PITTSBURGH – Acrisure Stadium was drenched in Week 6, and the matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns turned into a muddy, hard-fought divisional clash. Despite moments of promise, the Steelers came up short in a 31–28 loss that left plenty for head coach DK LaFleur and his staff to dissect on film.
Quarterback Desmond Ridder managed the rain as best he could, finishing with 345 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions while completing 70 percent of his throws for a 94.5 passer rating. “Desmond battled, but we’ve got to protect the ball better,” LaFleur said after the game. “There are a couple of things we’ll go over in the film room that stood out, and I know he’ll respond the right way.”
On the ground, however, the Steelers left a lot to be desired. Jaylen Warren rushed for 37 yards, and the run game never found rhythm against a stout Browns front. Coach LaFleur took responsibility afterward, noting that the offense simply did not establish the balance needed in tough weather. “In a rain game like this, you have to lean on the ground attack, and we didn’t do that well enough,” LaFleur admitted. “A lot of that falls on me. I need to put our backs in better positions, commit to it, and make sure we are dictating the tempo. That starts with coaching.”
In contrast, Cleveland thrived in the trenches. Browns running back Quinshon Judkins stole the spotlight with 4 rushing touchdowns on 15 carries for 65 yards, consistently finishing drives in the red zone. His ability to punch the ball in highlighted the difference between the two sides on the day.
The Steelers’ receiving corps did provide highlights, with DK Metcalf and Jonnu Smith each catching touchdowns. But several promising drives fizzled, including a costly missed field goal by Chris Boswell in the wet conditions that loomed large late in the game.
Defensively, Pittsburgh showed flashes of toughness. T.J. Watt added a sack, and Jalen Ramsey grabbed an interception to stymie a Browns drive. Importantly, despite giving up 267 passing yards to Shedeur Sanders, the defense held strong by not allowing a single passing touchdown. Sanders finished the afternoon with just a 51 percent completion rate, a figure that reflected both the sloppy conditions and the Steelers’ consistent pressure and coverage. “That’s something to hang our hat on,” LaFleur said. “In a rain game like this, it’s never easy, but our defense answered the call. They battled, made Sanders uncomfortable, and kept us in the fight. That deserves a lot of credit. But there are still details to clean up. We’ll see them on film, and we’ll correct them.”
For Steelers Nation, the 31–28 defeat is frustrating, especially at home against a division rival. Still, LaFleur emphasized accountability, improvement, and growth. “We fought hard, but we’ve got to be sharper in the run game, better with the football, and more disciplined across the board. It starts with me, and I’ll make sure we’re better.”
– Forged In Steel Times
