Russell Wilson throws 2 touchdowns as Steelers cruise past mistake-prone Browns
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) carries in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5), wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) and wide receiver Michael Woods II (81) celebrate Jeudy's touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) scrambles in front of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Preston Smith (91) before throwing a touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy in the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) celebrates with teammate Michael Woods II (81) after scoring a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) carries between Cleveland Browns linebacker Jordan Hicks, left, and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) in the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Michael Woods II (81) carries as Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. (31) defends in the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
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Cleveland Browns place kicker Dustin Hopkins (7) misses a field goal in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
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Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) catches a pass in front of Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) in the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
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Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) tumbles over Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) after Freiermuth caught a pass in the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Van Jefferson scores a touchdown in the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) passes under pressure from Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) in the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22), center, celebrates his rushing touchdown with teammate tight end Pat Freiermuth (88) in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) is at left. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
PITTSBURGH — Russell Wilson threw for 158 yards and two touchdowns and the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled away from the mistake-prone Cleveland Browns 27-14 Sunday.
The Steelers (10-3) beat Cleveland at home during the regular season for the 21st straight time, even with leading receiver George Pickens watching from the sideline while missing the first game of his career due to a groin injury.
While it took Wilson a while to get going with the productive if volatile Pickens out of the mix, he found his footing in the second half by connecting on touchdown passes to Pat Freiermuth and Van Jefferson as the Steelers moved two games ahead of rival Baltimore for the AFC North lead with four weeks to go.
The Browns (3-10) saw their chance to sweep Pittsburgh for the first time since 1988 disappear behind a pair of missed field goals by Dustin Hopkins and an ill-advised throw by Jameis Winston in the second quarter that Steelers defensive tackle Keeanu Benton returned deep into Cleveland territory to jumpstart a Pittsburgh offense that had looked out of sync early without Pickens.
Winston avoided the pick-6s that have dogged him throughout his career — including last week in Denver — but did little after hitting Jerry Jeudy for a 35-yard touchdown in the first quarter that gave the Browns an early lead. Winston finished 24 of 41 for 211 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Nick Chubb ran for 48 yards in his return to Pittsburgh after a devastating knee injury on the same field 15 months ago forced him to miss more than a year. Yet, the Steelers kept Myles Garrett relatively in check after the defensive star racked up three sacks in Cleveland's snowy upset Nov. 21, and Pittsburgh's defensive provided the spark that brought the offense to life.
The surge began when Winston's screen pass intended for Chubb landed in the hands of the 6-foot-4, 309-pound Benton, who lugged his first career interception 11 yards. Najee Harris bulled over from 1 yard out five plays later to give the Steelers a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Cleveland had chances to keep the Steelers within sight, but Hopkins missed a pair of makeable kicks into the closed end at breezy Acrisure Stadium to rob the Browns of any momentum and Pittsburgh pounced.
The Steelers turned Hopkins' first miss into a 53-yard field goal by Chris Boswell that made it 13-7. They turned his second miss — and six in his last nine attempts — into a 68-yard drive that ended with a perfectly executed run/pass option by Wilson, who faked a handoff to Jaylen Warren and found a wide-open Jefferson for a 10-yard score that made it 20-7.
Pittsburgh's Elandon Roberts stuffed Chubb for a 4-yard loss on fourth down to end Cleveland's next drive, and Wilson connected with Freiermuth down the seam. The tight end chugged into the newly painted yellow end zone to send the Browns on their way to their 18th season of at least 10 losses since the franchise returned in 1999.
Steelers: DT Larry Ogunjobi (groin) left in the first half and did not return. ... DB Donte Jackson (back) exited in the third quarter
Steelers: Travel to cross-state rival Philadelphia next Sunday, Dec. 15.
