Final: Steelers (6-2) 27, Browns (5-3) 6 · Week 8
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Some thoughts: I believe it wasn't so much the oline that failed vs the squealers, it was who was at qb. They saw what the Browns were able to do and shut it down - they know twatson is stupid and reads slow - eight sacks? gotta be kidding. twatson fumbled twice the first game vs the squealers, once the last game. Howard is a penalty machine - needs to clean that up. Fano is excellent - but will get stronger with more experience. As a rookie LT: 2026 Season Performance
Draft Status: Selected 9th overall in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Utah. Role: Started all 8 games for the Browns at left tackle. On-Field Play: After a bumpy debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he has settled in nicely, giving up very few pressures and earning praise as a foundational piece for Cleveland's offensive line. Recent Game: He started in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers (a 27-6 loss) and was self-critical of his performance in the post-game press conference.It's been six weeks, and Fano continues to turn heads every time he sets foot on the field. After an up-and-down debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he's been lights-out in his last five starts. Spencer Fano is already looking like the Browns' long-term answer at left tackle
According to Pro Football Focus, Fano has a 69.3 overall grade, which ranks 24th among 74 eligible players. However, the actual raw data shows better production than PFF's algorithm.
Over six weeks, the No. 9 overall pick has allowed a grand total of 12 pressures, including 11 hurries and one sack. That's two pressures per game, which is excellent for a rookie left tackle. It's even more impressive when you consider that half of Fano's total pressures allowed came in a single game (Week 3 vs. Carolina).
Other than that, Fano has gone two games without allowing a single pressure, and he's only allowed more than two pressures twice in his first six career games. He's been dealt some tough matchups, but he's held his ground more often than not.
Fano has also been called for just two penalties, one of which was declined.
about twatson:
Deshaun Watson has never been known for his quick decision-making. Also, he tends to take around eight steps on every dropback, making life difficult for his offensive linemen who are trying to give him a clean pocket. Even so, Fano has pushed guys out of the way to keep his quarterback's blindside clean way more often than not.
Watson is averaging 3.1 seconds to throw, which isn't particularly quick (in fact, it's tied for the third-slowest rate in the NFL). That stat illustrates how well the offensive line is holding up, though.
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Some thoughts: I believe it wasn't so much the oline that failed vs the squealers, it was who was at qb. They saw what the Browns were able to do and shut it down - they know twatson is stupid and reads slow - eight sacks? gotta be kidding. twatson fumbled twice the first game vs the squealers, once the last game. Howard is a penalty machine - needs to clean that up. Fano is excellent - but will get stronger with more experience. As a rookie LT: 2026 Season Performance
Draft Status: Selected 9th overall in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Utah. Role: Started all 8 games for the Browns at left tackle. On-Field Play: After a bumpy debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he has settled in nicely, giving up very few pressures and earning praise as a foundational piece for Cleveland's offensive line. Recent Game: He started in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers (a 27-6 loss) and was self-critical of his performance in the post-game press conference.It's been six weeks, and Fano continues to turn heads every time he sets foot on the field. After an up-and-down debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he's been lights-out in his last five starts. Spencer Fano is already looking like the Browns' long-term answer at left tackle
According to Pro Football Focus, Fano has a 69.3 overall grade, which ranks 24th among 74 eligible players. However, the actual raw data shows better production than PFF's algorithm.
Over six weeks, the No. 9 overall pick has allowed a grand total of 12 pressures, including 11 hurries and one sack. That's two pressures per game, which is excellent for a rookie left tackle. It's even more impressive when you consider that half of Fano's total pressures allowed came in a single game (Week 3 vs. Carolina).
Other than that, Fano has gone two games without allowing a single pressure, and he's only allowed more than two pressures twice in his first six career games. He's been dealt some tough matchups, but he's held his ground more often than not.
Fano has also been called for just two penalties, one of which was declined.
about twatson:
Deshaun Watson has never been known for his quick decision-making. Also, he tends to take around eight steps on every dropback, making life difficult for his offensive linemen who are trying to give him a clean pocket. Even so, Fano has pushed guys out of the way to keep his quarterback's blindside clean way more often than not.
Watson is averaging 3.1 seconds to throw, which isn't particularly quick (in fact, it's tied for the third-slowest rate in the NFL). That stat illustrates how well the offensive line is holding up, though.
