Steelers Roll Into the Bye Week After 10 Sack Performance
Sanders threw two touchdown passes in the 1st half, but was buried under 6 2nd half sacks in the blowout loss.
| Team | Q | Time | Play | Pittsburgh | Cleveland |
 | 1st | 3:24 | Zachariah Branch, 2 Yd Pass From Anthony Richardson | 7 | 0 |
| 2nd | 9:55 | DK Metcalf, 15 Yd Pass From Anthony Richardson | 14 | 0 |
 | 2nd | 6:25 | Eric Singleton Jr, 25 Yd Pass From Shedeur Sanders | 14 | 7 |
| 2nd | 2:07 | Quinshon Judkins, 7 Yd Run | 21 | 7 |
| 2nd | 0:46 | Zachariah Branch, 49 Yd Pass From Anthony Richardson | 28 | 7 |
| 2nd | 0:21 | Eric Singleton Jr, 50 Yd Pass From Shedeur Sanders | 28 | 14 |
| 3rd | 2:16 | Quinshon Judkins, 1 Yd run | 35 | 14 |
| 3rd | 2:09 | Terry Moore, Returned Fumble 23 Yds | 42 | 14 |
| 4th | 5:27 | Brandon Aubrey, 18 Yd FG | 45 | 14 |
| 4th | 3:44 | Quinshon Judkins, 43 Yd Run | 52 | 14 |
Cleveland, OH - The Cleveland Browns released Quinshon Judkins as part of their roster cutdown at the end of the preseason. On Sunday, the former Ohio State Buckeye made his former team pay dearly.
Judkins rushed for 113 yards and three touchdowns, fueling a 52-14 Steelers blowout that sent Pittsburgh into its bye week with a perfect 6-0 record and sole possession of first place in the AFC North.
The game didn't start ideally for Pittsburgh. DK Metcalf fumbled on the opening drive, giving Cleveland prime field position and a chance to seize early momentum. But from that point forward, the Steelers were in complete control.
Pittsburgh posted 28 first-half points, including Judkins' first touchdown against his former team — a 7-yard bruising run that showcased the physical style that made him a fan favorite in Cleveland before the Browns inexplicably cut him loose.
Despite the offensive onslaught, the Steelers led by just 14 points at halftime after Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders connected on a pair of touchdown passes, including a spectacular 50-yard bomb at the end of the second quarter that gave Cleveland a glimmer of hope heading into the locker room.
The Browns received the second-half kickoff, primed for the coveted double-dip opportunity to surge back into the contest and make it a game. Instead, Pittsburgh's defense delivered a statement.
Two of the Steelers' six second-half sacks ended Cleveland's opening drive of the third quarter, and from there, the rout was on. The Browns never threatened again.
Two kickoff fumbles and a fourth-quarter fumble by Sanders turned an already lopsided game into a complete disaster for Cleveland. The turnovers gave Pittsburgh short fields repeatedly, and the Steelers' offense took full advantage.
Judkins capped the scoring late in the fourth quarter, breaking free for a long touchdown run while Pittsburgh was ostensibly running out the clock. The score pushed the margin to 38 points and put an exclamation point on his revenge performance.
When asked about the late touchdown, head coach Mike Tomlin indicated it wasn't intentional but wouldn't criticize Judkins for finding the end zone.
"It was an emotional game for him, and while the instructions were to stay in bounds and run the clock, I can't blame him for housing it," Tomlin said with a slight smile.
The Steelers head into their bye week at 6-0 after securing one of their most complete victories of the young season. The defense recorded ten sacks, forced three turnovers, and limited Cleveland to just 14 points. The offense, meanwhile, put up 52 points despite the early fumble and multiple opportunities to take their foot off the gas.
For Judkins, the performance validated Pittsburgh's decision to claim him off waivers after Cleveland's puzzling decision to release him. His three-touchdown outburst was the perfect response to the team that deemed him expendable, and his emergence as a red-zone weapon has taken pressure off Kaleb Johnson, who continues to struggle with ball security amid another fumble in the blowout.
Pittsburgh returns from the bye in Week 8 to face the Baltimore Ravens, looking to extend their perfect record and continue their march toward another AFC North title.
Anthony Richardson | 18/23, 278 Yds, 3 TD; 3 Att, 35 Yds Shedeur Sanders | 12/17, 158 Yds, 2 TD; 1 Att, 4 Yds Quinshon Judkins | 16 Att, 113 Yds, 3 TD Dylan Sampson | 5 Att, 26 Yds DK Metcalf | 4 Rec, 101 Yds, TD Eric Singleton Jr | 3 Rec, 87 Yds, 2 TD MLB Patrick Queen | 8 Tkl, 4 TFL, 3.5 Sacks EDGE TJ Watt | 4 Tkl, 3 TFL, 1.5 Sacks, FF EDGE Alex Highsmith | 4 Tkl, 3 TFL, 2 Sacks LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | 10 Tkl, 3 TFL SS Grant Delpit | 10 Tkl, TFL, FF, FR EDGE Myles Garrett | 2 Tkl, TFL
6-0 | 
4-2 | 
5-1 |
6-0 | 
3-3 | 
4-2 | 
2-3 |
2-4 | 
2-4 | 
2-4 |
1-5 | 
1-5 | 
1-5 | 
2-4 |
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3-3 | 
4-2 | 
4-1 | 
6-0 |
3-3 | 
3-3 | 
4-2 | 
5-1 |
2-3 | 
2-4 | 
2-4 | 
2-4 |
2-4 | 
1-5 | 
1-4 | 
2-4 |
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