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Steelers vs. Browns score, takeaways: Nick Chubb, Amari Cooper power Cleveland past Pittsburgh

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Four days after their gut-wrenching loss, the Browns rebounded by defeating their longtime rivals at home on “Thursday Night Football.” Aided by Nick Chubb and a strong second half by their defense, the Browns posted an 29-17 victory to move to 2-1 on the season. Pittsburgh, fresh off its own disappointing Week 2 loss, fell to 1-2. 

Trailing 14-13 at intermission, the Browns took control of the game by scoring of their first two drives of the second half. The offense was fueled by Chubb, who finished the night with 113 yards on 23 carries. Cleveland also received a big night from Amari Cooper, whose 32-yard catch on a third-and-1 play set up Chubb’s 1-yard touchdown that extended the Browns’ lead to 23-14 with 9:29 left. The Browns put an exclamation point on the win with Denzel Ward’s defensive score on the game’s final play. 

After slow starts on both sides of the ball, the Browns — spearheaded by a 37-yard run by Chubb — struck first on Jacoby Brissett’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Cooper, who finished the night with 101 yards on seven catches. The Steelers responded with Najee Harris’ 5-yard touchdown run to start the second quarter. A balletic, one-handed catch by rookie George Pickens set up Harris’ touchdown. 

Cleveland countered with David Njoku’s touchdown catch from Brissett with 8:58 left until halftime. The Steelers took their first lead moments later when Mitch Trubisky scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. Pittsburgh’s offense started the second half with another promising drive that ultimately fizzled shortly after crossing midfield. Pittsburgh, after doing little for most of the second half, was able to mount a late scoring drive that made it a six-point game with 1:46 left. A penalty on their ensuing onside kick, however, allowed the Browns to milk the game clock down to nine seconds. 

Heavy winds affected both kickers during the first half. Boswell missed a 53-yard attempt on Pittsburgh’s second drive. Browns rookie kicker Cade York missed a PAT but made up for it by making his 34-yard field goal attempt late in the third quarter to give Cleveland the lead for good. 

Why the Steelers lost

Before heading into tonight, Trubisky did not have one game with over 200 yards passing, but just made it tonight, with a stat line of 20-for-32 for 211 yards and no touchdowns.

Trubisky has not shown enough this season, with some asking if he should be benched for rookie QB Kenny Pickett. 

On offense, Diontae Johnson was the player of the night for the Steelers, with six receptions for 63 yards and a fumble recovery, but did have some key drops. The Steelers offense clearly has a lot it stills need to work on.

The defense was unable to keep up with Chubb, one of the best running backs in the NFL, who recorded another 100-yard game to his resume.

The defense missed T.J. Watt and historically do not win without him. They are now 0-6 when Watt is on the sidelines.

Why the Browns won

The Browns came off a loss where all three phases of the game struggled and bounced back with a game where everyone had a helping hand in the win.

Brissett looked confident and composed and when needed was able to use his rushing abilities on short-yardage situations. 

Speaking of the run game, let’s talk about Chubb. Chubb absolutely demolished the Steelers defense, putting up 23 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown. Since 2018, he has 24 100-yard games, the most in the league during that span. 

I was also impressed by Cooper, who had a rhythm with Brissett and finished the game with seven catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. 

What sealed the deal for the Browns was the defense keeping the Steelers off the field and forcing back-to-back three-and-outs toward the end of the game. The Steelers were never able to recover from those two stops, which brings us right to our turning point of the game. 

(And the garbage time defensive touchdown didn’t hurt.)

Turning point

Late in the third quarter, a 35-yard pass from Trubisky to Jaylen Warren was called back due to a penalty on Chukwuma Okorafor. That drive lead to a Steelers punt not long after and the Browns responded by scoring a field goal on their next drive.

With the ball back, the Steelers were again not able to do anything with it, going three-and-out.

The Browns once again responded, this time using 6:35 to go 11 plays for 80 yards and scoring a touchdown to make it 23-14. On the scoring drive, multiple players made an impact and the Browns looked like they had complete control of the game and Brissett looked like he had complete control of his offense.