@calfoxwc said:
Some thoughts: I believe it wasn't so much the oline that failed vs the squealers, it was who was at qb.
Tell that to Judkins. Or anyone else trying to run the ball. Tell them it was the QB that wasn't opening holes for them to run through.
And Watson finished with a QB Rating that was 37 points higher than Rogers'. But Rogers got 200 yards rushing from his gang. - And I don't even Like Watson.Being a Browns fan is a test to see how much you can take. -
@calfoxwc said:
Some thoughts: I believe it wasn't so much the oline that failed vs the squealers, it was who was at qb.
Tell that to Judkins. Or anyone else trying to run the ball. Tell them it was the QB that wasn't opening holes for them to run through.
And Watson finished with a QB Rating that was 37 points higher than Rogers'. But Rogers got 200 yards rushing from his gang. - And I don't even Like Watson.@Orion said:
Tell that to Judkins. Or anyone else trying to run the ball. Tell them it was the QB that wasn't opening holes for them to run through.
And Watson finished with a QB Rating that was 37 points higher than Rogers'. But Rogers got 200 yards rushing from his gang. - And I don't even Like Watson.
No one here "likes" Watson, but we aren't toddlers like cal.
Watson will walk himself into sacks... he will try to extend plays in an attempt to get something down field, and sometimes that results in sacks. He's always going to be a guy who gets sacked.
But the OLine was bad yesterday. Couldn't pass block (including Fano), couldn't run block, committed one penalty after another. -
@tiamat63 said:
@calfoxwc
No, the Oline had its failures
This is highly dependent on the type of pass rusher he is facing.
sure, but also highly dependent on the qb being STUPID, too. He's a rookie. He's going to make mistakes here and there.
The oline also was affected by the STUPID QB. It's hardly the oliine's fault that twatson got sacked all
eight times. The defense knew to stop the run to put more pressure on the stupid qb.
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AI Overview
Deshaun Watson was sacked eight times in the Cleveland Browns' Week 8 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a combination of heavy defensive pressure, holding onto the football too long, and a struggling run game. [1, 2, 3]
Key factors from the 27-6 loss include:- Holding the Ball Too Long: Watson frequently waited for deep or secondary reads instead of getting the ball out quickly or throwing it to checkdowns under duress. He admitted postgame that he needed to "find my checkdowns" and "not try to be a hero".
- Steelers' Defensive Pressure: The Steelers—led by dominant performances from defenders like T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward—consistently collapsed the pocket without needing to heavy-blitz on every play, shifting away from soft coverages to force quick errors.
- Ineffective Run Game & Long Third Downs: Cleveland managed only 34 rushing yards (netting a dismal ground attack compared to previous weeks), which forced Watson into difficult third-and-long passing situations that allowed Pittsburgh's pass rush to tee off.
- Offensive Line & Scheme Struggles: The Browns suffered from poor right-side tackle play and extended play designs (including deep dropbacks) that failed to account for Pittsburgh's aggressive front line. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
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@tiamat63 said:
@calfoxwc
No, the Oline had its failures
This is highly dependent on the type of pass rusher he is facing.
sure, but also highly dependent on the qb being STUPID, too. He's a rookie. He's going to make mistakes here and there.
The oline also was affected by the STUPID QB. It's hardly the oliine's fault that twatson got sacked all
eight times. The defense knew to stop the run to put more pressure on the stupid qb.
****************
AI Overview
Deshaun Watson was sacked eight times in the Cleveland Browns' Week 8 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a combination of heavy defensive pressure, holding onto the football too long, and a struggling run game. [1, 2, 3]
Key factors from the 27-6 loss include:- Holding the Ball Too Long: Watson frequently waited for deep or secondary reads instead of getting the ball out quickly or throwing it to checkdowns under duress. He admitted postgame that he needed to "find my checkdowns" and "not try to be a hero".
- Steelers' Defensive Pressure: The Steelers—led by dominant performances from defenders like T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward—consistently collapsed the pocket without needing to heavy-blitz on every play, shifting away from soft coverages to force quick errors.
- Ineffective Run Game & Long Third Downs: Cleveland managed only 34 rushing yards (netting a dismal ground attack compared to previous weeks), which forced Watson into difficult third-and-long passing situations that allowed Pittsburgh's pass rush to tee off.
