ever had to climb. The deck is quite literally stacked against them and the Steelers must take advantage of these issues.
This would be one of the most embarrassing, inexcusable playoff losses in recent memory if the Steelers were not to win this game and punch their ticket to the Divisional round.
This would include the Steelers getting shredded by Blake Bortles to the tune of 45 points, and the Tim Tebow to Demaryius Thomas overtime game of The Steelers cannot feel sorry for the Browns, this team needs to go out and stomp on the throat of this wounded enemy and stroll their way to the next round. What do you think?
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