CLEVELAND — The Browns didn’t act like a three-win football team when they played the Pittsburgh Steelers. They didn’t act like a team that had given up on the season.
That’s because they’re a four-win team now. That’s thanks to their fourth consecutive home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, a 13-6 victory.
It wasn’t pretty at all. It likely cost the Browns several draft spots. But they’ll happily take the win.
Here are a few instant takeaways right after the clock hit triple zeroes between the Browns and Steelers:
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Harold Fannin Jr.’s future is incredibly bright for Browns
Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was dealing with a groin injury coming into the game, so the risk was well known. However, Fannin managed to make what turned into a limited amount of time in the game count with a 28-yard touchdown catch on a post pattern where he adjusted to the ball while in the end, caught it, then rolled into the end zone. It was also the play he was hurt on, so it was a little bit of a downer as well. Still, with one game remaining, there’s absolutely no question the Canton McKinley High School product has an incredibly bright future. A Browns rookie record 72 catches and 731 receiving yards, which are fifth most for any Browns rookie, just scratch the surface for what he can become for Cleveland.
Myles Garrett was a half-second away from a half-dozen sacks
Timing is absolutely everything when it comes to rushing the passer. It was certainly the case throughout the game for Myles Garrett, who needed one sack of Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers to break the single-season NFL sack record. Rodgers, though, was exceptional at getting rid of the football throughout the game when it felt like Garrett was literally about to jump on his back. It’s one of Rodgers’ biggest strengths, and it kept the Browns’ All-Pro just far enough away to not get the record.
Credit to Corey Bojorquez for timing
Punter Corey Bojorquez has taken some grief over the course of the season along with everyone else on the Browns’ special teams. Well, when the Browns needed to flip the field late, Bojorquez did just what he was asked to do. His 61-yard punt with 2:16 remaining flipped the field from the Cleveland 19 to the Pittsburgh 20. That helped set up a turnover on downs that allowed Andre Szmyt’s 33-yard field goal to push the lead back out to seven.
No quit showing in this Cleveland Browns team
Maybe it’s because of all of the young players playing who don’t know any better, but the Browns have shown a lot of fight in their last two games. Both were against teams which could’ve blown them out, but didn’t. Instead, they went out and got a win over a rival and played a little spoiler in the process.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 4 takeaways, players who stood out in Browns’ Week 17 game vs. Steelers
Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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