When the ball deflected off T.J. Watt‘s left hand and fluttered to a water-logged landing http://www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com/dru-samia-jersey , well short of the crossbar, there was nothing more the Browns could do.Their 17-game losing streak was over. Without a win �? or a loss. Nothing to celebrate.“A sour feeling,” quarterback Tyrod Taylor said.More bitterness.Cleveland didn’t take advantage of forcing six turnovers by Pittsburgh and missed a chance at its first win since 2016 on Sunday, tying the Steelers 21-21 in overtime in a game that turned into another emotional roller-coaster for fans who were so close to seeing their team go 1-0 for the first time in 14 years.But the Browns, being the Browns, couldn’t finish the job.“Tying in the NFL is really weird,” left guard Joel Bitonio said. “I never even thought I would be a part of it.”Bitonio could have never imagined playing on an 0-16 team, either, but that’s what happened last season when the Browns went through their entire schedule without posting a win. At least that can’t happen again.Watt capped a brilliant performance by blocking Zane Gonzalez‘s 43-yard field-goal try with 9 seconds left to preserve the tie for the Steelers, whose drama-filled week around Le’Veon Bell ended with more theatrics.It was the league’s first Week 1 tie since 1971 Daniel Jones Jersey , and the first time in 133 games the Browns and Steelers couldn’t settle their rivalry on the field.The Browns rallied from a 21-7 deficit in the fourth quarter to stun the Steelers, who blew their own chance to win it in OT when Chris Boswell‘s 42-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.Pittsburgh was without Bell, whose contract holdout will carry into the season’s second week. But the Steelers, who sacked Taylor seven times, refused to offer any excuses after falling dangerously close to becoming the first team to lose to the Browns in Week 1 since 2004.“Hell yeah, it feels like a loss,” Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward said. “I’m sorry for using that kind of language, but if we settle for those, we’re going to be an awfully (steamed) off bunch. We didn’t get the job done. I credit T.J. for getting that block, but the outcome was already decided. It just gives you a sick taste in your mouth.”Here are some other takeaways from the league’s first tie in two seasons:BAD BENSteelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hardly looked like a future Hall of Famer Quincy Williams II Jersey , throwing three interceptions in the first half and losing two fumbles. He made some uncharacteristic errors, forcing a pass into double-coverage that was picked off by Browns rookie cornerback Denzel Ward, who had two interceptions in his pro debut.Roethlisberger passed for 335 yards, but he was upset Pittsburgh’s offense couldn’t put away the Browns.“It’s just frustrating that we can’t make the plays down the stretch,” he said. “We just didn’t make them.”GREAT GARRETTBrowns defensive end Myles Garrett seemed to be everywhere. He forced two fumbles, recorded two sacks and rushed Roethlisberger into making some indecisive throws.“I think he is going to have a great year,” Browns coach Hue Jackson said. “He is showing that he was worthy of being the first player drafted a year ago. A healthy Myles Garrett means a ton to this organization and football team. He just has to do it week in and week out and be this player every week.”The Browns were last in the league with just 17 takeaways last season.WATT A PLAYERWatt already had four sacks and 11 tackles when the made the game’s defining play.“When it snapped, I’m just trying to do my job and get penetration,” Watt said of his game-saving block. “I threw my hand up at the last minute, and it hit my hand �? tie game.”GORDON’S GRABJosh Gordon made just one catch �? one mesmerizing Ryquell Armstead Jersey , jaw-dropping, game-tying catch.With the Browns trailing 21-14, Gordon leaped and snagged Taylor’s 17-yard pass over Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton for a touchdown with 1:58 left in regulation.It was another positive for Gordon, who missed most of training camp to address health issues and was playing in his first season opener since 2012 because of drug and alcohol addictions. Gordon has also been battling a hamstring issue.ROUGH STARTBrowns undrafted rookie left tackle Desmond Harrison had a long day.Harrison, who moved into the starting lineup this week, was penalized for two false starts in the first half and had some other assignment issues.Harrison wasn’t the only offending Cleveland player as the Browns were called for 11 penalties for 87 yards.“Disappointed,” Jackson said of the infractions. “Our team has got to get better. It is not good enough. You take the turnovers, and the penalties that we had and our inability to do some things early offensively, those are huge keys to a tie game. We have to do some things better.” CINCINNATI (AP) — The Bengals waited until the fourth round to get coach Zac Taylor a quarterback who reminds him of the one he just left.Cincinnati traded up to get Ryan Finley from N.C. State as Andy Dalton’s backup — for now, anyway. Dalton has two years left on his deal Gardner Minshew II Jersey , and Finley will get time to learn Taylor’s system as a reserve and see what develops.“I do want to make something very clear before we start: Andy Dalton is our starting quarterback,” offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said. “That has not changed. That will not change. We think very highly of Andy and what he’s going to do in our offense.“We do think competition is good. It’ll be good for our position. It’ll be good for the backup job for sure.”Dalton missed the last five games last season with a thumb injury that has healed. Backup Jeff Driskel started the last five, completed 59 percent of his passes, averaged 153 yards and had a 79.6 passer rating working with an injury-depleted unit.Finley has been compared to Jared Goff , whom Taylor helped develop as the Rams quarterbacks coach before coming to Cincinnati as head coach after their Super Bowl loss to New England. Cincinnati, Detroit and Washington brought him in for visits, so he knew the Bengals had a keen interest.Quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt said Finley was the only quarterback the Bengals brought to town for a visit with a thought of drafting him. They also met with a quarterback from a small college whom they considered signing as a free agent.Finley went to a steakhouse with Cincinnati’s coaching staff after his arrival in town and spent a half-hour the next day with Taylor, hitting it off. Finley impressed the Bengals with his ability to remember and analyze blocking schemes. He also knew he was the top quarterback on their draft list.“I was really excited to have that visit, and it was a really good visit,” Finley said.The Bengals hadn’t taken a quarterback so high in the draft since they got Dalton in the second round in 2011. They took AJ McCarron in the fifth round in 2014 as Dalton’s backup.“Ryan is a kid that makes really Christian Wilkins Jersey , really good decisions,” Callahan said. “He’s accurate and throws on time. He displayed all three of those at a high level at N.C. State.“We had him targeted all along as a quarterback we thought would fit for us at the right place. We felt he was there for the taking and instead of waiting to see if he fell, we were going to take him.”The Bengals spent four of their first six picks in the draft on offense, adding a left tackle , a tight end, a lineman and Finley. They also traded up for another fourth-round pick Saturday and took Ohio State center Michael Jordan, who will compete for a guard position. The offense finished 26th last season, a year after being last in the league in yards gained.