- Offensive Line & Scheme Struggles: The Browns suffered from poor right-side tackle play and extended play designs (including deep dropbacks) that failed to account for Pittsburgh's aggressive front line. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
@calfoxwc said:
sure, but also highly dependent on the qb being STUPID, too. He's a rookie. He's going to make mistakes here and there.
The oline also was affected by the STUPID QB. It's hardly the oliine's fault that twatson got sacked all
eight times. The defense knew to stop the run to put more pressure on the stupid qb.
****************
AI Overview
Deshaun Watson was sacked eight times in the Cleveland Browns' Week 8 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a combination of heavy defensive pressure, holding onto the football too long, and a struggling run game. [1, 2, 3]
Key factors from the 27-6 loss include:
Holding the Ball Too Long: Watson frequently waited for deep or secondary reads instead of getting the ball out quickly or throwing it to checkdowns under duress. He admitted postgame that he needed to "find my checkdowns" and "not try to be a hero".
Steelers' Defensive Pressure: The Steelers—led by dominant performances from defenders like T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward—consistently collapsed the pocket without needing to heavy-blitz on every play, shifting away from soft coverages to force quick errors.
Ineffective Run Game & Long Third Downs: Cleveland managed only 34 rushing yards (netting a dismal ground attack compared to previous weeks), which forced Watson into difficult third-and-long passing situations that allowed Pittsburgh's pass rush to tee off.
Offensive Line & Scheme Struggles: The Browns suffered from poor right-side tackle play and extended play designs (including deep dropbacks) that failed to account for Pittsburgh's aggressive front line. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
This from the guy who thought Ben Roethlisberger played for the U of Miami Hurricanes.
No wonder you rely on AI for your hot football takes. Dementia is a son of a bitch. -
@calfoxwc said:
Some thoughts: I believe it wasn't so much the oline that failed vs the squealers, it was who was at qb.
Tell that to Judkins. Or anyone else trying to run the ball. Tell them it was the QB that wasn't opening holes for them to run through.
And Watson finished with a QB Rating that was 37 points higher than Rogers'. But Rogers got 200 yards rushing from his gang. - And I don't even Like Watson.@Orion said:
Tell that to Judkins. Or anyone else trying to run the ball. Tell them it was the QB that wasn't opening holes for them to run through.
And Watson finished with a QB Rating that was 37 points higher than Rogers'. But Rogers got 200 yards rushing from his gang. - And I don't even Like Watson.
Sure, but the first game, the Browns 4 rb's ran for 112 yards on 27 carries. That is a 4.14 yards per carry vs one of the best rush defending teams in the NFL.
What is the difference? The squealers got pissed at losing, and looked at what twatson was able to do and the weak points, and they went after the run game to make twatson carry the team, which of course, he is to slow to make reads , etc etc etc, no pocket awareness, and he's STUPID. The second game, the defense knew how to stop the Browns offense.
Did I mention that twatson is TOO STUPID to be a terrific qb?
***************************************************************************************- Stout Steelers Run Defense: Pittsburgh entered the game as one of the premier rush-defending teams in the NFL (allowing just around 91 yards per game on the season) and completely choked off running lanes.
- Overwhelming Front-Seven Pressure and Sacks: The Steelers harassed quarterback Deshaun Watson with eight sacks, blowing up the pocket and forcing negative-yardage plays that stalled drives before they could develop.
- Discipline and Gap Control: Linebackers like Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson (along with a disciplined defensive line featuring Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt) stayed sound in their assignments, shooting gaps and preventing Cleveland's ground game from getting to the second level.
- Early Deficit and Game Script: After falling behind early and failing to sustain drives, the Browns were forced into a pass-heavy approach—managing only two rushing attempts for -3 yards in the entire fourth quarter as the game got out of reach. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
You can read a complete breakdown of the matchup on the Cleveland Browns Game Recap or check out analysis via Yahoo Sports. [1, 2]
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@Orion said:
Tell that to Judkins. Or anyone else trying to run the ball. Tell them it was the QB that wasn't opening holes for them to run through.
And Watson finished with a QB Rating that was 37 points higher than Rogers'. But Rogers got 200 yards rushing from his gang. - And I don't even Like Watson.
Sure, but the first game, the Browns 4 rb's ran for 112 yards on 27 carries. That is a 4.14 yards per carry vs one of the best rush defending teams in the NFL.
