PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (92.3 The Fan) – Who needs practice? Or to be the favorite?
Without their head coach, four assistants, losing four starters and only being able to practice once this week, the Browns embraced the role of underdog and slapped around the Steelers for four quarters in arguably the most significant win for the franchise in nearly 30 years.
Whether it was the media counting them out – guilty plea and apology submitted here – or JuJu Smith Schuster’s cavalier “the Browns is the Browns” with “a couple good players” remarks during the week or 22 years of beatings endured, this one was decided after 15 minutes.
When the dust settled: Browns is the Browns 48, Steelers 37.
“We knew that everybody was counting us out,” quarterback Baker Mayfield, who completed 21 of 34 passes for 263 yards with 3 touchdowns and a 115.2 rating in the win, said. “We knew what mentality we were going to have, and it is just to cut it loose, go out there and give it everything we have.
“There was no added pressure or no extra anything. It was just for us to go out and do our job because no one believed in us, besides us.”
Smith-Schuster’s quote was recited as the Browns left the field and in the locker room after the game, and no doubt, they’re headed for a t-shirt soon.
“What does he think now? Juju is a heck of a player, but it is a new team here,” running back Kareem Hunt, who scored a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter, said. “We are going to bring it every time.”
After 1 snap it was 7-0 visitors.
After 1 quarter: 28-0 good guys and start packing for Kansas City.
The first quarter avalanche set an NFL record for points scored in the opening quarter of a playoff game.
A lot of demons were exercised Sunday night with Cleveland native and special teams coordinator Mike Priefer at the helm. He congratulated the Haslams, coaches and players, then paused before recognizing the team’s long-suffering fans.
“Really want to congratulate our fans because I grew up as one of them, so I know what this means,” Priefer said. “Congratulations to our great City of Cleveland.”
A 17-game losing streak at the Ketchup factory died a glorious death. The Browns advanced in the playoffs for the first time since 1994. They won a road playoff game for the first time since taking down the Cowboys in Dallas back in 1969, and they did it all in record-setting fashion.
The 48 points were the second-most in franchise history for a playoff game and the most since scoring 56 against the Lions in 1954.
Before answering a question after the game, Mayfield turned his hat a round – a not so subtle jab at professional Mayfield troll Colin Cowherd, who ripped Mayfield this week for wearing his hat backwards.
It got a little nerve-wracking in the second half as the Steelers mounted a comeback, but these are not the same old Browns.
They took Pittsburgh’s punch and then sent them to the canvas, and the offseason.
“There is a new standard, and I keep talking about it,” Mayfield said. “I know I was not here for the things that have happened in the past, some of which I was too young to even remember. There is a new standard, and we are going to try and keep it that way.”
Ben Roethlisberger threw for 500 yards and four touchdowns.
He also completed four passes to Browns defenders – Sheldrick Redwine, Sione Takitaki, M.J. Stewart and Porter Gustin.
Cleveland scored 24 points off turnovers Sunday night, which fueled the win.
The five takeaways are tied for the third-most by the team in history and most in a playoff game since 1955 at the Los Angeles Rams.
“Like our defense has done all year long, they have created turnovers in crucial moments,” Priefer said. “That is exactly what that was.
“Every turnover… To start the game with the snap going over Ben’s head and us recovering it for a touchdown and then having a turnover on the next drive… Plus-five [turnover margin] on the road in a playoff game? I know that does not happen very often. Real proud of our defense.”
Kareem Hunt, another Cleveland kid, ran like a man possessed with TD runs of 11 and 8 yards to help his hometown team build a four-touchdown lead.
“I believe we are going to be a real good football team for a long time,” Hunt said. “Being from the City of Cleveland, it is huge.
Honestly, I could not be any happier. Growing up as a kid on the East Side, being able to help this team win and being a part of something great and changing the culture means a lot to me.”
He gets to face his old team next weekend and carrying 8 times for 48 yards and the two scores.
“Kareem ran pissed off,” Mayfield said. “He ran like he wanted to get to Kansas City.”
Nick Chubb put up 76 yards on 18 carries. Chubb also caught four passes for 69 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown.
“It was a great call,” Chubb said. “They blitzed into it and the linebacker to the side was on Baker. It was great execution by us.”
With Super Wild Card weekend in the books, the NFL saved the best for last with the Browns who lead in scoring, touchdowns, takeaways and interceptions in the playoffs.
With the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs on deck next Sunday afternoon in Kansas City, the Browns will be back in a familiar position: underdogs once again.
“Sounds pretty normal to me,” Mayfield said.