Steelers takeaways: 10 plays that mattered most in Week 12 snowfight vs. Browns

The Pittsburgh Steelers' night in Cleveland devolved with the weather. What started out as a evening night, turned into a blizzard and a slugfest with a two-win division foe on their home field.

Mike Tomlin’s decision to periodically replace Russell Wilson with Justin Fields will be a contentious topic throughout the week as will his timeout usage, his ongoing struggles on Thursday nights or opponents they’re overwhelming favorites against.

Last week, the 50/50 plays worked in their favor. On Thursday night, they gambled and the house won. The Steelers still retain a lead in the AFC North, but the margins are slimmer.

The visibility wasn’t great, but here are the 10 plays that made a difference and what they say about the Steelers.

1. Myles Garrett drops Russell Wilson

10:03 —1st Quarter — Russell Wilson sacked for a loss of eight on third-and-3 leading to Chris Boswell missing a 58-yard field goal.

The opening possession started out on a bad note when WIlson stood in the pocket for 3-Mississippi counts as it caved in on him. There was nowhere to go.

Myles Garrett took credit for the sack, but it was an avalanche of pass rushers who took him down in a phalanx formation. That loss of yardage turned a 50-yard kick into a 58-yard attempt.

A week after Boswell was straight cash in a 6-for-6 performance against Baltimore, his card was declined by the crossbar gods. This was a sign that the overreliance on special teams luck was about to end. 

2. Steelers telegraph fourth down run

3:30 — 1st Quarter — Justin Fields stuffed on fourth-and-2

On a critical first down in the first half, Wilson was subbed out for Fields to do his best Tebow impression. Unfortunately, Tomlin's jumbo short-yardage package lacked the deception necessary to get the Browns defense off-balance without the threat of a pass.

Everyone on the Browns side knew what Fields was doing as well. Instead of picking up the two yards they needed, he hesitated going right after encountering rush hour traffic, missed a lane to his left, and wound up at the bottom of the pile.

3. Russell Willson drops the ball

3:19 — 2nd Quarter — Russell Wilson tries to scramble away but fumbles

A few plays after Nick Chubb’s touchdown gave Cleveland its first lead, Myles Garrett took a swipe at the ball, forcing a fumble that was recovered by the Browns in Steeler territory. That series led to a Browns field goal, extending Pittsburgh’s lead. Garrett’s defensive acumen essentially produced a six-point swing.

In recent weeks, Wilson has gotten more loosey goosey than you’d like to see. It’s as important for him to protect the ball as it is for him to activate the offense in the red zone. 

4. Steelers give up fourth down touchdown

12:16 — 4th Quarter — Jameis Winston scores an airborne touchdown

On fourth down, Nick Herbig broke through the pocket for a pressure on Jameis Winston that would have turned the ball over on downs. Unfortunately, Winston slipped away, took off like Fred Flinstone churning his legs to pick up speed, and launched himself into the air over the goal line.

The mid-air touchdown is a staple of the mobility-challenged quarterback archetype. For them, air is quicker than land. Winston is both a preacher and a deviant. unintentional Comic and a stoic. He’ll throw Cleveland into games and out. This was an instance of Good Jameis turning up at an opportune time for Cleveland. 

5. Justin Fields puts his legs to work

11:32 — 4th Quarter — Justin Fields runs for a 30-yard gain

The Fields packages were a mixed bag, especially when defenses were convinced he was throwing. On the read-option, tight end Connor Heyward’s block on the outside sprung Fields loose.

After taking a two-possession lead, Cleveland began to implode. Before Winston started playing hot potato with the pigskin, though, this series of plays gave the Steelers a defibrillator. The roughing penalty on Fields kept the Steelers out of third and long. 

6. Russell Wilson proves his passing chops

6:15 — 4th Quarter — Russell Wilson hits a touchdown strike to Calvin Austin

In the driving snow facing immense pressure, Wilson whipped a laser to Calvin Austin right before getting trucked by an oncoming pass rusher. Wilson got the worst of it, but on a crucial down, he delivered an accurate throw.

This was Wilson at his finest, and watching him make the throw makes it even more frustrating that Tomlin would remove him on third or fourth downs in the second half.

7. Steelers let Jameis Winston off the hook

7:10 — 4th Quarter — Jameis Winston fumbles, then sails one over Elijah Moore’s head and hits Donte Jackson in stride

Winston was throwing into the snow and the results were ugly. Leading 18-13, Winston spilled the football onto the grass after getting stripped by Nick Herbig, which you’re not supposed to do. Pittsburgh turned that possession into a touchdown. On the next possession, Winston got reckless and sailed a pass well over receiver Elijah Moore’s head into Donte Jackson’s chest. Just like how the Steelers defense drew it up. 

This was where it became clear that the Browns were beginning to beat themselves. All the Steelers had to do was put up a fight and run some clock. Instead, the Steelers came out and protected the ball like it was fine china, only to punt it back to the Browns.

Worst of all, on third-and-4, Tomlin subbed in Fields to launch another deep bomb out of bounds. They only took a minute off the clock. On third and fourth downs, Wilson was 12-for-13, throwing for 203 yards, a touchdown, good for a 144.4 passer rating. 

8. Another special teams miscue gives the Browns life

3:29 — 4th Quarter — Corliss Waitman shanks a punt for 15 yards

Danny Smith’s special teams had an off night. Boswell’s missed field goal was a tough look for the kicker, but punter Corliss Waitman also got in on the act by shanking a punt off the side of his foot. It went only 15 yards past the line of scrimmage, which left the Browns in an ideal position to steal the win.

9. Refs let Jameis Winston off the hook

2:00 — 4th Quarter — Jameis Winston’s intentional grounding becomes intentional touching

On third-and-2 from the Pittsburgh 25, Winston was about to be clobbered by Patrick Queen charging forward with no blockers in sight. As Queen hit Winston, Winston attempted a pass that didn't appear to have an intended receiver. Instead of getting flagged for intentional grounding and facing fourth-and-15, the Browns got a slap on the wrist with an intentional touching by an offensive lineman penalty. 

According to the NFL’s Football Operations manual, intentional ground occurs when “a passer, facing an imminent loss of yardage because of pressure from the defense, throws a forward pass without a realistic chance of completion.”

Winston’s pass didn’t even reach the line of scrimmage, yet the official interpretation seemed to imply that his pass didn’t reach its destination because it made contact with an offensive lineman first. It was an absurd call that led to the Steelers' demise.

Tomlin’s decision to accept the touching penalty created a third-and-7, which the Browns converted en route to a game-winning touchdown score by Nick Chubb.

10. George Pickens cares more about fighting than winning

0:00 — 4th Quarter — George Pickens fights Greg Newsome during a Hail Mary attempt

A Hail Mary is all about belief. These plays aren’t about skills. They're about luck, and often about the discipline to run through the tape.

We saw a prime example of this in Week 8 when cornerback Tyrqique Stevenson was off taunting Commanders fans while the final play was developing only for a tipped pass to land softly into Noah Brown’s hands.

George Pickens listens to the devil on his shoulder far too often for my liking. Instead of trying to make a play on the ball, Pickens was too busy wrestling Greg Newsome in the back of the end zone. It’s a minor play but highlights how unfocused he can be.