The idiom “a knee jerk reaction” means that you respond to something in an equally unthinking way. That’s something as sports fans that we typically do, and if it’s in an unthinking way then I definitely qualify. Knee jerks apply especially if you are a full blood Yinzer, or even just a part Yinzer, who am I fooling it’s more like if you are a Steeler fan in general. As is the custom, I compile my knee-jerk thoughts and publish them immediately after each Steelers game (my son Kyle might have a few things to say as well). It’s my version of running my mouth first and apologizing later (if at all). So with that being said, it’s time to react to the Steelers Week 11 matchup against the Browns. Let’s get this going, HERE……WE……GO!!!

1st Quarter

• Steelers win the coin toss and defer to the second half.
• Nothing like the defense having to burn a time out on the second play of the game because they had too many guys on the field.
• Cleveland has now picked up two first downs. I like the idea of deferring, but I’d like to see the defense start the game a little better.
• Cleveland with a third and 10. Here’s the first test of the Steelers getting off the field on a third and long.
• Benton makes a nice play to hold to a 3-yard gain and Cleveland will punt.
• So much for the Steelers holding Myles Garrett to nothing as they let him through on the first play.
• Last second Najee surges forward to keep from picking up a safety. Let’s go with a slow developing run play on second down from the 3-inch line.
• Hey look we’ve got Matt Canada’s offense back this week. Three and out.
• The Steelers had a guy chasing the quarterback, and the man guarding the tight end left him to go chasing him as well and gives up a big play. That was stupid.
• After the big run by Ford, we’ll add a face mask by Pat Pete on that one. First and goal for Cleveland.
• Browns now face 4th and goal from inside one. I figure they will go for it.
• Cleveland challenging that it was not a touchdown. From what I saw they may win this challenge. And they do win the challenge. Cleveland 7, Steelers 0.
• A pass to Pickens followed by a run from Najee and the Steelers offense has their first first down of the game.
• Again I will say, can you call it a trick play if it doesn’t trick anybody?
• Follow that up with the predictable play with Jaylen Warren in motion that the Steelers ran last week and they are now facing third down and 10 plus.
• And the Steelers then have to burn their second time out of the half. And we aren’t even out of the first quarter.
• Kenny Pickett has all day to throw, and throws a 3-yard pass on third and 11 and Washington is unable to make up the rest.
• Cleveland faces a fourth and one and they are going to go for it. But instead of snapping it they just line up and let the quarter run out. Cleveland 7, Steelers 0.

2nd Quarter

• Cleveland does decide to punt the ball. A huge punt from the Cleveland punter flips the field and puts the Steelers inside the 20.
• Mason Cole didn’t even try to slow his guy down before slipping out for the screen and it cost the Steelers on that play.
• Steelers fail to get the play off before the play cock runs out. There is no excuse for this. On the bright side it looked like the play would have lost yardage anyway, so at least they keep the down.
• Pass to Pickens and a run by Warren get the Steelers to a first down after the penalty.
• That was a terrible play on third down after Kenny has the second down pass batted down. The Steelers will punt.
• Steelers hold the Browns to a three and out.
• Good decision by Pickett to scramble on that play.
• There was Kenny Pickett in his spin out to the left that results in a sack. If Kenny cannot get out of that habit he will never be a successful quarterback in the NFL. Steelers to punt again.
• Patrick Peterson isn’t much of a tackler.
• JPJ going to be called for a hold.
• Cleveland converts the third and four with a quarterback run. That was a play the Steelers needed to make and get off the field. This drive will probably result in points for the Browns.
• Steelers are going to end up giving up a touchdown on this drive. I hate prevent defense. All it does is prevent you from winning.
• Steelers hold and will force a field goal. Cleveland 10, Steelers 0.
• Steelers kneel for the last play, that means the Steelers finished the first half with 64 yards of offense. Talk about pitiful.

