There are losses where you can point to one play and say that was the difference. This wasn't really one of them. The Steelers somehow fought their way back from 21-7 down, tied the game at 24 with less than two minutes remaining and still found a way to leave Cleveland with another frustrating Thursday-night defeat. A 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining gave the Browns a 27-24 win and dropped Pittsburgh to 2-2. And while there were definitely positives — particularly the fourth-quarter fightback — the most worrying part for me was something we've seen far too often already: **poor tackling**. This is supposed to be a physical Steelers defence. Yet once again there were far too many plays where the first defender got a hand on the ball carrier and simply didn't finish the job. Jaleel McLaughlin's 28-yard touchdown in the second quarter was the obvious example, but it wasn't isolated. Cleveland consistently picked up extra yards after contact and Pittsburgh defenders seemed to be bouncing off runners and receivers rather than bringing them down. Mike McCarthy acknowledged afterwards that the tackling wasn't good enough, and it's becoming difficult to dismiss it as a bad night. It has been a recurring problem and one that needs fixing quickly. ### A strange game The Steelers actually started extremely well. The opening possession was about as good as you could ask for: 17 plays, 73 yards, almost ten minutes off the clock and a Roman Wilson touchdown. Then the game completely flipped. Cleveland scored three touchdowns in the second quarter and suddenly Pittsburgh was chasing a 21-7 deficit. The Browns gained 191 yards in that quarter alone. For a defence with the amount of talent — and money — Pittsburgh has invested in it, that's simply not good enough. There were some individual defensive plays. T.J. Watt produced the type of game-changing moment we've become accustomed to, stripping Deshaun Watson and recovering the fumble himself. Robert Spears-Jennings also came away with an interception after Jack Sawyer got a hand on a pass. But the Steelers offence failed to fully cash in those opportunities. That's another frustration from this game. ### Rodgers nearly stole it Aaron Rodgers' stat line will divide opinion. 299 yards. Three touchdowns. Two interceptions. And five sacks. There were moments where he looked every bit the 42-year-old quarterback playing behind an offensive line that couldn't keep Cleveland out of the backfield. But there were also stretches — particularly late — where he showed exactly why Pittsburgh brought him in. The 43-yard connection with DK Metcalf helped bring the Steelers back into the game, the touchdown throw to Darnell Washington was excellent and the final 80-yard touchdown drive was vintage Rodgers. The two-point quarterback sneak to tie the game at 24 felt like one of those moments where Pittsburgh might actually steal a game they had no business winning. Unfortunately, they left Cleveland too much time. Watson moved the Browns into range and Andre Szmyt drilled a 56-yarder. Game over. ### Warren continues to impress One of the biggest positives was Jaylen Warren. He finished with 93 yards on 17 carries — 5.5 yards per attempt — and added another 33 yards receiving. That's 126 yards from scrimmage. With the passing game still finding its feet, Warren increasingly looks like someone this offence needs to run through. DK Metcalf was another bright spot with five catches for 115 yards, including the huge 43-yard play during the comeback. There are weapons here. The bigger question is whether the offensive line can give Rodgers enough time to use them. Five sacks is far too many, particularly when your quarterback is 42. ### 2-2 isn't a disaster — but there are warning signs Four games into the season, there's no reason to panic. The Steelers are 2-2 and were ten seconds away from taking a divisional road game to overtime after being down two touchdowns. But there are some issues that can't simply be explained away by saying it's early. The offensive line has to protect better. The offence has to take advantage when the defence creates turnovers. And above everything else for me, **the defence has to tackle**. That's basic football. For years, you could forgive plenty from a Steelers defence because you knew they were going to be physical and fundamentally sound. At the moment, I'm not convinced you can say that. There's plenty of season left to fix it. But after another ugly night in Cleveland, it's moving rapidly towards the top of the list. ### 3 Positives - **Jaylen Warren looks like the real deal.** 93 rushing yards on 17 carries and 126 total yards. Pittsburgh needs to keep feeding him. - **Rodgers and the offence showed some fight.** Coming back from 21-7 down and producing an 80-yard touchdown drive to tie the game late was encouraging. - **Metcalf is becoming the difference-maker we expected.** Five catches for 115 yards, with his ability to stretch the field giving Pittsburgh something it badly needs. ### 3 Negatives - **The tackling is becoming a real concern.** Too many missed tackles, too many extra yards after contact and too many defenders failing to finish plays. It's no longer something I'd dismiss as a one-off. - **Five sacks of a 42-year-old quarterback isn't sustainable.** The offensive line looked better last week, but this was a significant step backwards. - **The Steelers wasted defensive takeaways.** Watt's forced fumble gave Pittsburgh the ball around midfield and they still ended up punting. In close divisional games, those opportunities have to become points.