The Pittsburgh Steelers straightened the ship, beating the Cleveland Browns at home and making a big statement.
As usually happens when they’re not favored, it wasn’t easy, and it definitely wasn’t pretty.
However, HC Mike Tomlin had a simple message after taking his team’s record to 1-1: They’re not going to apologize for winning (via NFL on ESPN).
Mike Tomlin kept it simple after starting the season 1-1 👀 pic.twitter.com/iKCfrE0oYR
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 19, 2023
The Steelers made the most of their defense and some questionable decisions by Deshaun Watson to get a win out of the mud.
The defense picked off Watson for a pick-six on the very first drive of the game, and it also managed to keep them in the game, even when the Browns threatened to pull away.
They also recovered a fumble for the game-winning touchdown, and they looked way better than they did in the season opener.
Granted that it was highly unlikely that they could lose any worse than they did in the game vs. the San Francisco 49ers, but they still showed clear signs of improvement.
George Pickens and Kenny Pickett picked up things where they left them last season, connecting for 127 yards and one score in four receptions on ten targets.
The running backs struggled again, with Najee Harris and Jalen Warren combining for just 63 yards on 16 carries, but once again, the Steelers found a way to get a much-needed win when their backs were against the wall.
Mike Tomlin is one of the savviest and smartest coaches in the league, yet oddsmakers continue to overlook him when he faces a seemingly-superior team.
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