Chubb, who passed over 100 yards on the ground on this drive, had his fair share of rushes, including one for 16 yards. Cooper came up big in the air with a 32-yard pass to put them in Steelers territory. Chubb was the one to punch it in for a yard on fourth-and-1.

To make matters worse for the Steelers, they responded with another three-and-out, making it two in a row. 

Play of the game

The Steelers did not get the win, but they did get the next best thing, a feature in our “Play of the Game” segment. 

Wide receiver George Pickens proved why he was the talk of the Steelers training camp with a single catch. In the first quarter, Pickens made an incredible one-handed catch that seemed to defy gravity.

Pickens’ catch came off a second-and-3 play, with Trubisky tossing one to the right sideline. The 36-yard catch put the Steelers in the red zone and set up a touchdown from Najee Harris.

What’s next

The Browns will head to Atlanta to face the Falcons next week, who are 0-2 as we enter Week 3. The Falcons’ two losses have both been close, losing 27-26 to the Saints and 31-27 to the defending Super Bowl champion Rams. 

The Steelers will host the Jets in Week 4. The Jets offense has been lead by quarterback Joe Flacco thus far, with Zach Wilson still on the sidelines with a bone bruise and meniscus tear. Wilson was expected to miss two-to-four weeks and will not return for Week 3. Through two weeks, Flacco is third in passing yards with 616, behind Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa (739) and Commanders’ Carson Wentz (650). 

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Is Aaron Judge in position to win the Triple Crown? Track the Yankees star’s quest for more 2022 history

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As if eclipsing 60 home runs wasn’t enough, New York Yankees star Aaron Judge is also chasing a Triple Crown.

The hallowed baseball achievement is reached when a hitter leads his league, AL or NL, in batting average, home runs and RBIs in the same season. Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera won MLB’s last Triple Crown in 2012, breaking a decades-long drought that had stretched since Carl Yastrzemski did it for the Boston Red Sox in 1967.

For much of the summer, the preeminent 2022 Triple Crown threat appeared to be St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. But just as Goldschmidt has fallen off the homer pace in the NL, Judge has ramped up his assault on the batting average leaderboard in the AL. Since mentioning a goal of hitting .300 in July, citing Cabrera’s greatness, Judge has gone supernova. He’s batting .371 since the All-Star break, by far the best among qualified MLB hitters. That has lifted his overall average from .284 to a peak of .317 this week.

With his home run and RBI leads looking insurmountable, Judge is basically racing a handful of AL stars for the batting title to determine whether he will add the Triple Crown to what will surely be a ridiculous list of honors in 2022.

So, with just over a dozen games remaining, we’ll monitor his pursuit here at the end of each night.

Aaron Judge is closing this regular season in spectacular fashion for the AL East-leading Yankees. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Is Aaron Judge in line for the Triple Crown?

Thursday, Sept. 22: YES. But it’s still close. Judge posted his first hitless game since Sept. 7, but it’s not like the Red Sox gave him many chances. Judge went 0-for-2 with three walks and a strikeout. It looked like he had reached 61 homers on his final at-bat until the ball fell just short of the center field wall, to the surprise of Yankee Stadium.

Fortunately for the Judge partisans, Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts’s batting average fell even further on an 0-for-5 night. Here’s how the batting average leaderboard now sits:

  1. Aaron Judge: .31589

  2. Xander Bogaerts: .31358

  3. Luis Arráez: .31262

This one’s going down to the wire.

Here’s how the leaderboards look now.

Wednesday, Sept. 21: YES. Judge’s closest competition now is Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts. After strong nights for both, Judge is ahead by the slimmest of margins. The leaderboards will show them both at .317, but Judge’s average is a touch higher if you go further down the decimals.

Making this all more interesting? The Yankees and Red Sox begin a four-game series on Thursday in the Bronx.

Tuesday, Sept. 20: YES. On the same night he crushed home run No. 60 — and sparked a game-winning rally — Judge moved into the lead for the AL batting title for the first time. He started the evening behind Luis Arrarez and Xander Bogaerts before pulling ahead thanks to his ninth-inning blast.

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Mariners put up nine runs in finale win over A’s

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OAKLAND — It was a picture perfect day in Northern California on Thursday, ripe for the sky to fall squarely on the Mariners in what’s been a brutal road trip.

