The Cleveland Browns came away with a big win over the Steelers on Thursday night, but it wasn't an easy one. Cleveland had to respond after giving up the opening touchdown and then hold off Pittsburgh late.

From Deshaun Watson's game-winning drive to a strong showing from the defense, several moments shaped the Browns' 2026 Week 4 win.

1. Watson puts Browns in first place

The Browns had to fight for it, but they got the result they wanted on Thursday night. Deshaun Watson had some good moments and some shaky ones, but he came through when Cleveland needed him most.

“The end result and the impressive play in between are the largest takeaways, though,” analyst Grant Gordon wrote on NFL.com on October 2.

Watson finished 24-of-33 for 268 yards and a touchdown to Harold Fannin Jr. He also led the final drive that set up Andre Szmyt's 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left.

Grant Delpit then picked off Aaron Rodgers to close out the win. Cleveland will finish Week 4 on top of the AFC North.

2. Steelers' offense lost its rhythm

Pittsburgh got off to a strong start, but things became much harder after that opening drive. Aaron Rodgers spent much of the night under pressure as the Browns found ways to make life difficult for the Steelers' offense.

“A methodical start and a frenetic finish weren’t enough to erase the ugliness in between for Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers' offense,” Gordon wrote.

Rodgers threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, but his second interception came at the worst possible time and ended the game. He was also sacked five times and hit 10 times.

After scoring a touchdown on their opening drive, the Steelers managed only three points over their next seven drives.

3. Browns' defense made the big plays

Cleveland's defense kept finding ways to stop Pittsburgh, especially when the Steelers were trying to build momentum. Denzel Ward's interception in the second quarter was one of the plays that helped turn the game around.

“Cleveland was excellent, defensively, and its special teams units were outstanding,” Gordon wrote.

The Browns finished with three takeaways and kept Rodgers under pressure throughout the game. Szmyt also came through when called upon, making all three extra points and the 56-yard field goal that gave Cleveland the lead. Corey Bojorquez added four strong punts, averaging 62.8 yards.

4. Young Browns players stepped up

The Browns got some big plays from their younger offensive players during a second-quarter stretch that completely changed the game. Cleveland went from trailing 7-0 to leading 21-7 after scoring three straight touchdowns.

“There were flashes aplenty from the Browns’ youthful skill position players, and they played monster roles in the Browns’ offensive surge in the second quarter,” Gordon added.

Jaleel McLaughlin started the run with a 28-yard touchdown. Rookie Denzel Boston then made a 60-yard catch that set up Quinshon Judkins' 2-yard touchdown run.

KC Concepcion caught five passes for 64 yards, while Boston finished with four catches for 89 yards. Fannin also caught Watson's 2-yard touchdown pass.

5. Steelers' defense couldn't finish the job

Pittsburgh's defense did give the team a chance late in the game. T.J. Watt forced and recovered a fumble, while Robert Spears-Jennings picked off Watson on the next Browns possession. But the Steelers couldn't turn those plays into a comeback.

“It wasn’t enough, though,” Gordon added.

Watson was pressured on 21.6% of his dropbacks and was sacked twice. Pittsburgh's defense had its moments, but Cleveland's defense made more of the plays that mattered.

The win also gave the Browns their eighth straight victory on Thursday, extending the NFL's longest active Thursday winning streak.

Cleveland found a way to finish the night on top after a back-and-forth game. Watson made the key plays late, the defense came up with three takeaways, and the Browns' young offensive players also had their moments.

With the win, Cleveland heads into the rest of Week 4 sitting first in the AFC North.

Written by

Debanjali Rakshit