The Browns bottled up the run but had no answers for Ben Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh’s potent passing attack Sunday at Heinz Field.
Cleveland’s struggles against the deep ball and self-inflicted errors paved the way to a 30-9 loss.
Roethlisberger, playing with an injured foot, threw for 379 yards and three touchdowns against a Browns defense that was without two Pro Bowl defensive backs. Antonio Brown (10 catches, 139 yards, two touchdowns) and Martavis Bryant (six catches, 178 yards, touchdown) accounted for most of the damage, and they did it with a handful of back-breaking big plays.
Johnny Manziel, in his second consecutive start, threw for a career-high 372 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked six times and his fumble on the Browns’ first possession led to a Pittsburgh field goal. The Browns rushed for just 15 yards, 17 coming from Manziel.
The loss was Cleveland’s fifth in a row and dropped the team to 2-8 heading into the bye. Pittsburgh moved to 6-4.
Manziel was at his best on a third-quarter drive that summed up Cleveland’s shortcomings.
Trailing 24-3 early in the third quarter, Manziel completed a number of nice passes from the pocket on a drive that milked more than 9 minutes off the clock. The Browns reached the 1-yard line on a Manziel scramble but moved backward 24 yards after a holding penalty, illegal formation penalty and sack. Manziel’s pass on fourth-and-goal was intercepted.
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