Several factors contributed to the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive struggles in their deflating Week 17 loss to the Cleveland Browns. However, the presence of all-world defensive end Myles Garrett was ostensibly at the top of the list of reasons why.
Garrett's numbers from the Browns' 13-6 upset victory over Pittsburgh don't jump off the screen. He produced just one tackle and a quarterback hit, yet his impact was felt simply by being on the field. That's because the Steelers sold out to scheme him out of the game, which they did, but at what cost?
Pittsburgh was so focused on Garrett, who entered the contest one sack away from the NFL's single-season record, that they completely lost the plot. He had real estate in Steelers veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers and Co.'s head, even admitting as such during his postgame interview.
"It's about heart. That's how you measure a man." - Myles Garrett on the Browns resilience | @tracywolfson pic.twitter.com/fmakVO4ags
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 28, 2025
The Pittsburgh Steelers' obsession with slowing down Myles Garrett cost them vs. Browns (and he knows it)
This was a battle between a pair of clubs trending in polar opposite directions. The Steelers were surging on a three-game winning streak while the Browns dropped four in a row and seven of eight overall. Nevertheless, there was a concerted effort to stop Garrett, which he and Cleveland used to their advantage.
"I knew [the Steelers] were going to throw everything at me to keep me from getting one on the board, and credit to them, they didn't allow me to have one," Garrett told CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson. "But we'll take the win, absolutely."
All the Steelers had to do was beat Cleveland to clinch their first AFC North title since 2020 and third straight playoff berth. Instead, the idea of Garrett taking down Rodgers and making history in the process swung the outcome in the Browns' favor, which the numbers bear out.
Rodgers' 2.39-second time to throw trails only 44-year-old Indianapolis Colts gunslinger Philip Rivers on the weekly slate (h/t Next Gen Stats). Moreover, his 4.3 yards per attempt were the lowest he's recorded in a single match all season by a comfortable margin -- 5.2 was the previous low mark. In other words, getting the ball out early was a clear point of emphasis, albeit to a fault.
The Steelers squandered an opportunity to put their feet up in what could've been a meaningless regular-season finale versus the Baltimore Ravens. Suddenly, the two teams will go toe-to-toe with divisional supremacy and a trip to the postseason on the line.