Nick Chubb went down with a significant knee injury and is expected to miss the entire 2023 season. Just a devastating injury to the heart and soul of this team.
Jerome Ford replaced Chubb and had a good game going for 106 on 16 carries.
The Browns lost the turnover battle again on Monday and this time the turnovers cost the team points, 14 in total. It started the game with a pick-six as Harrison Bryant could not come down with the ball ending in an Alex Highsmith touchdown to end the scoring, Deshaun Watson was stripped by Highsmith, and TJ Watt returned the fumble for a touchdown.
The Brown’s defense did a great job of only giving up 255 total yards, including only 55 yards on the ground. The defensive play was highlighted by Grant Delpit and JOK.
It was just an absolute gut punch of a loss on Monday night. To lose Chubb puts a lot of pressure on Watson to have to play better. Watson was average tonight at best and must perform better than 22 for 40, 235 YRD, 1 TD, and a costly fumble at the end of the game. Without Chubb, Watson must lift his play for the Browns to win.
In a game overshadowed by a significant knee injury to Cleveland star running back Nick Chubb, T.J. Watt seized the moment for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Watt recovered a fumble by DeShaun Watson and dashed 17 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in the middle of the fourth quarter. The result was a 26-22 victory for the Steelers over the Cleveland Browns on Monday night.
This victory marked the Steelers’ 20th consecutive win over the Browns at home in the regular season, extending their Monday night home winning streak to 21 straight dating back to 1991. The pivotal play came courtesy of outside linebacker Alex Highsmith, who had previously returned an interception for a touchdown on the game’s opening snap. Highsmith’s relentless pressure on Cleveland left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. forced the fumble from Watson, setting the stage for Watt’s game-changing score.
Cleveland found itself without Nick Chubb for most of the final three quarters due to a devastating knee injury, his second major left knee injury after suffering a dislocation, and three torn ligaments during his college days at Georgia. The injury occurred early in the second quarter when Minkah Fitzpatrick tackled Chubb awkwardly, resulting in a disturbing scene that led to players from both teams kneeling in prayer as Chubb received medical attention.
Chubb’s replacement, Jerome Ford, made a commendable effort, rushing for 106 yards and catching a 3-yard touchdown pass for the Browns. However, Cleveland’s errors proved costly, preventing them from securing their first regular-season victory in Pittsburgh since 2003. Deshaun Watson, despite his efforts, was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct and turned the ball over, stalling promising drives.
The Browns were penalized eight times for 81 yards and committed four turnovers, with the Steelers’ defense capitalizing on two of them. Although the Steelers’ offense struggled, Kenny Pickett’s 71-yard touchdown pass to George Pickens provided a spark. The game’s momentum swung back and forth, with Pierre Strong’s 1-yard touchdown dive briefly putting the Browns ahead 22-19 in the third quarter.
Ultimately, the Steelers’ defense, led by Highsmith’s relentless rush and Watt’s clutch play, ensured the team avoided their first 0-2 start since 2019, sealing the victory.
Host Tennessee (1-1) next Sunday.
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