Their best player exited during the first inning with lower back tightness. Their most consistent starting pitcher in the second half coughed up five runs and failed to make it out of the third. A loss would yield a sweep to a last-place team and inch their postseason hopes closer to concerning.

But in the latest chapter of resiliency in a season that’s had plenty, Seattle rebounded from its adversity, both micro and marco, en route to a 9-5 win over the A’s.

Julio Rodríguez’s status is uncertain after aggravating the injury that sidelined him for three games last weekend. George Kirby also exited early, with one out in the third inning, but for uncharacteristic struggles and not health. Yet Thursday’s victory encapsulated the type of offense the Mariners have when they’re at their best, by creating consistent traffic and receiving contributions from players beyond just Rodríguez.

“We have guys that have done different things at different points in the season, but the strength is our team,” manager Scott Servais said. “In saying that, it’s leaning on the guy next to you and trusting the guy behind you to pass the baton.”

Thursday was a prime example of Servais’ assertion, which he shared pregame.

Before Rodríguez exited, the rookie led off the game with a 109.1 mph double and was one of six baserunners to reach in the first inning, leading to three runs. Then, after Kirby labored with command and walked three for just the second time in his pro career, Jarred Kelenic swung momentum back in Seattle’s favor with a massive 427-foot solo homer in the fourth.

But it was the three-spot in the sixth that turned things around for good. Ty France led off with his first triple of 2022 down the right-field line, then Kelenic drove him in with a hustle double to center field that tied the game. Dylan Moore was then intentionally walked and stole his 17th base, which positioned Adam Frazier to chip a two-run double just barely inside fair territory down the third-base line for two go-ahead runs.

Why those moments stood out:

• Kelenic was in a 3-0 count and had the green light. So instead of spitting on a hanging middle-in slider from reliever Kirby Snead, he let it rip and it led to a run.

“Big situation there,” Kelenic said. “[Snead] kind of was just messing with me. I figured that was going to be probably the best pitch I was going to get that whole at-bat. So when I got the green light, I looked for something over the heart of the plate, tried to stay up the middle, and that’s what happened.”

• Moore is arguably Seattle’s best baserunner other than Rodríguez and Sam Haggerty, and one of its more instinctual players. He noticed Snead’s long stride to the plate and reached standing. Both TV broadcasts didn’t even cut to Moore running because it happened so quickly, and it put him in scoring position for the next man up to make a play.

“We were just trying to fight,” Frazier said. “Obviously, it’s been a grind the past week or two, so a big situation right there. They walked D-Mo and then he stole a bag, so I knew they were going to come after me.”

• Frazier’s .236 batting average doesn’t stand out, but his 87.4% contact rate (second highest on the team) certainly does. So when he fell into a 2-2 count with two outs and the game tied, he protected and punched a slider way off the plate into the opposite field. The ball had just a 61.2 mph exit velocity and a 17% hit probability, but he’ll take it.

“Especially after swinging at a 2-0 slider, I was like, ‘All right. Just stay inside the ball, hit the ball the other way and do whatever I’ve got to do,’” Frazier said. “That ball was off the plate, but I’m glad I got to it.”

As Servais stood on the mound when relieving Kirby in the third, he told the infielders that “this is going to be a crazy game,” because of the back-and-forth swings and the many bullpen matchups that were oncoming. It was the type of formula not too different from a postseason game, with so many moving parts — and just about every hitter chipped in.

“You kind of need one of those games,” Servais said. “It’s not by the script. You’re mixing and matching. ‘How are we going to run the bullpen? Who is going to come in to hit?’ All those things. You get everybody involved and everyone feels a part of it, and then you move forward from there.”

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Pak vs Eng, 2nd T20I, Karachi

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The noise inside Karachi’s National Stadium was deafening. Babar Azam threaded David Willey through extra cover and jumped into the cool night sky, punching the air and soaking in the roar of a sold-out crowd. Mohammad Rizwan held his arms aloft, took his helmet off and looked to the heavens before walking over to his opening partner and wrapping his arms around him.
They had just completed the biggest 10-wicket win in T20 history and become the first pair to put a 200-run partnership in a T20 run chase, breaking their own record. But more than that, after relentless scrutiny and criticism, they had reminded their fans how brilliantly effective they can be.

