CLEVELAND, Ohio – Scribbles in my notebook as the Browns Trail Pittsburgh, 14-13.
1. Pittsburgh took a different approach to attacking Cleveland’s defenses. In the first half, the Steelers rushed 16 times for 88 yards. The Browns struggled to defend the run. Pittsburgh hit a 1-yard run from Mentors Mitch Trubisky and a 5-yard run from Najee Harris.
2. Trubisky was 9 of 13 passing for 109 yards. He connected with George Pickens for a 36-yard catch, a flashy one-handed grab by the Georgia Tech rookie.
3. Jacoby Brissett had a strong first half. He was 16 of 22 passing for 134 yards and a pair of TDs. It was like playing the Jets on Sunday.
4. The Browns eventually brought in tight end David Njoku on offense. He made a tremendous jumping catch in the end zone for a 7-yard TD. He had seven catches for 69 yards. Amari Cooper caught four passes for 35 yards.
5. Welcome to Cleveland. Rookie kicker Cade York missed an extra point in the Browns’ 31-30 loss to the Jets last Sunday. In the second quarter, his extra point attempt slammed off the post and was missed. He connected earlier in the game with an extra point.
6. The Browns opened with Jack Conklin right tackle, the first time the veteran has played this season. Demetric Felton had returned Kahne. He was inactive. Veteran Chester Rogers took his place.
7. The Browns had a special teams glitch when a Corey Bojorquez punt was partially blocked by Pittsburgh’s Miles Killebrew. It covered only 25 meters. That gave Pittsburgh the ball on Cleveland’s 48-yard line. The Steelers got a first down. They fielded a 49-yard field, but Chris Boswell missed.
8. In the first quarter, Brissett picked up a first down in a fourth-and-1 situation. It’s the fourth time this season that Brissett has used the QB sneak for a first down. He’s 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds and extremely strong.
9. Brissett’s QB sneak kept the drive alive. Nick Chubb broke free for a 36-yard rumble in which he broke at least three tackles. Then Brissett hit Amari Cooper with a laser pass for a 12-yard TD. Chubb had 54 yards on six carries in the first quarter.
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