Winners & Losers As Cleveland Browns Lose Heartbreaker To Pittsburgh Steelers

This was such a weird game, a true tale of two halves. The Browns looked dead halftime, but somehow to scored 24 unanswered points, on the road, in Pittsburgh, none-the-less.

However you want to analyze it, this one thing is clear: This game was there to stolen and Mike Pettine didn’t want to be a thief.

Pettine and the Browns dropped the ball. Particularly the first-time head coach, who opted to punt, rather than attempt a 53-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter.

Do you know the last time the Browns won in the Steel City. 2003! Freaking Tim Couch was the quarterback.

Instead, Pettine, coaching in his first-game as THE man, sided with a conservatism–because that ALWAYS works–and punted.

Kicker Billy Cundiff‘s career long is 56 yards. He nailed a 51-yarder last season. This attempt was within range.

The Browns did get the ball back in an ugly series deep in their own territory, but it didn’t matter. Cleveland had its chance, and Pettine didn’t even want to give it a try.

Losers:

Moral Victories: There are none. This is the NFL. If you want moral victories, watch high school ball.

It was interesting to see Joe Haden’s comments about what was said at halftime.

#Browns CB Joe Haden said told conversation at halftime: This isn't the same old Browns.
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) September 7, 2014

‘The same old Browns’ would’ve never comeback to have made the game this close. The biggest deficit the franchise ever overcame was 20 points against the Giants, and that was 1966. But “The same old Browns” would’ve lost this way, on a last second field goal.

You guys! Just a few more moral victories and we're heading to the Moral Victory Bowl! #Browns
— Mike Polk Jr. (@mikepolkjr) September 7, 2014

Moral victories? No thanks, Browns fans have plenty of those.

• Justin Gilbert: It was your first game, and you got abused, badly.

Pittsburgh's game ball should go to Justin Gilbert.
— Scott (@WFNYScott) September 7, 2014

He got torched by Markus Wheaton for 40-yards in the first quarter, and committed a block-headed unnecessary roughness call after the receiver he was covering was clearly out of bounds. There were other obvious errors, but it’s clear that Gilbert’s going to take some time to develop.

Sep 7, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Terrance West (28) leaps over Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Ryan Shazier (bottom) while carrying the ball during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

• Joe Haden: Everybody loves Joe, and he’s publicly said Antonio Brown is the most difficult player to cover. But if you’re a shutdown corner, and he’s being paid like one, you’ve got to shut ’em down. That wasn’t the case when Brown got a step on Haden for a first-half, 35-yard touchdown.

• Brian Hoyer: Brian Hoyer underperformed in the first half, and over performed in the second half. Somewhere in-between, is the real Hoyer. When he led the second-quarter comeback, it became obvious why he was named the starter. Hoyer ran the no-huddle offense in the second half, and went 19-of-31 for 230 yards a TD. A huge lift to his dismal first-half numbers (4-of-11 for 57 yards).