Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner (30). – (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns gave NFL fans another wild chapter to one of the oldest rivalries in professional sports. The opening week of the season is always good for a handful of games which will leave viewers shaking their heads, fist-pumping for more, and anxious to get to work the next morning to talk about it. Anthony D. Stevenson is not only our latest addition to the Baseline Perspective team, he’s born and bred from the “HARDLAND OF AMERICA”, Cleveland, Ohio. It’s only right then that a “dawg pounder for life” gives you our very first FAN PERSPECTIVE column!
Okay!!!! This is the year that we turn things around. New team, new swag and who better to unleash it on than our proverbial big brother menace, the Pittsburgh Steelers…and in our house no less. No La’Veon Bell, the offensive line talking bad about him in the press and just straight turmoil in the family. We got this!!
The game started and our defense picked up where if left off in the pre-season, flying around and making plays. Then all of a sudden it seemed like someone told James Connor that La’Veon Bell called and said he was on his way to Cleveland to suit up and he was going to the bench. Connor started cutting up our defense like he was trying to Beat Bobby Flay. For a moment, he was actually looking like Bell.
But then Myles Garrett introduced himself to Big Ben Roethlisberger…twice. Once causing a turnover. That was one of 6, yes 6 turnovers that the Browns defense caused. Now one would say 6 turnovers, we should’ve blown the Steelers out right? Wrong! Why? Because the same ugly problems with our offense showed up again. Penalties, penalties, penalties. We would get some positive things going and here comes a penalty and we couldn’t overcome it.
Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns – ( (Joshua Gunter / cleveland.com))
So with about 7:42 left in the fourth quarter, the Steelers up by 14 points with the ball, to see Browns fans leaving the stands like they were giving away free drinks in the parking lot was normal; based on last year’s Browns. Oh but these ain’t last year’s Browns. All we heard out of Cleveland during training camp was that this was a new team. Well they showed it today. They showed it so much that fans started coming back into stadium. Luckily they weren’t charged to get back in. But they got to see the new Browns fight, scratch and claw their way back to tie the game at 21, culminating with an acrobatic touchdown catch by Josh Gordon that will definitely be featured on Nate Burleson’s “Toe Drag Swag” segment.
So we go to overtime! It’s finally our day right? We are finally going send the Steelers back to Pittsburgh as losers. We win the coin toss and get first possession in overtime. It’s time to go down and score and wash the stench of 0 – 16 from our very souls…right? C’mon, it’s the Cleveland Browns and staying true to who we are, we go 3 and out and have to punt. Here we go again is the thought that runs through my mind as the Steelers take the ball and drive down the field into field goal range.
At this point I have a headache and I’m looking for something to throw as they line up for the game winning field goal. Something soft of course, I’m not about to destroy my TV.
Snap is down, kick is up…and the football Gods, for once since 1999, smiled upon us. NO GOOD!!!! Chris Boswell, Mr. Automatic, missed it wide left. Finally, things are swinging our way…right? Ahh no!!! Again we go 3 and out and a punt. It’s like we are begging Big Ben to beat us. But wait!!! Our defense is like “nah, we’re not going out like that” as they sack Big Ben, forcing a fumble that pops up in the air, right into the waiting hands of Joe Schobert. He takes off towards the end zone but it looks like he’s running in sand. “Go Joe” I can feel that fans screaming. He can see the win right in front of him but he’s just not fast enough to get there. He was pushed out of bounds at the Pittsburgh 12 yard line.
After yet another penalty, we set up for the game winning field goal and we are about to get our first win in a season and a half. Snap, ball down, kick is up…BLOCKED!!!! Damn!!! Game ends in a tie.
So many gifts and we just couldn’t cash in and close the deal. It was like watching your wife prepare a delicious German Chocolate cake, anticipating how great it’s going to taste and just as you get ready to cut you a piece, the cake falls on the floor. Damn, Damn, Damn!!! Well, the good news is that we do have the ingredients to make another German Chocolate cake next week against the Saints. Hopefully we’ll get to eat that one.
I loved this article. I’m not a Cleveland Browns fan but I feel their pain. My Cowboys just can’t seem to get out of their own way 😔. But…how bout dem Cowboys 🤠!!!