For Pakistan, T20 international cricket is about the thrill of the chase. Since Rizwan was promoted to open the batting in December 2020, Pakistan have won 15 games batting second and lost only three; when batting first, they have won as many games as they have lost (10 each).

At the innings break, a target of 200 looked like a stiff task, even at a ground where average scores are high and three chases out of five are successful. Pakistan’s seamers were expensive but had the ball skidding through low, while slower balls seemed to grip from a length. “I thought it was a very good score,” Moeen Ali, England’s captain, said.
Their method – building a platform with low-risk shots in the powerplay, then biding their time and waiting for the right moment to pounce – has won Pakistan plenty of games, but has also lost them a few. It raises the floor but can lower the ceiling: Pakistan are rarely bowled out cheaply but their mixed record batting first suggests they have often left runs out there. Their batting template is an outlier in a format characterised by power-hitting.

But on Thursday night, chasing a big score helped to provide clarity of thought. Rizwan started brightly, rifling two of the first four balls he faced for four and slog-sweeping David Willey for six, but received two early lives: on 23, he was dropped by a backpedalling Alex Hales and on 32, he was beaten when charging Adil Rashid but Phil Salt missed a tough stumping chance.

Babar was the slower starter and brought up his half-century off 39 balls, nine more than Rizwan. They accumulated steadily after the powerplay but with eight overs remaining, the required rate had climbed to exactly two runs per ball, with Liam Dawson rattling through his four overs for just 26 runs.

“We don’t listen to those from the outside sniping. There’ll always be criticism, and if you don’t do well, people are waiting to pounce. The fans always support us”

Babar Azam

But the 13th over was the turning point, as Babar sensed the opportunity to take Moeen down and seized upon it. He has often batted cautiously against spin in this format but twice clobbered Moeen over midwicket and into the wire fences that separate the fans from the field of play, doubling the number of sixes he has hit against offspin in his T20I career in the process.

After Babar had nudged the fifth ball of Moeen’s over, Rizwan slog-swept the sixth for six. The over had cost 21 runs, and the required rate dropped to 10.71. “I genuinely feel my over lost the game for us,” Moeen said later. “That was a gamble, just trying to almost buy a wicket, but it obviously didn’t work. That’s when Pakistan won the game.”

All of a sudden, Babar was in control, flicking Sam Curran away through fine leg and even crunching Adil Rashid’s googly over midwicket with the venom of a man proving a point to those who have questioned him. After an uncharacteristically lean Asia Cup, Babar was back in the box seat.

On 91, he swung Willey out to deep midwicket, only for Curran to parry the ball over the rope for six. “Babar, Babar!” the crowd chanted as one, before erupting as he nudged Curran into the covers for the single that made him the first man to hit multiple T20I hundreds for Pakistan, only 23 balls after acknowledging the applause for his fifty.

By that stage, Rizwan was playing second fiddle but could not contain his delight. He punched the air as he ran through to the keeper’s end for a single, then gave him an embrace composed of two parts pride and one part relief. Karachi stood to celebrate a masterful innings by Lahore’s favourite son.

Three days previously, Babar had walked into the press conference room at the National Stadium facing a local media demanding answers for his poor form and criticising Pakistan’s method, which resembles an endurance test in contrast to England’s relay race, each batter playing his shots then passing the baton onto the next. He returned with the understated confidence of a man who knew he had shut a few of them up.

“We don’t listen to those from the outside sniping,” he said. “There’ll always be criticism, and if you don’t do well, people are waiting to pounce. The fans always support us. In sport, every day is different and there are ups and downs. The fans stand by your side. The amount of support we got has been outstanding, regardless of performances.”

This was the fifth time that Babar and Rizwan have put on a partnership of 150 or more. They have opened together on 31 occasions in T20Is and the connection they have formed is so strong that, at times, they don’t even bother calling each other through for runs. “That reflects the level of trust between us,” Babar said.

