After opening the game with a blocked punt for a touchdown, the Steelers looked poised to make things look easy.
It was anything but, as it took about 29 minutes for their offense to show up.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger found tight end Jesse James in the end zone to cap a seven-play, 95-yard touchdown drive just before halftime, giving them a 14-7 lead over the Browns.
The Steelers were forced to punt on their first four possessions, and had nearly as many penalties (seven) as rushing yards (nine) at halftime.
Honestly, they looked like a team that spent the preseason without a key player, as Le’Veon Bell emerged from his contractual absence with four carries for eight yards and just one catch (on three targets) for six more yards. It’s as if there’s a lack of chemistry with Roethlisberger and the rest of the offense.
Other than a 50-yard catch-and-run by Antonio Brown, there was a general lack of spark for the Steelers, though the Browns deserve some credit for hanging around. Rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer ran for a touchdown, and has gotten through the first half without a big rookie mistake.