PITTSBURGH — The Cleveland Browns fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-14 in the final game of the season on Sunday.
Cleveland came into the game looking to sweep the Steelers for the first time since 1988 and finish ahead of them in the standings for the first time since 1989.
Instead, the Browns (7-10) couldn't protect Watson as he was sacked seven times and had two turnovers converted into 10 points by Pittsburgh, as Cleveland finished at the bottom of the AFC North and have lost at least 10 games for the 17th time since returning to the league in 1999.
Cleveland broke the scoreless tie in the second quarter, driving 71 yards in ten plays, as Deshaun Watson hit David Njoku for a 10-yard scoring pass to give the Browns a 7-0 lead with 6:27 remaining.
But the Steelers would answer with a scoring drive of their own as Kenny Pickett would hit a wide open George Pickens for a 31-yard score to the tie the game up with 1:47 on the clock.
On the Browns ensuing possession, Watson would be picked off by cornerback Levi Wallace, to give Pittsburgh the ball at the Cleveland 44 with 1:11 left before halftime.
The Steelers (9-8) would make Cleveland pay for the turnover, as Chris Boswell would kick a 49-yard field goal to give Pittsburgh a 10-7.
From that point on Pittsburgh would not relinquish the lead, as they put together a solid performance in the second half, scoring on three of its four drives and limiting the Browns to 132 yards — with 77 of those yards coming on Cleveland's only scoring drive of the half — to give coach Mike Tomlin his 16th straight non-losing season.
Pittsburgh players and fans spent most of the second half scoreboard watching, as the Steelers needed a Miami loss to make the playoffs. But those playoff chances vanished when the Dolphins kicked a late field goal and tacked on a safety to beat the New York Jets to earn the final spot in the AFC playoffs.
Watson completed 19 of 29 passes for 230 yards with two touchdowns, but threw two interceptions.
Nick Chubb rushed for 77 yards in the game to join Jim Brown as the only players in Browns history to eclipse 1,500 yards rushing in a season. Chubb also caught a touchdown pass.
Cleveland 0 7 0 7 = 14
Pittsburgh 0 10 10 8 = 28
Second Quarter CLE—David Njoku 10 pass from Deshaun Watson (Cade York kick), 6:27. PIT—George Pickens 31 pass from Kenny Pickett (Chris Boswell kick), 1:47. PIT—Chris Boswell 49 field goal, 0:38. Third Quarter PIT—Chris Boswell 34 field goal, 9:04. PIT—Najee Harris 4 run (Chris Boswell kick), 3:12.
Fourth Quarter
CLE—Nick Chubb 2 pass from Deshaun Watson (Cade York kick), 10:11. PIT—Derek Watt 1 run (Kenny Pickett pass to Diontae Johnson), 4:37.
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