CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Andre Szmyt kicked a 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining, and the Cleveland Browns held off the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 on Thursday at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns improved to 3-1, while the Steelers fell to 2-2. Deshaun Watson was Cleveland’s top star, completing 24 of 33 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown while adding 22 yards on seven carries. Aaron Rodgers threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns for Pittsburgh, but the Steelers could not complete a late rally. Attendance was 68,156. Cleveland won despite Pittsburgh’s late surge and a strong passing day from Rodgers. The Browns defense made enough plays in the final minute to secure the victory. Pittsburgh had one last chance, but Cleveland’s kicker delivered the decisive blow.

Pittsburgh opened the scoring in the first quarter when Rodgers found Roman Wilson for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 2:59 remaining. Chris Boswell’s extra point gave the Steelers a 7-0 lead. Cleveland answered in the second quarter. Jaleel McLaughlin broke free for a 28-yard touchdown run with 12:14 left before halftime, and Andre Szmyt’s extra point tied the game. Quinshon Judkins then powered in from 2 yards out with 8:28 remaining, and Szmyt added the extra point to put the Browns ahead. Boswell missed a 48-yard field goal wide left with 5:26 left in the second quarter. Watson connected with Harold Fannin Jr. for a 2-yard touchdown with 1:22 remaining, and Szmyt’s extra point extended Cleveland’s lead. Boswell made a 31-yard field goal with 8 seconds left before halftime, making the score 21-10. Cleveland led 21-10 at the break.

The Steelers rallied in the fourth quarter. Rodgers threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Washington with 10:10 remaining, but Pittsburgh’s two-point conversion attempt failed. Cleveland answered with Szmyt’s 44-yard field goal with 6:37 left. Rodgers then found Pat Freiermuth for a 3-yard touchdown with 1:42 remaining, and Rodgers rushed up the middle for a successful two-point conversion to pull Pittsburgh within two points. Szmyt sealed the game with his 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left. Cleveland’s defense then held on for the win. The Browns finished with 27 points, and the Steelers finished with 24. The final minutes featured two scoring drives by Pittsburgh and two clutch kicks by Szmyt.

Rodgers finished 22-of-40 for 299 yards and three touchdowns. He spread the ball among several receivers. DK Metcalf caught five passes for 115 yards. Roman Wilson had three receptions for 74 yards and a touchdown. Darnell Washington added three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown. Pat Freiermuth had three receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown. Michael Pittman Jr. caught two passes for 15 yards and made one tackle. Germie Bernard had two receptions for 11 yards, and Ben Skowronek had one catch for 7 yards. Jaylen Warren led the Pittsburgh running game with 17 carries for 93 yards and added three receptions for 33 yards. Travis Homer also saw action in the backfield. Kaden Wetjen returned four kickoffs for 96 yards and two punts for 30 yards. Chris Boswell made 1 of 2 field goals. Cameron Johnston punted five times for 259 yards. Pittsburgh’s offense moved the ball well through the air but struggled to finish drives in the first half.

Watson completed 24 of 33 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown. He also carried seven times for 22 yards. Judkins ran 17 times for 53 yards and caught six passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. McLaughlin scored on his only carry, a 28-yard run. Raheim Sanders had two rushes for 9 yards, two receptions for 7 yards and three kickoff returns for 66 yards. Denzel Boston led Cleveland’s receivers with four catches for 89 yards and added one tackle. KC Concepcion caught five passes for 64 yards and returned two punts for 10 yards. Jerry Jeudy had three receptions for 36 yards. Harold Fannin Jr. caught three passes for 27 yards and a touchdown. Isaiah Bond added one reception for 2 yards. Corey Bojorquez punted four times for 251 yards. Andre Szmyt made both of his field goals. Watson’s previous recent performances included a 144-yard, two-touchdown game against Carolina and a 238-yard, two-touchdown game at Tampa Bay.

Pittsburgh’s defense was led by Payton Wilson, who recorded nine tackles and one sack. Cameron Heyward, Jaquan Brisker and Robert Spears-Jennings each had seven tackles. Spears-Jennings also intercepted a pass. T.J. Watt had four tackles and one sack. Patrick Queen recorded five tackles. Yahya Black added five tackles. Daylen Everette, Asante Samuel Jr., Keeanu Benton and Cole Holcomb each had three tackles. Lew Nichols, Nick Herbig, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Jack Sawyer each recorded two tackles. Jalen Ramsey, Alex Highsmith and Jamel Dean each had one tackle. Cleveland’s defense got nine tackles from Carson Schwesinger. Tyson Campbell had seven tackles. Grant Delpit recorded six tackles and an interception. Ronnie Hickman had five tackles. Denzel Ward had four tackles and an interception. Maliek Collins had four tackles and one sack. Adin Huntington had four tackles and one sack. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren added four tackles.

The result continued an early-season trend for both teams. Pittsburgh had beaten Cincinnati, lost to New England and beaten Atlanta earlier in the season. Cleveland had beaten Carolina, won at Tampa Bay and lost at Jacksonville. The Browns moved above .500 with the win, while the Steelers dropped back to .500. Pittsburgh will next host Indianapolis. Cleveland will visit the New York Jets. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Pittsburgh later in the season. Both teams remain in the thick of the early playoff race. The Browns’ special teams play proved decisive, with Szmyt connecting from 44 and 56 yards.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cleveland 24, Pittsburgh 20. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cleveland with a 50.3 percent probability to win. Cleveland had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 2.5. The total score of 51 went under the over-under line of 38.5.