Team Grades: Ben Roethlisberger Comes Off Bench To Help Steelers Dominate Browns
By Danny Cox
Sunday's game between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers is one that was looking to be a good one. The Steelers not having Ben Roethlisberger under center makes the playing field a bit more even. Unfortunately for the Browns, Landry Jones got hurt early and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin didn't even think of putting Michael Vick into the game.
Four quarters later, the Steelers dominated the Browns and defeated them by a score of 30-9.
Offense: A-
Landry Jones had just four pass attempts before injuring his leg and heading out of the game. Ben Roethlisberger came in and completed 22-of-33 passes for 379 yards and three touchdowns. He did throw one interception and was sacked just one time while two receivers hit the century mark.
Martavis Bryant had a career day with six receptions for 178 yards and one score. Antonio Browns had 10 receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns of his own.
Rushing wise, DeAngelo Williams had a sub-par day with just 54 yards on 17 carries. It wasn't really a big deal though considering the day that Big Ben had.
Defense: B+
Johnny Manziel had one of the best games of his young career, but he just couldn't get the Browns in the end zone. Except for a fumble early in the game, which looked like the ball just slipped out of his hand, he played well but got little backup. The Steelers allowed Manziel to throw for 372 yards and one score, but picked him off once and also sacked him six times.
The abysmal rushing game of Cleveland didn't do much better against Pittsburgh either. Manziel led the team with 17 rushing yards while running backs Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell combined for just five yards on 10 carries. The Steelers looked strong, especially Will Allen (11 tackles) and Lawrence Timmons (10 tackles, 1 sack).
Special Teams: B
Chris Boswell hit all three of his extra point attempts but went one of two on field goal shots. Not that it was really needed, but he still had a good game overall. Other than that, special teams didn't do a whole lot and could improve some on kickoff coverage as the Browns averaged 25 yards per return.
Coaching: A
Mike Tomlin's game plan had to be tossed right out the window after Landry Jones ended up injuring his left leg and having to head to the sidelines. Instead of bringing in backup Michael Vick, Tomlin went with his wounded starter and simply allowed him to do his thing. It worked perfectly and led to a huge victory for Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting at 6-4, but they're playing better each and every week. It also looks as if Roethlisberger is healthy enough to not only be productive, but totally lead the team. The defense is playing well and with a lot of fire and strength. Yes, the Cleveland Browns aren't one of the better teams in the league, but it was an impressive victory and a good sign going forward for the Steelers.
Danny Cox knows a little something about the NFL, whether it means letting you know what penalty will come from the flag just thrown on the field or quickly spouting off who the Chicago Bears drafted in the first round of the 1987 draft (Jim Harbaugh). He plans on bringing you the best news, previews, recaps, and anything else that may come along with the exciting world of the National Football League. Danny is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com.