Steelers Avoid Disaster with 30-27 Win Over Browns

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As meltdowns go, this one was nearly historic — but ultimately not fatal to the Steelers.

The Cleveland Browns stunned the Steelers with an epic second-half turnaround to tie the score in the fourth quarter. But Shaun Suisham kicked a 41-yard field goal with no time left to pull out a 30-27 victory Sunday at Heinz Field that seemed assured at halftime.

The Steelers led, 27-3, after dominating the seemingly undermanned and lowly Browns. Then Brian Hoyer led a no-huddle offense in the second half to four consecutive Cleveland scores to tie it, 27-27, with 11:15 left in the fourth quarter. The Browns scored three touchdowns and a field goal on their first four possessions of the second half.

The Steelers’ winning drive covered 33 yards after a Cleveland punt. Ben Roethlisberger completed three consecutive passes on the drive, the final one of 20 yards to Markus Wheaton to the 24 to set up Suisham’s field goal.

Roethlisberger and his offense were hot in the first half, when the Steelers jumped out to a 27-3 lead and at one point received a loud standing ovation as they left the field. Things turned quickly in the third quarter, however, and by the fourth, the fans at Heinz Field were booing the home team.

Le’Veon Bell rushed for 109 yards and added another 88 on six receptions. Roethlisberger finished with 365 yards passing but 278 came in the first half and he was sacked four times, three in the second half.

Hoyer threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Travis Benjamin, who beat cornerback Ike Taylor to tie it. Four plays earlier, Taylor dropped what would have been an interception on a ball in the end zone. Billy Cundiff’s 25-yard field goal to start the fourth quarter cut the Steelers lead to 27-20.

The Browns gave the Steelers a taste of their own no-huddle offense to open the second half and they got back into the game by scoring touchdowns on their first two series. By the time Cundiff kicked his field goal, the Steelers defense looked tuckered out from going against Cleveland’s fast-paced offense.

Hoyer raced them 80 yards on six plays, the last a 3-yard touchdown run by rookie Isaiah Crowell for the first score. The drive covered 1:33. The Browns made it 2 for 2 in the third quarter by moving 59 yards on six plays in 2:31. Crowell ran 15 yards untouched through the right side for the touchdown.

The Steelers had six plays of 30 yards or more as they ran out to a 27-3 lead at halftime, breaking loose for two touchdowns in the first 7:17 of the second quarter and finishing up with a field goal. Roethlisberger rolled away from pressure and threw a perfect pass in the end zone to Antonio Brown for a 35-yard touchdown. Brown beat Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden for the score.

Brown then set up the next touchdown with a 36-yard punt return, which he ended by kicking punter Spencer Lanning in the helmet with his right foot as Lanning tried to tackle him. Brown was flagged for unnecessary roughness.

Two plays later, Bell took a handoff and weaved through the defense for a 38-yard touchdown, losing his left shoe at the 18. The final drive covered 64 yards on 10 plays that ended with Suisham’s 34-yard field goal as the half expired.

The Steelers struck for big plays on offense and gave one up on defense to take a 10-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.

LeGarrette Blount ran 7 yards for the only touchdown of the period. Suisham kicked a 36-yard field goal for the Steelers and Cundiff kicked a 39-yarder for the Browns.