“We’ve chased big totals like this in the past,” he added. “We planned to play according to the situation, and planned when to charge and when to hold back. The execution of that plan went brilliantly. When you have a target in front of you, you play according to that and change gears accordingly.”

Moeen had no choice but to hold his hands up and accept England had been well beaten. “I know they get a lot of criticism about their strike rates but I’ve never seen an issue,” he said. “Rizwan got off to a flier and Babar took his time a little bit, but then nobody could stop him. They’re brilliant players.”

When England last toured this country in 2005, Pakistan had not played a single T20 international; 17 years on, criticising the short-form set-up has become the national past-time. Time will tell if this method can win Pakistan a World Cup but on nights like this, it is hard to believe there is too much wrong with it.

Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98

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Mike Tomlin shoots down possibility of a quarterback change

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The Pittsburgh offense isn’t producing enough points. But that isn’t enough to produce a quarterback change. Yet.

After Thursday night’s 29-17 loss to the Browns, coach Mike Tomlin was unequivocal in his ongoing support of current starter Mitch Trubisky. When asked about the possibility of shifting from Trubisky to rookie first-rounder Kenny Pickett, Tomlin said, “The answer to that question is definitively no.”

It’s the best chance to give Pickett extra time to prepare for the job until the full-blown Week Nine bye. By then, it may be too late. After the Week Four game at home against the Jets, the Steelers face a mini-murderer’s row of superior foes: at Bills, Bucs, at Dolphins, at Eagles.

The Steelers, currently 1-2, could end up being 2-6 through eight weeks. That could make it very difficult to win enough of the final nine games to capture the division or to slip into one of the three wild-card slots in the AFC.

It also would increase the pressure on Tomlin to avoid his first ever losing season. He’d need to go 7-2 down the stretch.

In the interim, he’ll have to manage internal and external pressure to play Trubisky. The fans want the Pitt product. In the building, Trubisky had been losing support even before the Week Three loss.

And while Trubisky did a better job of getting the ball down the field in the passing game, the results weren’t there. Trubisky completed 20 of 32 passes for 207 yards. Not bad, but not good enough to get the win.

Pickett is clearly the future. Many think the future is now. The man in charge of the team thinks otherwise, and that’s really all that matters.



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In letter, Pac-12’s George Kliavkoff cites ‘significant’ financial, mental health concerns on UCLA move to Big Ten

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In a letter provided to the University of California Board of Regents ahead of a closed-door session Thursday to discuss UCLA’s proposed move to the Big Ten conference, Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff detailed “significant concerns” he had with the move, including student-athlete mental health, increased travel and operational costs, and negative impacts on both Cal’s revenue and the UC system’s climate goals.

Klivakoff’s letter was provided in response to a request from the regents for the conference’s perspective on UCLA’s move, according to a source.

“Despite all the explanations made after the fact, UCLA’s decision to join the Big Ten was clearly financially motivated after the UCLA athletic department managed to accumulate more than $100 million in debt over the past three fiscal years,” Kliavkoff wrote.

From there, he made the case the increased revenue UCLA will receive would be completely offset by the increased costs coming from increased travel, the need for competitive salaries within the Big Ten and game guarantee expenses.

“UCLA currently spends approximately 8.1 million per year on travel for its teams to compete in the Pac-12 conference,” Kliavkoff said. “UCLA will incur a 100% increase in its team travel costs if it flies commercial in the Big Ten (8.1 million increase per year), a 160% increase if it charters half the time ($13.1 million per year), and a 290% percent increase if it charters every flight ($23 million increase per year).”

Kliavkoff did not cite how those figures were calculated or indicate if there was genuine belief that UCLA would consider charter travel for teams other than football and basketball.

According to a source familiar with UCLA’s internal estimates about increased travel cost, the school is working with the expectation that it will spend approximately $6-10 million more per year on travel in the Big Ten vs. the Pac-12.

A move to the Big Ten, Kliavkoff speculated, would also lead to UCLA spending more on salaries to fall in line with conference norms. He estimated UCLA would need to increase its athletic department salaries by approximately $15 million for UCLA to reach the average in the Big Ten.

“Any financial gains UCLA will achieve by joining the Big Ten will end up going to airline and charter companies, administrators and coaches’ salaries, and other recipients rather than providing any additional resources for student-athletes,” Kliavkoff said.

