Browns Continue Trend in Pittsburgh, Lose to Steelers 23-9: Game Notes

The offense remains among the worst in the NFL after another rough performance.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 12: Dillon Gabriel #8 of the Cleveland Browns throws under pressure from Nick Herbig #51 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter in the game at Acrisure Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Sure felt like we have watched that type of game in Pittsburgh many times over the last few decades. The Browns defense doing enough to compete but versions of the Browns offenses over the years not being able to muster enough ball movement and points to get the job done. Today’s 23-9 final score was never in much doubt as the Browns offense showed through the first half that finding the endzone would be a tough endeavor given their inability to run the ball with any success and then a passing game that has to get the ball out in under 2.25s or the play is over. The world they are living inside on the offense is impossible to navigate and it was tough to move the ball again on Sunday.

I am not sure where it all goes from here but the performances of the offense, and now two straight weeks of the Browns defense playing below standard, does have you concerned about the future of this entire operation. The messaging feels to be falling flat and the players appear to be going about things through the motions and without much conviction there will be a quality result. The concern is real. But those concerns will have a bigger day in the future. How far away that future is, well, that remains to be seen. I will just say the next five weeks are wildly important.

Here are the Week 6 Game Notes.

(Courtesy of the Cleveland Browns)

• It’s getting more bland by the week. I understand it’s never easy to move the ball in Pittsburgh but the Browns lack of much creativity in structure and ability to get the job done on the “dirty” plays is a massive problem. They only went for 248 yards on the day and if you remove the outlier game against the Broncos last year, the offense has put up the worst EPA/play by a wide margin (-0.23) compared to the next closest team, the Titans (-0.15). This is a train-wreck from all levels.

• Dillon Gabriel was asked to drop back 58 times in this game. This is borderline abuse. Even before you throw in replacing two offensive tackles during the game. He didn’t uplift the offense by any means, but he also didn’t play poorly considering the surrounding elements. I will watch the tape closely but there are probably some misses on his part while he was also under attack all afternoon.

• The run game was non-existent as the Steelers held the Browns to 2.8 yard rushing when under-center and the group only rushed for 65 yards on the day, a season low. There should have been a bigger emphasis on finding some shotgun run game looks that left the Steelers suspect to numbers or leverage but nothing felt consistent in approach. Quinshon Judkins seemed fine and there was a larger role for Dylan Sampson in this one, but there was little to be earned naturally and they didn’t create much above the expected.

• The wide receiver group is a mess. Jerry Jeudy is their only real threat but he cannot catch the football consistently and that kills the Browns on key drives. Then the remainder of the group is less a threat with a lack of consistently separating and just proving an inability to be effective downfield. There was a moment where Isaiah Bond didn’t have his head around on a mesh concept, was hit with the ball hit in the head, and then complained at teammates expecting more of him. It is a mess.