S³ NFL | Browns Survive Steelers’ Rally Behind Szmyt’s 56-Yard Winner

S³ Thursday Night Recap

Cleveland Browns 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 24 | Thursday Night Football | October 1, 2026

Andre Szmyt delivered the kick Cleveland needed to escape its own mistakes. His 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining lifted the Browns to a 27–24 victory over the Steelers, improving Cleveland to 3–1 and dropping Pittsburgh to 2–2.

The Browns led 21–10 at halftime, watched that advantage disappear with 1:42 left, then drove far enough to give Szmyt a chance. Cleveland earned an important division win, but its 14 penalties for 88 yards helped turn a game it controlled into a finish decided by a long field goal.

Deshaun Watson looked comfortable early. He got the ball out quickly, distributed it across the offense and finished the first half 14-of-17 for 181 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. His 130.6 halftime passer rating reflected how efficiently Cleveland was moving the ball. Denzel Boston supplied the biggest receiving play with a 60-yard catch, while KC Concepcion, Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr. also contributed.

After Pittsburgh opened the scoring with a 12-yard Aaron Rodgers touchdown pass to Roman Wilson, Cleveland scored three touchdowns in the second quarter. Jaleel McLaughlin broke a 28-yard touchdown run, Judkins scored from two yards out, and Watson found Fannin for a two-yard touchdown. That burst gave the Browns a 21–7 lead.

Cleveland’s defense then limited the damage before halftime. Wilson’s 49-yard reception moved Pittsburgh deep into Browns territory, and penalties wiped out an incompletion and a sack. The Steelers eventually reached Cleveland’s 13, but three straight incompletions forced a 31-yard Chris Boswell field goal. The Browns had conceded yardage and extra opportunities, yet held Pittsburgh to three points on the possession.

The third quarter was scoreless. Cleveland forced a three-and-out to open the half, but its own offense lost the rhythm it had established. A Concepcion false start turned third-and-8 into third-and-13 on the Browns’ first possession, and the drive ended with a punt. Later, T.J. Watt forced and recovered a Watson fumble near midfield. Cleveland’s defense answered again, with Mike Hall Jr.’s 10-yard sack pushing Pittsburgh back to the Browns’ 45 and helping force another punt.

Pittsburgh kept creating pressure and eventually found the explosive passing plays it needed. Early in the fourth quarter, Robert Spears-Jennings intercepted Watson’s deep pass intended for Boston. An initial defensive pass interference flag was removed following a review of the tipped pass, allowing the interception to stand.

Rodgers then connected with DK Metcalf for 43 yards on a drive that ended with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Washington. Pittsburgh’s two-point attempt failed, leaving Cleveland ahead 21–16. Watson responded with a 21-yard scramble on the next possession, with a defensive holding penalty adding another five yards. The Browns survived another Watson fumble when he recovered it himself, and Szmyt’s 44-yard field goal restored an eight-point lead with 6:37 remaining.

The Steelers’ next possession stalled, but Cameron Johnston’s 62-yard punt pinned Cleveland at its own 1. Watson’s 15-yard completion to Boston helped the Browns escape that position. Cleveland still could not finish the possession with another first down, nevertheless. Watson missed Fannin on a third-and-8 deep throw, and Pittsburgh got the ball back at its own 20 with 3:32 left.

Metcalf became the central threat on the tying drive. His catches of 22 and 28 yards helped carry Pittsburgh into the red zone. He finished with five receptions for 115 yards, with 93 of those yards coming on three fourth-quarter catches. Wilson’s early production had suggested an outside advantage, but Metcalf supplied Pittsburgh’s biggest late gains.

Then Cleveland committed its most damaging penalty. On fourth-and-10 from the Browns’ 11, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was flagged for defensive pass interference on a throw to Washington. The eight-yard penalty gave Pittsburgh first-and-goal at the 3. Rodgers found Pat Freiermuth for a touchdown on the next play, then ran up the middle for the tying two-point conversion. With 1:42 remaining, it was 24–24.

That sequence captured Cleveland’s discipline problem. Pittsburgh gained five first downs through penalties. The Browns repeatedly put themselves in position to end possessions, then gave the Steelers another opportunity. An eight-yard flag carried a much greater cost when it replaced fourth down with a fresh set of goal-line chances.

Watson and Cleveland still had time to answer. A 12-yard completion to Fannin moved the Browns to midfield with one minute left. Cleveland advanced to Pittsburgh’s 34 before a Payton Wilson sack pushed it back four yards. After a third-down incompletion, Szmyt converted from 56 yards to complete a seven-play, 36-yard scoring possession.

Watson finished 24-of-33 for 268 yards, one touchdown and one interception, completing 72.7% of his passes. His first half showed the progress Cleveland wanted to see, while his second-half line of 10-of-16 for 87 yards reflected the offense’s reduced production. The lost fumble and interception made the finish harder, but he helped put the Browns in position on the deciding possession.

Rodgers finished 22-of-40 for 299 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Cleveland recorded five sacks, with Maliek Collins, Adin Huntington, Isaiah McGuire, Sam Williams and Hall each credited with one. Jaylen Warren contributed 93 rushing yards and 33 receiving yards, giving Pittsburgh 126 yards from scrimmage from its lead back.

Cleveland’s 3–1 start includes a valuable win over a division opponent and another encouraging stretch from Watson. Sustaining that offensive rhythm and cutting the penalties will determine whether the Browns can build on it. Szmyt supplied the decisive play Thursday night when Cleveland needed him most.

Final team numbers

S³ pregame prediction: Browns 27, Steelers 20. Cleveland reached the projected point total; Pittsburgh finished four points higher.