The Pittsburgh Steelers had a lot of optimism surrounding the team after the offense looked great in a 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3. That optimism did not last long as the team had a quick turnaround and had to play the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football in Week 4. Things did not go the Steelers' way as the group lost the game on a last-minute field goal that gave the Browns a 27-24 lead, and the Browns are now firmly atop the AFC North standings with a record of 3-1 while the Steelers fell to 2-2.
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Cleveland Browns kicker Andre Szmyt (25) kicks the game-winning field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half at Huntington Bank Field.
It was a heartbreaking loss for the Steelers as the group just could not put a complete game together. The offense had moments when it looked good, and then it would go dormant for several possessions. The same can be said about the defense as the group did a great job forcing a three-and-out to begin the game and then causing some turnovers in the second half to get Pittsburgh back in it, but the unit gave up three scores in the second quarter alone.
The defense was hard to watch at times. The tackling was a major factor in allowing the Browns to move the ball down the field with ease at times. Cleveland was able to continue to fall forward to pick up extra yards and convert first downs, and that is what killed the Steelers in the second quarter. Outside linebacker Alex Highsmith spoke to the media after the loss, where he had a message for some of his teammates on the defensive side of the ball.
"Yeah, I mean, we just weren't playing up to our standard," Highsmith said. "Guys were running, guys were getting out. I think for us, we just got to look at the film, everyone's got to look themselves in the mirror and say they can play better. I know I can play better. Everyone's got to look themselves in the mirror. We can be a lot better than we were tonight."
The tackling specifically for Pittsburgh was hard to watch as it looked like the Browns just wanted to win more than the Steelers did. Their offensive players were hard to bring down with the ball in their hands, and they seemed to outwork the defense throughout the contest.
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Steelers' TJ Watt celebrates a big play against the Cleveland Browns during the 2026 season.
Highsmith and Watt had similar reactions to how the defense played after the game. Watt was unhappy with the effort as well, and he was frustrated with how easy it was for Cleveland to move the ball down the field at times. The Browns were able to be efficient on offense in the second quarter, and they also moved the ball easily against Pittsburgh on their final drive of the game that led to the game winning field goal. It took the Browns no time at all to get into field goal range, and that is something that should hurt the outlook of this Pittsburgh defense.
Steelers' Defense Will Be Tested In Week 5
Thankfully the Steelers have a decent amount of time before their next matchup, which will be back at home against the Indianapolis Colts. This is going to be a big test for the defense due to the running game of the Colts offense. Daniel Jones can move well as a quarterback, and Jonathan Taylor is one of the best running backs in the league, and it has been that way for the entire decade. He is known for gaining yards after contact, so it is going to be critical that the defense for Pittsburgh is able to bring him down. The Colts have not gotten off to the hot start that they did during the 2025 season, but this team can be very dangerous and should not be overlooked.
What do you think about Highsmith's comments after the loss? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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