What is the difference? The squealers got pissed at losing, and looked at what twatson was able to do and the weak points, and they went after the run game to make twatson carry the team, which of course, he is to slow to make reads , etc etc etc, no pocket awareness, and he's STUPID. The second game, the defense knew how to stop the Browns offense.
Did I mention that twatson is TOO STUPID to be a terrific qb?
***************************************************************************************- Stout Steelers Run Defense: Pittsburgh entered the game as one of the premier rush-defending teams in the NFL (allowing just around 91 yards per game on the season) and completely choked off running lanes.
- Overwhelming Front-Seven Pressure and Sacks: The Steelers harassed quarterback Deshaun Watson with eight sacks, blowing up the pocket and forcing negative-yardage plays that stalled drives before they could develop.
- Discipline and Gap Control: Linebackers like Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson (along with a disciplined defensive line featuring Cameron Heyward and T.J. Watt) stayed sound in their assignments, shooting gaps and preventing Cleveland's ground game from getting to the second level.
- Early Deficit and Game Script: After falling behind early and failing to sustain drives, the Browns were forced into a pass-heavy approach—managing only two rushing attempts for -3 yards in the entire fourth quarter as the game got out of reach. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
You can read a complete breakdown of the matchup on the Cleveland Browns Game Recap or check out analysis via Yahoo Sports. [1, 2]
@calfoxwc said:
Did I mention that twatson is TOO STUPID
I have said, multiple times, that he plays stupid. But because he takes off running and instead of sliding he puts his head down and takes on tacklers.....and thus gets hurt. I think that QB's that do that are playing stupid. The extra yards they pick up doing that is not worth the risk of the team losing their starting QB and subsequently dropping to the bottom of the division. I'm surprised as hell that he's not on IR yet. And what happened when Watson went into the blue tent and Sanders came in? In 3 plays we got called for Ineligible player downfield, TWICE. Is that a record? Sanders didn't throw the ball. When a screen type play is called the QB has to throw the ball to the receiver or at his feet. One or the other. Because the OLinemen are counting their Mississippi's before they take off up field to block. Let's face it, Watson is the best QB we have on the team (at least according to Monken, and he's no novice).
.....and the Squealers were pissed at Verse...for his trash talking big mouth. And Fano has come out and stated that he's got to play a lot better than what he did. The OLine struggled.
Like Dutch said, nobody here LIKES Watson, but we're not going out of our way to blame him for a loss. Because if you're going to do that, you've gotta be prepared to heap on the praise for a win. -
@calfoxwc said:
Did I mention that twatson is TOO STUPID
I have said, multiple times, that he plays stupid. But because he takes off running and instead of sliding he puts his head down and takes on tacklers.....and thus gets hurt. I think that QB's that do that are playing stupid. The extra yards they pick up doing that is not worth the risk of the team losing their starting QB and subsequently dropping to the bottom of the division. I'm surprised as hell that he's not on IR yet. And what happened when Watson went into the blue tent and Sanders came in? In 3 plays we got called for Ineligible player downfield, TWICE. Is that a record? Sanders didn't throw the ball. When a screen type play is called the QB has to throw the ball to the receiver or at his feet. One or the other. Because the OLinemen are counting their Mississippi's before they take off up field to block. Let's face it, Watson is the best QB we have on the team (at least according to Monken, and he's no novice).
.....and the Squealers were pissed at Verse...for his trash talking big mouth. And Fano has come out and stated that he's got to play a lot better than what he did. The OLine struggled.
Like Dutch said, nobody here LIKES Watson, but we're not going out of our way to blame him for a loss. Because if you're going to do that, you've gotta be prepared to heap on the praise for a win.@Orion said:
I have said, multiple times, that he plays stupid. But because he takes off running and instead of sliding he puts his head down and takes on tacklers.....and thus gets hurt. I think that QB's that do that are playing stupid. The extra yards they pick up doing that is not worth the risk of the team losing their starting QB and subsequently dropping to the bottom of the division. I'm surprised as hell that he's not on IR yet. And what happened when Watson went into the blue tent and Sanders came in? In 3 plays we got called for Ineligible player downfield, TWICE. Is that a record? Sanders didn't throw the ball. When a screen type play is called the QB has to throw the ball to the receiver or at his feet. One or the other. Because the OLinemen are counting their Mississippi's before they take off up field to block. Let's face it, Watson is the best QB we have on the team (at least according to Monken, and he's no novice).
