Baker Mayfield and the Browns took a 28-0 lead over the Steelers Sunday night. Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

NFL world reacts to disastrous start for Steelers against Browns in wild-card game

Originally posted on Sportsnaut | By Vincent Frank | Last updated 1/10/21

The Pittsburgh Steelers found themselves as 5.5-point favorites against the division rival Cleveland Browns heading into their NFL wild-card game Sunday evening in Pittsburgh.

Making their first playoff appearance since all the way back in 2002, the Browns were without multiple players and their head coach due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the organization. This led to odds changing swiftly in the Steelers’ direction.

That changed big-time early from Heinz Field. On the Steelers’ first offensive snap of the game, center Maurkice Pouncey somehow found a way to snap the ball over the head of the 6-foot-5 Roethlisberger. The end result was a comedy of errors that resulted in a Browns touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Steelers: "We're ready."

Also, Steelers… pic.twitter.com/ZJCFFdgeSb
— Sportsnaut (@Sportsnaut) January 11, 2021

We’re still not too sure what Big Ben and James Conner were doing in an attempt to recover the fumble. It needed Benny Hill theme music. That’s for sure. Obviously, Browns safety Karl Joseph will take it.

A few minutes of real time passed before Roethlisberger threw a horrible interception into the hands of Browns cornerback M.J. Stewart. And just a few plays later, Baker Mayfield hit Jarvis Landry for a touchdown and a 14-0 Cleveland lead. This all took less than a half of quarter.

Everyone: The Steelers are gonna kill the Browns

The Browns : pic.twitter.com/shVy3JtTDA
— anthony (@verysadjetsfan_) January 11, 2021

AFC wild card game: Steelers vs themselves
— Annie Agar (@AnnieAgar) January 11, 2021

Steelers first 2 drives:

1 – Fum, Browns TD
2 – Awful interception

For all the young guys we have, it’s been the 2 vets that have hurt them.
— SteelerNation (@SteeIerNation) January 11, 2021

Steelers mood. pic.twitter.com/1dCLlWiRJu
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 11, 2021

Steelers in 4 minutes of action:

Bad snap results in Browns TD
Big Ben throws INT on next possession

Yiiiikes pic.twitter.com/ceOHsTIpLO
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) January 11, 2021

Meltdown officially underway. #Steelers
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) January 11, 2021

These Steelers finished the regular season by losing four of five since an 11-0 start to the campaign. As for the Browns, they needed a win against Pittsburgh’s backups in Week 17 to guarantee a playoff spot.

Right now, it looks like these Browns are the vastly superior team. Then again, a fumble on a snap and an interception to open things up didn’t help the Steelers’ cause.

This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

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