Tim Benz: Feats of strength as Steelers finish it against the Browns

Despite what they’ve been saying in Cleveland since Myles Garrett attacked Mason Rudolph with his own helmet, Pittsburgh didn’t “start it.”

Pittsburgh Started It Shirt https://t.co/syYsosZt6n pic.twitter.com/UWrwOK6wXR

— Sinbadtee (@Sinbadtees) November 23, 2019

But on Sunday at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh finished it anyway. (And they made T-shirts.)

Don't look now Browns fans... #PittsburghFinishedIt pic.twitter.com/E3q7LRn8g7

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 1, 2019

Even in the wake of a rare victory over the Steelers two weeks ago, the Cleveland Browns bathed themselves in embarrassment.

First there was the helmet swing. Then there was the pathetic attempt by Garrett to shame Rudolph by claiming that the quarterback used a racial slur.

That was followed by the spineless backing of Garrett by many in the organization and the fan base, including those who were swinging a helmet at a Rudolph pinata.

The cherry on the sundae was Browns coach Freddie Kitchens actually posing for a photograph in public wearing one of those “Pittsburgh Started It” shirts.

Freddie Kitchens has been seen wearing a shirt that reads, "Pittsburgh started it".

Here is a photo revealing part of the shirt (courtesy of @GVartwork): pic.twitter.com/6i55ssCd3k

— PigskinNut Football (@PigskinNut) November 30, 2019

That’s nursery school excuse-making by an organization and fans with a kindergarten mentality.

So, even though Sunday’s 20-13 victory over the Browns wasn’t exactly a work of art, it was celebrated by fans in Pittsburgh far more than the usual win over Cleveland.

And rightfully so.

Here are this week’s “Feats of Strength” from the victory.

Duck 'didn’t kill' them

Former fourth-string quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges had his moments where he looked like, well, a fourth stringer.

He had a bad toss that resulted in an interception up 20-13 on a first down midway through the fourth quarter. The rookie from Samford also threw a pass away to stop the clock on a third down of the penultimate possession of the game for a second straight week.

But Hodges went 14-of-21 for 212 yards and a touchdown to counter those mistakes. He was also sacked just once, and he had a passer rating of 95.7

All those numbers were better than his counterpart, Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield.

“I had to settle down early in the game,” Hodges said. “I probably got out of the pocket a couple times early when I shouldn’t have. That two-minute drive (of the second quarter) is probably when I settled in the pocket. That’s when we started clicking a lot better.”

Amen to that. The touchdown drive “Duck” was referencing ended with this catch by James Washington with 1:00 left in the first half.

Unbelievable touchdown grab‼️@DevlinHodges10 ➡️ @JamesWashington pic.twitter.com/Q2lVfKzjl8

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 1, 2019

Hodges had just one completion through the 23:30 mark of the game. But then he led back-to-back scoring drives to close out the half, sending the Steelers into the locker room tied 10-10.

Don’t break tradition

We’ve been trying to will into existence a lot of presumptions about college chemistry between Washington and Rudolph, his former Oklahoma State Cowboy quarterback.

Rarely did it come to fruition in the way we have seen a connection between Washington and Hodges of late.

Washington had four catches for 111 yards and a touchdown Sunday. He also had a 79-yard catch and score from Hodges for Pittsburgh’s lone TD last week.

The two went duck hunting last Tuesday, which may have helped build a rapport. Hodges says they’ll definitely do so again this Tuesday.

I’m not sure I necessarily see how shooting ducks on Tuesdays avoids throwing them on Sundays. But, hey, whatever works.

That’s more like it

Two things have pushed the Steelers into the playoff picture beyond all other elements.

• Sacking the opposing quarterback.

• Forcing turnovers.

The Steelers’ 43 sacks are third most in the NFL. Their 30 takeaways lead the league.

The Steelers forced no turnovers and had just one sack against Mayfield the first time they played Cleveland. On Sunday, the Steelers had five sacks and forced two turnovers.

“The first couple of series he escaped a couple of times getting to the edge,” said defensive end Cameron Heyward. “After that we settled down and those holes really closed where he couldn’t drift off to buy time for those receivers. Once we did that, we were able to get some sacks and some turnovers.”

Heyward and Bud Dupree combined on a sack. Heyward also recovered a fumble caused by Dupree on a different sack.

Bud is NOT your buddy!@Bud_Dupree pic.twitter.com/LeMhd6DskN

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 1, 2019

The other sacks were turned in by Cam Sutton, Javon Hargrave and T.J. Watt.

In the shadow

The play of the offense in the shadow of its own end zone has been shaky of late.

To say the least.

The club allowed a safety against both the Rams and Colts and narrowly avoided an intentional grounding in the end zone for another last week in Cincinnati.

But with just 5:35 left in the fourth quarter Sunday, up 20-13 and backed up on their own one-yard line, Benny Snell cracked an 11-yard run.

That gave the offense some breathing room, and it eventually advanced the ball out to the 47-yard line before having to punt.

The drive helped shift field position and ate nearly four minutes off the clock.

What a call

There is nothing that Steelers fans do better than second guess an offensive coordinator when a third-down play call blows up.

So let’s give credit when it is due after an important one works out.

The sequence after Snell’s run led to a third-and-5 from the Steelers’ own 17-yard line. Randy Fichtner sent in a well-conceived drag route from Dionte Johnson underneath the Browns’ coverage that went for 14 yards.

Hodges was in the shotgun with a tight end (Nick Vannett) to the left of the formation and a three-man bunch of eligibles (Johnson, Vance McDonald and Washington) tight against the line to the right.

Jaylen Samuels looped from the left of Hodges to the right in motion as a bit of window dressing.

Two Browns took Washington out of the middle of the bunch as he pushed into the pile vertically. A third Cleveland defender got caught trying to run through the pack to get to McDonald who ran a quick out toward the right sideline.

Johnson stretched out horizontally underneath Vannett’s clear out, and Hodges hit the wide-open throw.

“I got a great pick,” said Johnson. “I was able to come out of the back end and pick up the first down and keep the drive going so we could seal the game.”

That was a key moment as it continued to swing field position and keep the clock moving.

Hodges would hit another third-down pass to McDonald a few plays later to extend the drive even more.

The Steelers only converted four third downs on the day. And those two may have been the most important ones of the afternoon.