A spokesperson for UCLA declined comment.

In an interview with the New York Times, U.C. President Michael V. Drake, who was previously the president at Ohio State, said, “No decisions. I think everybody is collecting information. It’s an evolving situation.”

Beyond the financial impact for UCLA, which is widely understood to be the primary driving factor in UCLA’s move to the Big Ten, Kliavkoff said it will also hurt Cal, which, like UCLA, is also overseen by the UC system. With media rights negotiations ongoing, Kliavkoff said it was difficult to disclose the exact impact without disclosing confidential information, but confirmed the conference is soliciting bids with and without UCLA in the fold.

Beyond the financial component of the added travel, Kliavkoff said “published media research by the National Institutes of Health, studies conducted by the NCAA, and discussions with our own student-athlete leaders,” will have a negative impact on student-athletes mental health and take away from their academic pursuits. He added that it would also be a burden for family and alumni to face cross-country trips to see UCLA’s teams play.

Finally, Kliavkoff said added travel runs contrary to the UC system’s climate goals and works against UCLA’s commitment to “climate neutrality” by 2025.

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Sports

How to watch Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime

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Your Thursday Night Football viewing experience has changed. Amazon Prime – the streaming service arm of the Jeff Bezos’ retailing behemoth – continues streaming Thursday night NFL games with tonight’s Steelers-Browns battle in Cleveland and will continue to for through December.

Although fans in local markets will be able to watch over the air on T.V. – in tonight’s case Pittsburgh and Cleveland – out of market fans will need an Amazon Prime Video subscription ($8.99 per month alone and is included in the overall Amazon Prime price of $14.99 per month or $139 for the year) and a streaming device configured to watch on their T.V. Games will also be available via the Prime Video app on smartphones and tablets.

[Watch Thursday Night Football on Prime Video: Sign up for a 30-day free trial]

More than 18 months ago, the NFL announced that Amazon would be the exclusive carrier of most Thursday night games in a massive, $13 billion deal that runs through 2033. At a cost of about $1 billion a year, that means Amazon is paying roughly $67 million per game in rights fees.

If nothing else, NFL fans can use one of Amazon’s 30-day free Prime trials. That will get you through Washington-Chicago in mid-October, and if you’re willing to watch that, you’re willing to watch anything.

Amazon Prime Thursday Night Football schedule

Week 2, Sept. 15: Chiefs 27, Chargers 24 | Box score, stats

Week 3, Sept. 22: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns | Live stats

Week 4, Sept. 29: Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals

Week 5, Oct. 6: Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos

Week 6, Oct. 13: Washington Commanders at Chicago Bears

Week 7, Oct. 20: New Orleans Saints at Arizona Cardinals

Week 8, Oct. 27: Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 9, Nov. 3: Philadelphia Eagles at Houston Texans

Week 10, Nov. 10: Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers

Week 11, Nov. 17: Tennessee Titans at Green Bay Packers

Week 13, Dec. 1: Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots

Week 14, Dec. 8: Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams

Week 15, Dec. 15: San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

Week 16, Dec. 22: Jacksonville Jaguars at New York Jets

Week 17, Dec. 29: Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans

The Browns and Steelers renew their bitter rivalry on Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime. (Photo by Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

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Can Mitchell Trubisky hold off Kenny Pickett another week?

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Mitch Trubisky and the Steelers will head to Cleveland to take on the Browns this week on “Thursday Night Football.” (AP/Don Wright)

Mitchell Trubisky’s gap year with the Buffalo Bills wasn’t as productive as the Pittsburgh Steelers expected. A slow start dashed any hope of Trubisky turning into a star after he sat behind Josh Allen last season.

Through two games, Trubisky has completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 362 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. His lack of big-play upside is evident. Trubisky ranks 29th in passing yardage and has rushed for just 16 yards. Despite some decent weapons, the Steelers’ offense has looked pedestrian.

But there’s hope on the way … maybe.

Steelers fans already called for first-round rookie Kenny Pickett in Week 2 and there’s a chance Pickett makes his debut in Week 3 if Trubisky fails to produce splash plays. Pickett turned in a solid preseason, but that doesn’t guarantee success once the real games start.

