Steelers at Browns: Highlights, score and recap

The Steelers and Browns battled in a divisional matchup with major AFC North implications. Here are some of the highlights from the season opener.

There was a lot of hype going into the season opener for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns on Sunday, and there was a ton to be excited about for both teams. In the end, however, one team had a little better taste in their mouths to head into next week with, and a shared spot atop the AFC North to go with it.

The excitement surrounding DeShone Kizer’s debut under center, both for the Browns and in the NFL, was certainly justified considering his performance on the field, but it wasn’t enough to put his Browns over the top, with the Steelers coming away with a 21-18 win.

The scoring started early for the Steelers, as they blocked a punt for a touchdown on the Browns’ first possession, and they didn’t look back from there. Despite a rushing touchdown from Kizer, it wasn’t enough to take down the Steelers and their high-powered offense at home.

Three Stars

1. Ben Roethlisberger

Roethlisberger looked pretty solid considering it was a regular season opener, and he showed an ability to lead the team offensively, even when Le’Veon Bell wasn’t a big piece of their offense after his return from his holdout. He threw for over 200 yards and two touchdowns, although an interception will be a big talking point to look at and work on for next week.

2. DeShone Kizer

The young rookie quarterback looked very good for the Browns in his first NFL action in a regular season game, and he lived up to the big stage when the team needed him to do so. He found himself down early on after the blocked punt for a touchdown, and, outside an interception, had a great day in his debut. He kept the game close when many counted the Browns out, especially against the Steelers, and showed his ability to score both on the run and in the air with his arm.

3. Antonio Brown

The Steelers offense didn’t have to do much, but Brown showed off his speed and usual ability and proved he’s not rusty after the team’s big year last season that led them to the AFC Championship. He caught a catch for a big 50-yard gain, and helped pick up some slack for the Steelers offensively, and even caught some big passes late to get the game out of reach. He can only go up from here, and looked solid to open the year.

Next: 10 unlikely Super Bowl MVPs

Odds

The Steelers were favored -10, according to SportsBook Review, and the game was a lot closer than the odds said, which is a good sign for the Browns as they look to get going in a tough division in 2017.

Next Week

The Browns will have a big game to work towards for next week, as they travel to play another divisional rival in the Baltimore Ravens, as they look to bounce back from the first game of the year and get Kizer more reps under center. Meanwhile, the Steelers will go to battle with the Minnesota Vikings at home.