Deshaun Watson’s Third Straight Game-Winning Drive Pushes Browns to 3-1 After Thursday Night Win Over Steelers

CLEVELAND — Deshaun Watson has authored the most improbable turnaround of the NFL season, delivering his third consecutive game-winning drive in as many weeks to lift the Cleveland Browns past the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 on Thursday night.

Andre Szmyt drilled a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining after Watson engineered a rapid late-game march. The kick capped a performance that moved Cleveland into sole possession of first place in the AFC North for the first time since Nov. 9, 2014, and secured the franchise’s best start since opening 3-1 in 2021.

Watson became only the second Browns quarterback since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to lead a fourth-quarter or overtime game-winning drive in three straight games, joining Brian Sipe. The streak began with a touchdown pass to beat the Carolina Panthers four days earlier and now includes a divisional victory on national television.

The result stands in stark contrast to Watson’s standing in Cleveland just weeks ago. During an August preseason game at Huntington Bank Field, home fans booed him off the field following a sluggish second half. Watson responded by publicly criticizing the fan base. That friction appeared entirely erased Thursday as the stadium erupted during pregame introductions and sustained its volume through the final whistle.

Unlike his previous two clutch performances, which required overcoming slow starts, Watson dominated the opening 30 minutes against Pittsburgh. He threw for 181 yards before halftime, his highest first-half total since arriving via trade from the Houston Texans in March 2022. Cleveland scored touchdowns on three consecutive second-quarter possessions, building a 21-10 advantage. Those 21 points represented the most the Browns have scored in any single quarter since their 2020 AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, coincidentally also against the Steelers.

Pittsburgh clawed back behind Aaron Rodgers, who is in his first season with the franchise after signing as a free agent. The collapse was aided by two critical Watson mistakes. Edge rusher T.J. Watt stripped the ball during a third-quarter rushing attempt, and Pittsburgh recovered. Early in the fourth quarter, Watson threw an interception on a deflected pass. The Steelers converted the takeaway into a touchdown but missed the ensuing 2-point attempt, leaving the score 21-16 with 10:10 remaining.

Rodgers eventually tied the game at 24-24 with a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth. The Steelers added the tying 2-point conversion on a 1-yard Rodgers sneak after defensive end Jared Verse drew an offsides penalty.

Watson answered immediately. Four consecutive completions pushed the Browns deep enough into Pittsburgh territory to set up Szmyt. Although Watson was sacked for a 4-yard loss two plays before the kick, the damage was already done. Safety Grant Delpit sealed the outcome by intercepting a desperation heave from Rodgers as time expired.

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken, elevated to play-calling duties this year under head coach Kevin Stefanski, acknowledged the severity of the mid-game collapse while praising the locker room’s resilience. Monken referenced the uncertainty surrounding Watson’s future just seven weeks prior, when questions swirled about whether the organization would move on from the quarterback following the preseason backlash.

Through four games, Watson has completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 855 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. His completion percentage currently represents the highest single-season mark of his tenure in Cleveland, surpassing the 65.9 percent clip he posted across 12 games during the 2024 campaign before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury.

The victory extended Cleveland’s winning streak on Thursday nights to eight games, the longest active run on that specific broadcast window in the league. The Browns have now won five consecutive home meetings against Pittsburgh, reinforcing a recent geographic dominance over a rival that historically controlled the series for decades.

Cleveland opens a three-game road stretch next week with a visit to the Baltimore Ravens.