WHAT WENT RIGHT
* After winning the toss and deferring, the Browns kicked off to the Steelers, who chose to begin in the no-huddle despite 20-degree temperatures with winds out of the west at 31 miles an hour. The possession ended with a 47-yard field goal by Shaun Suisham. A quick throw to Emmanuel Sanders gained 14 when he left CB Buster Skrine grasping at air, and Ben Roethlisberger made OLB Jabaal Sheard leave his feet before sidestepping him and completing a 13-yard pass to Heath Miller.
- The Browns had converted three of their first four third downs when they were facing a third-and-2 at the Pittsburgh 35-yard line. Cameron Heyward sacked Jason Campbell to convince the Browns to punt. Cleveland's next third down situation was a third-and-11 from the Pittsburgh 44-yard line. This time it was Troy Polamalu covering TE Jordan Cameron, and Polamalu almost came up with a diving interception and the Browns punted again.
- Antonio Brown came into the game needing 48 yards receiving to go over 1,000 for the season. The catch that put him over the top was a 41-yard touchdown that gave the Steelers a 10-3 lead late in the second quarter. On the play, Brown beat CB Joe Haden down the left sideline. After Brown made the initial catch, Haden was able to get his hands in there to rake the ball loose, but Brown was able to secure it and prevent it from hitting the ground to complete the catch for the touchdown that gave the Steelers a 10-3 lead.
- Following the kickoff, the Steelers got their first takeaway of the game. On a run up the middle by Chris Ogbonnaya, Troy Polamalu met him about 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage and grabbed at the ball and ripped it loose. Polamalu recovered the fumble as well, and the Steelers drove to the field goal that gave them a 13-3 lead at halftime.
- On the possession following their failed fourth-down rushing attempt, the Steelers got their second takeaway. On a third-and-7 from the Pittsburgh 39-yard line, CB William Gay came on a blitz, and he sacked/stripped Jason Campbell. Will Allen scooped the ball and returned it 49 yards to the Browns 4-yard line. On the next play, Ben Roethlisberger threw a quick slant to Emmanuel Sanders for the touchdown that gave the Steelers a 20-3 lead.
- The Browns used 13 plays to drive from their own 25-yard line to the Steelers 28-yard line. There, the drive stalled, and Billy Cundiff missed a 46-yard field goal attempt that seemed to be blown off course by a wind gust.
- Ben Roethlisberger's pooch punt from the Cleveland 29-yard line was downed at the 1-yard line by Emmanuel Sanders.
- The Browns first play following Roethlisberger's punt was a 47-yard completion to Josh Gordon. But three plays after that, Troy Polamalu sacked/stripped QB Brandon Weeden, with Cameron Heyward recovering the ball for the Steelers with 6:15 to play.
WHAT WENT WRONG
* On the Browns' initial third down situation, a third-and-5, a crossing pattern by WR Josh Gordon gained 24 yards to the Pittsburgh 36-yard line. The Steelers were in their dime defense at the time.
- On their second possession, the Steelers were faced with a fourth-and-inches at their own 38-yard line. Ben Roethlisberger quickly lined up the offense over the football, but the attempt to draw the Browns defense offside didn't work and the Steelers burned a timeout.
- On a third-and-6 from the Cleveland 23-yard line, Troy Polamalu rushed the passer and Lawrence Timmons was left in man-to-man coverage on TE Jordan Cameron. On the play, Cameron ran a post-corner type route and was wide open for a 16-yard gain. On the next third down, a third-and-3, the Browns went to RB Chris Ogbonnaya for 11.
- The Steelers were faced with a third-and-1 from the Cleveland 45-yard line before the midway point of the third quarter. Jonathan Dwyer was stuffed on third down, and the Steelers elected to go for it on fourth down. Dwyer again hit it up into the middle of the line of scrimmage and appeared to get close, if not across, the 44-yard line. The ball was spotted at the 45-yard line, however, and it remained there even after Mike Tomlin challenged the spot.
- With a 20-3 lead, the Steelers got the ball with 1:29 left in the third quarter. The offense ran five plays before punting, with four of them being passes. As a result, the Steelers used only 35 seconds off the clock before he Browns got the ball back.
