Takeaways: Steelers waste 2 INTs, lose to Browns

Steel City Underground presents post-game takeaways following each 2025 NFL regular season game that focuses on how the Pittsburgh Steelers performed, key statistics, their opponents and more! 

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered Sunday’s game at Huntington Bank Stadium coming off of a stunning victory against the Detroit Lions only to lose to the Cleveland Browns, 13-6. Although the Pittsburgh defense held up despite injuries to key players, the offense could not capitalize on opportunities and two interceptions were wasted. We offer our takeaways from NFL Week 17’s letdown.

Inconsistency in pass, reception game

Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers knew he was going to have a test against the No. 2 defense in the NFL through 17 weeks of play in Cleveland, and he struggled to build a rhythm in the passing game. The Browns pressured often, forcing quick thinking and throws.

Without D.K. Metcalf or Calvin Austin (the Steelers’ top receivers), and losing tight end Darnell Washington (arm fracture) to injury during the game, it became a difficult  transition to get on the same page with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Scotty Miller, and Adam Thielen once Pittsburgh’s run game was bottled up. That trio accounted for just 60 yards on 8 completions, combined.

“We certainly got capable men, and we expect those guys to make necessary plays. We certainly didn’t make enough today,” head coach Mike Tomlin said.

Early game drops could be contributed to the weather, but as things cleared up on the field, catches still came at a premium.

“We didn’t execute very well on third down,” Rodgers admitted in his post-game presser. “I didn’t have a very good game… win or lose, that’s what you do, you move on to the next game.”

The Steelers will now have to play the Baltimore Ravens in a must-win game to claim the AFC North division crown.

Two takeaways, one missed field goal

Pittsburgh’s story could be very different. After Alex Highsmith hit Shedeur Sanders to cause the interception rookie linebacker Jack Sawyer caught and Kyle Dugger grabbed another easy INT, the Steelers also very nearly got another interception that would have been an open trip into the end zone. Had those defensive turnovers been translated into points, the Steelers likely would have clinched the AFC North division.

In the game, usually solid placekicker Chris Boswell also missed a field goal well within his range. Blame field conditions, humidity, or the wind, and the fact still remains that the ball did not make it through the uprights. That is points that would have made the score, at least, 13-9.

The fact is, on the last Sunday game in December, the Steelers succumbed to adversity instead of overcoming it.

One of the better defensive performances of season

It may not have felt like the Steelers defense was making a statement due to the final result of the game, but they had one of their better performances of the season in Cleveland. They held the Browns to just 262 yards of offense. That is the second-lowest yards allowed to any opponent during the 2025 NFL regular season by Pittsburgh.

Highsmith recorded the only sacks for Pittsburgh (2.0) and added 2 tackles for a loss, with 4 quarterback hits.

Final thoughts

With Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell on the field, it was a poor decision on Arthur Smith and Rodgers – who admitted he didn’t hand the ball off enough – to abandon a run game. Yes, Cleveland was stacking their front, but the Steelers barely utilized their “jumbo” package. Yes, Washington had to leave the game, but surely there were other ways to go back to the ground.

One of the best plays of the game was a wildcat snap to Connor Heyward that the tight end carried for a 29-yard gain.

The Steelers need to return to complimentary football if they hope to hand the Ravens a defeat in the final game of the regular season.