Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett beats Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva (L) to get to Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for a first half sack, September 9, 2018, at FirstEnergy Stadium. John Kuntz, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If you're a Browns fan, you feel...what?
Your team didn't lose.
That's progress.
Your team easily could have lost, and your team was playing the Pittsburgh Steelers.
So that's good news.
But how do you handle a final score of 21-21?
"A tie," Browns coach Hue Jackson said.
"A tie," Jackson said again, this time biting down hard on his lower lip.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said: "It's an awkward feeling."
It wasn't a loss for a team that had lost 17 in a row dating to Christmas Eve 2016. But it wasn't a win for a team that still desperately needs one.
And what do you say about a possible Zane Gonzalez game-winning field goal that was blocked with 13 seconds left in overtime? Jackson thought the Steelers had jumped offsides. Maybe. Maybe not. But no penalty was called.
And the Browns are still undefeated...and winless...in 2018.
WHAT IT MEANS
These are not The Same Old Browns.
For years, Browns fans have watched their team lose close game after close game just like this to the Steelers and future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
But they didn't.
That's real progress.
The Browns defense was relentless, aggressive and so much fun to watch. They picked off Roethlisberger four times! They forced two fumbles.
This defense, which forced just 13 turnovers all of last season, had six on this rainy afternoon.
Myles Garrett....Oh, my goodness! The edge rusher had two sacks. He forced two fumbles. He drew two penalties. He was a force!
Cornerback Denzel Ward had two interceptions in his NFL debut with the Browns. The rookie from Nordonia and Ohio State was beaten for a touchdown on a great pass from Roethlisberger to Antonio Brown, another likely future Hall of Famer. But overall, Ward held his own against Brown.
"Denzel is made of the right stuff," Jackson said.
The defense wasn't great. It had some breakdowns, especially early in the game.
Pittsburgh's James Conner, taking over at running back for Le'Veon Bell, rushed for 135 yards, including 22 for a touchdown.
The Browns were behind, 21-7, with 7:34 left in the game, then the defense forced turnovers and opened the door for a comeback. The type of game-changing defense being built by coordinator Gregg Williams was on display -- and it could change things for the Browns.
"The guys (players) can see we're an improved football team," Jackson said.
HOW MANY PENALTIES?
In the preseason, the Browns first-string offense didn't play together very often.
When it did, the Browns were clunky and looked like a bunch of guys who didn't know each other.
Call them Strangers In The Rain.
The Browns starting offensive line didn't play a single preseason snap together. That's because Jackson waited until a week before the game to promote Desmond Harrison to starting left tackle.
While the new starting offensive line did practice together for a week or so, there was no game action.
Here's something I've never seen before: The offensive line was flagged for back-to-back false starts (Joel Bitonio and Harrison) on the first possession of the game.
Remember, the Browns were playing at home...so crowd noise was not an issue.
The Browns were flagged four times for false starts. They also committed an illegal-formation penalty.
Jackson said: "Those things, we need to clean up."
I wonder why they came up at all. Five pre-snap penalties...that's just not paying attention.
The Browns were penalized 11 times. Then again, Pittsburgh had a dirty dozen yellow flags heaved in its direction.
WHAT ABOUT TYROD?
New starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor was sacked seven times. Some were his fault as he held onto the ball too long, looking for a receiver.
But other times, he was under a lot of pressure. His mobility was a big plus. He ran for a 20-yard touchdown. He carried the ball eight times for 77 yards -- very helpful in a wet, soggy afternoon like this.
Early in the game, Taylor had zero chemistry with his receivers. He didn't seem to know where they were going -- and they weren't sure when the ball was coming to them.
Late in the fourth quarter, though, he connected on a beautiful 17-yard touchdown pass to Josh Gordon. And Gordon made a Gordon-like leaping catch, reminding everyone of what he can do on the field. But that was his only reception of the day.
Taylor was 15-of-40 for 197 yards. He had one TD pass, one interception.
I'm no going to rush into a grand conclusion on Taylor or the offense, other than it was nice to see only one turnover for the game. And odds are it should improve as the season goes along.
"Wins and losses, that's how a quarterback is judged," Taylor said. "But a tie?"
For the Browns, at least it's not a loss.
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