3rd Quarter

• Kyle has decided that doing English homework will be more exciting than watching this game, so he left me to suffer.
• Jaylen Warren breaks it for a touchdown! 74 yards! Cleveland 10, Steelers 7.
•  Steelers give up a nine plus yard run on third down and 10. Cleveland goes on 4th down and and makes it. Not the start I wanted the defense to have.
• The Steelers hold on 3rd down and 8 and will force a punt.
• There is a Muth sighting!
• Someday Matt Canada is going to realize that slow developing run plays do not work for this team.
• Steelers come up short on 3rd down and four. There’s the Matt Canada special: three and out.
• The Steelers defense forces a three and out of their own.
• The Steelers commit two penalties on their second and 10 play which looked to gain them nice yards. Instead it will now be second and 20.
• Allen Robinson makes the catch, but is a foot short. Looks like the Steelers are going for it on 4th and one. Not sure I agree with that call.
• I think they stopped Pickett on that sneak. The officials rule the first down though.
• Now Pickett is down on the ground after the play. Was it really worth risking your quarterback on that? Looks like he maybe got some turf nuggets in his eye.
• Cleveland is going to challenge the spot. The guys on the TV think that Pickett actually made it on the second effort.
• The call on the field stands. First down Steelers.
• Another slow developing run play that gets dropped for a three-yard loss.
• Pickett has to throw it away on second down.
• So after picking up the first down on 4th down, Pickett has two plays where he doesn’t even try to complete a pass. Not good.
• There’s a good bogus roughing the passer call against the Steelers we’ve been waiting for. The officials hadn’t been able to inject themselves into this game until that point.
• Balls deflected up in the air and picked off by Sullivan! Steelers get the ball back.
• Kenny Pickett has had more passes deflected today than I would care to see.
• I think the Steelers have been trying to set team records on seeing how quickly they can get to third down.
• Let’s follow up that turnover with a Matt Canada special: three and out.
• And then Harvin shanks the punt. How about a 20-yard punt.
• The Steelers end the quarter by holding on 3rd and 14. Cleveland will punt to start the fourth quarter. Cleveland 10, Steelers 7.

4th Quarter

• Both offenses in this game are so predictable right now. There’s a good chance the score does not change at all in the fourth quarter.
• Wow, Cole snaps that ball when no one on the offensive line was expecting a snap.
• The Steelers convert a third and 13 by getting the ball to Jaylen Warren. Good thing Jaylen has showed up today.
• Jaylen Warren is a player. That’s all there is to it.
• There goes Kenny Pickett spinning left into a sack again. That’s twice this game.
• Boswell comes out to attempt to field goal. It’s good. Steelers 10, Browns 10.
• Watt! Gets the sack!
• The Steelers defense holds. They will force a punt from the Browns.
• Bad punt from the Browns. The Steelers have the ball near midfield.
• A touchdown on this drive by the Steelers would be so nice.
• A first down to George Pickens, followed by an incomplete pass and a 4-yard loss on a run by Najee. Steelers face with a third and long.
• Nothing doing. The Steelers offense continues to be putrid.
• The Steelers defense has too many guys on the field and has to call a timeout. That’s the second time they’ve had to do that today. Inexcusable.
• On second down and 11 the Steelers give up a big run. They had the Browns right where they wanted them and then left them off the hook.
• The Steelers defense holds and will give the ball back to the offense with about 1:45 to go.
• I have no clue who Kenny was throwing to on second and 10 as he threw deep and there was nobody there.
• So the defense did its job and got the ball back to the offense who now went three and out and Cleveland will get a chance to win the game.
• Hey there’s a great idea. Let’s play soft zone and get no pass rush just to allow them to get the ball into field goal range.
• After playing a great second half, the Steelers coaching staff goes terrible strategy with 1:30 to go. It’s going to cost the Steelers the chance to win this game.
• Three plays and the Browns are in field goal range. You can notch this game on the coaching staff.
• I have no idea why the Steelers coaching staff would choose to change their defensive philosophy after they had held Cleveland to basically nothing in the second half.
• Cleveland lines up for a short field goal with 5 seconds to play. Again, I am hanging this one in the 4th quarter on the coaching staff, along with the fact that Kenny Pickett is not just a fourth quarter quarterback. He was awful in this quarter.
• Hopkins hits the field goal to propel Cleveland to a victory that the Steelers could have snatched away from them. Cleveland 13, Steelers 10. What a disappointment. But I think this is a real reflection of what this Steelers team really is. Not very good, and not very well coached.

Once again, I just fired off what was going through my head at the time. All reactions were in real time. Basically, it is the equivalent of watching the game with a me and Kyle, you just don’t have to go to another room because of my screaming at the television (sometimes Kyle leaves the room). Now time to process it, some quick analyzing for the Scho Bro Show, and then put it behind me as we move toward, Week 12 and the Bungles. Make sure you get your voice heard in the comments below.