[Watch Thursday Night Football on Prime Video: Sign up for a 30-day free trial]

On the other side, the Cleveland Browns look to rebound after a miserable collapse against the New York Jets in Week 2. The Browns’ offense performed well in the loss, so it’s up to the defense to prove it can contain Trubisky.

Follow along as Yahoo Sports tracks the latest news, analysis, scores and updates as the Steelers and Browns face off on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 3.

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Could Mitch Trubisky be benched as soon as tonight?

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The Steelers have won a game and lost a game in 2022, but they’ve won few admirers for their offensive performance. With another game tonight in Cleveland and a mini-bye before a Week Four visit from the Jets, change could be coming.

And while some are jostling for the dismissal of offensive coordinator Matt Canada, that won’t be happening — at least not in the short term. Teams don’t have backup offensive coordinators. They do, however, have backup quarterbacks.

The Steelers have not only a backup but a starter in waiting. A first-rounder who became popular as the starting quarterback for the local college team, and whose name has been chanted by the paying customers both in the preseason and regular season.

As one league source explained it to PFT, Kenny Pickett is ready to go.

The Steelers may be ready to move Trubisky to the bench. Although complaints have emerged about playcalling, receivers are saying they’re open. Which means the plays are working. The process for getting them the ball is not.

The thinking in some circles is that Trubisky is hesitating to pull the trigger on throwing the ball, and that he needs to start letting it rip or he could be getting the hook.

Coach Mike Tomlin remains behind Trubisky. Is the rest of the building? Is the locker room? Chances are the pendulum is swinging, if it hasn’t already swung. Tonight in Cleveland, it could be Trubisky’s last chance.

It would be risky to make a change tonight. Pickett didn’t get first-team reps in the short week. But it can’t be ruled out, if Trubisky struggles. And if tonight doesn’t go well for the offense, the extra three days to prepare for the Jets could be exactly what the Steelers need to fully prepare Pickett.

Something needs to happen soon, or things could get out of control for the Steelers. Tonight’s game is winnable, as is the next one. After that? At Bills, Bucs, at Dolphins, at Eagles. Those teams currently are a combined 8-0.

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Golden State Warriors want to keep ‘all of those guys,’ GM Bob Myers says as trio of contract decisions loom

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5:12 PM ET

  • Kendra AndrewsESPN

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors have several key players entering, or coming up on, contract seasons, but as it stands there’s no clear indication whether those extensions will be agreed upon any time soon.

Jordan Poole has until Oct. 17 to come to a rookie extension deal but could become a restricted free agent in 2023. Andrew Wiggins is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this coming season, and Draymond Green has a player option for 2023-24.

“We want all of those guys,” Warriors general manager Bob Myers said at a news conference Thursday. “Can we get all of them? I don’t know.

“It depends on what the money ends up being. What the ask is what we can end up doing. We’re not at a point to make those decisions yet.

“Some of these decisions may be made in the next two weeks, some might be made in the next seven, eight months.”

Golden State was the most expensive team in NBA history last season, paying approximately $346 million in salary and luxury taxes. The Warriors also will be subject to the repeater penalty this season.

In Poole’s case, the Warriors plan to use the Oct. 17 deadline as the driving force to come to an agreement. Myers and the front office will sit down with Poole’s representation in early October, after the team returns from its preseason games in Japan.

“Where that’ll go, I don’t know,” Myers said. “But I know they want to meet. And we want to meet. And then we’ll see what the next two weeks give us.”

Myers said he has met with Wiggins’ and Green’s camps but that nothing substantial came from those conversations. Because there is no imminent deadline for Wiggins and Green, those negotiations most likely will happen over the course of the season and into the summer.

But even if no deals are agreed upon for any of the three players, Myers doesn’t see it becoming a problem behind the scenes.

“The good news for us is that I don’t hear that anybody wants to leave,” Myers said. “That would be a worse problem if they said, ‘I don’t want to be here, I’m out of here at the end of the season’ or, ‘Trade me.’ Not hearing any of that. The goal is to figure it out as best we can.”

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