Mike Tomlin gave the Cleveland Browns a handicap — the Steelers didn’t have a kicker in the second half. And the Browns still lost.
Mayfield was playing through a labrum injury, making the feat of defeating the Steelers defense even tougher given the circumstances. Nonetheless, Mayfield had most of his weapons back, and was facing a Pittsburgh team without a kicker.
No, we are not joking. Mike Tomlin ran a fake field goal and put Chris Boswell in harm’s way. It did not go according to plan.
Here's that #Steelers' fourth-down fake field goal with kicker Chris Boswell that really didn't work. pic.twitter.com/DY6eDgJUBi
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) October 31, 2021
Mayfield took a number of tough hits — including one from Minkah Fitzpatrick on the sidelines — and gutted out a full four quarters at home. Sadly for the Browns, they were unable to beat a shorthanded Steelers team.
Browns and Baker Mayfield lose to Steelers
Such a loss isn’t all on Mayfield — the Browns as a whole played terribly. Penalties, fumbles and drops cost Cleveland a chance to potentially bury their rivals to the East early in the season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t even have a kicker the entire second half of this game, and still beat the Cleveland Browns. pic.twitter.com/jMEXQAaa8H
— SB Nation (@SBNation) October 31, 2021
The Cleveland #Browns are last in the AFC North (and that’s honestly where they deserve to be at the season’s halfway point)
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) October 31, 2021
Would argue, if they lose, this Browns game was lost by just about everyone BUT Baker Mayfield. #Browns
— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) October 31, 2021
Fumble.
— Brent Sobleski (@brentsobleski) October 31, 2021
Drop.
Gator-arms a pass.
False start.
Doesn't secure catch on fourth down.
These were the Browns' wide receivers with the game on the line.
It's not the QB. Mayfield has played well considering the circumstances.
The owner of the Cleveland Browns! #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/jle2uTt97z
— Jordan York ⚫️🟡🏈 (@JYorkFootball) October 31, 2021
Watching the Browns turn the ball over like pic.twitter.com/qQExuKedsj
— Around The 412 (@AroundThe412) October 31, 2021
Browns are in last place… Nature is healing
— BTSC Steelers (@btsteelcurtain) October 31, 2021
The Browns just lost at home to a team without a kicker.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) October 31, 2021
Steelers win, 15-10, in Cleveland. Ben Roethlisberger’s final postgame Browns-beating jaunt? pic.twitter.com/tJecAnecRO
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) October 31, 2021
Browns are now in last place in the AFC North. lolol #Steelers
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) October 31, 2021
If you’re a Browns fan, you have to feel like garbage. Even more so than normal.
— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) October 31, 2021
Instead, the Steelers are now third in a crowded division, with the Bengals struggling on Sunday against the lowly New York Jets. With 18 weeks, this season is longer than any before in the NFL.
This is far from peak Ben Roethlisberger — heck, it could be argued he’s no longer even an average NFL quarterback — but he still owns Cleveland when all is said and done.
Winning three straight against the Steelers was always too good to be true.