.....and the Squealers were pissed at Verse...for his trash talking big mouth. And Fano has come out and stated that he's got to play a lot better than what he did. The OLine struggled.
Like Dutch said, nobody here LIKES Watson, but we're not going out of our way to blame him for a loss. Because if you're going to do that, you've gotta be prepared to heap on the praise for a win.
I don't like Sanders either. It doesn't matter "who the best qb is" when you have all this talent, a new oliine, but the qb is STUPID and has always held onto the ball
too long, slow to make reads, etc etc etc. Yes, the oline struggled, and sure, Yes, the squealers were pissed at Verse, but they thrive on that kind of crap, when they already LOST to the Browns in Cleveland, and they made adjustments to stop the run and put all the pressure on the STUPID qb. As soon as most folks read Verse's comments, that was a very bad sign. May as well be calling Jack Lambert a girlieman in the media. lol
Fano is a ROOKIE. As a ROOKIE, he is playing terrific, just not perfect. twatson had plenty of time to run a play. We now have the wr's. and the tight ends. I did not say twatson should be benched. I'm saying that it is amazing that the Browns have won some games with twatson as qb. He's athletic, except for his brain.
You aren't blaming twatson for a loss, fine. I'm just saying against the steelers' vaunted run defense, one of the very best in the league; the squealers shut down the run
and put all the pressure on the passing game, and they teed off on the pass rush. Try that with a Kosar, Peyton Manning, etc etc etc - you'll pay.
Twatson, like I posted, has ALWAYS taken too long to read the field.
But refusing to blame watson for the loss is fine, but it was different when Baker was here, .... certain members put all the blame on HIM all the time. Fancy that. Wonder why.
I want a smart qb - we were all spoiled with Kosar, Sipe, etc..
Summing it up, the squealers KNEW what they had to change after the first game. I figure other teams will also do the same thing, with the same stupid qb of the Browns.
But it won't be the Saints - they are 23rd vs the pass, 29th against the rush. The Browns need that win. -
My goodness, our boy cal seems so agitated… so on edge…
I wonder what crawled up his vagina?
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@tiamat63 said:
@calfoxwc
No, the Oline had its failures
This is highly dependent on the type of pass rusher he is facing.
sure, but also highly dependent on the qb being STUPID, too. He's a rookie. He's going to make mistakes here and there.
The oline also was affected by the STUPID QB. It's hardly the oliine's fault that twatson got sacked all
eight times. The defense knew to stop the run to put more pressure on the stupid qb.
****************
AI Overview
Deshaun Watson was sacked eight times in the Cleveland Browns' Week 8 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a combination of heavy defensive pressure, holding onto the football too long, and a struggling run game. [1, 2, 3]
Key factors from the 27-6 loss include:- Holding the Ball Too Long: Watson frequently waited for deep or secondary reads instead of getting the ball out quickly or throwing it to checkdowns under duress. He admitted postgame that he needed to "find my checkdowns" and "not try to be a hero".
- Steelers' Defensive Pressure: The Steelers—led by dominant performances from defenders like T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward—consistently collapsed the pocket without needing to heavy-blitz on every play, shifting away from soft coverages to force quick errors.
- Ineffective Run Game & Long Third Downs: Cleveland managed only 34 rushing yards (netting a dismal ground attack compared to previous weeks), which forced Watson into difficult third-and-long passing situations that allowed Pittsburgh's pass rush to tee off.
- Offensive Line & Scheme Struggles: The Browns suffered from poor right-side tackle play and extended play designs (including deep dropbacks) that failed to account for Pittsburgh's aggressive front line. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
@calfoxwc said:
sure, but also highly dependent on the qb being STUPID, too.
TF are you babbling about here? There are pass rush profiles that Fano handles well, others he struggles with. This was my concern with his wingspan and anchor ability coming into the NFL. That has nothing to do with Watson.He's a rookie. He's going to make mistakes here and there.
Agreed, but irrelavent to the point I've made.It's hardly the oliine's fault that twatson got sacked all
Not even remotely accurate.
edit: Before you get all copy and paste happy with AI - Watson did NOT play well. It's that simple. The OL got their asses whipped too. Both things can be and are true.
The only people who can't understand that have an IQ that's the same as the room temp they're in.
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