Thursday Night Football: Deshaun Watson leads Browns to 27-24 win over Steelers

Posted by Admin October 2, 2026 NFL

The Browns is the Browns? Forget that.

Cleveland upset Pittsburgh 27-24 on Thursday Night Football, moving into sole possession of first place in the AFC North if only briefly. The Browns are 3-1, a half-game better than the Bengals and Ravens, while the Steelers are 2-2.

Browns kicker Andre Szmyt kicked a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left for the game-winner in an entertaining game.

Aaron Rodgers had the ball at the 35 after the Browns kicked it into the end zone, but safety Grant Delpit intercepted Rodgers at the Cleveland 18.

Deshaun Watson played a flawless first half, with 181 yards and a touchdown, before the Steelers adjusted in the second half. The Browns quarterback finished 24-of-33 for 268 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Both of his turnovers came in the second half, with his interception changing the momentum.

On the second play of the final quarter, the Steelers had a pass interference penalty overturned on replay and reversed to an interception.

Robert Spears-Jennings intercepted Watson’s deep pass intended for Denzel Boston. Steelers defensive back Daylen Everette was called for defensive pass interference, though, and the 42-yard penalty had the Browns at the Pittsburgh 23. The Steelers challenged the play, and it was reversed on replay because Jack Sawyer tipped the pass at the line of scrimmage, negating the penalty.

It led to Rodgers’ second touchdown pass, a 21-yarder to tight end Darnell Washington, that drew the Steelers to within 21-16 after a failed 2-point conversion.

After Szmyt’s 44-yard field goal, Rodgers drove the Steelers to a late tie.

The Steelers faced a fourth-and-10 at the Cleveland 11 with 1:51 remaining. Rodgers targeted Washington for a third consecutive play, and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren was penalized for pass interference. Rodgers then hit Pat Freiermuth for a 3-yard touchdown on the next play, with 1:42 left. Rodgers tied it with a quarterback sneak on the 2-point conversion from the 1-yard line after Jared Verse jumped offsides.

The Steelers, though, couldn’t stop the Browns, who drove 36 yards in seven plays for the winning field goal.

Cleveland finished with 372 yards and the Steelers 361.

Rodgers went 22-of-40 for 299 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Jaylen Warren rushed for 93 yards on 17 carries, and DK Metcalf caught five passes for 115 yards. Roman Wilson added three catches for 74 yards.

The Browns sacked Rodgers five times, but they had to overcome 14 penalties for 88 yards.