CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Browns had a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter but rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-19 on a snowy Thursday night in Cleveland.

Running back Nick Chubb, in his first game against the Steelers since suffering a serious knee injury against the AFC North rival 14 months ago, scored a 2-yard touchdown with 57 seconds left, and Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson’s Hail Mary attempt was batted down in the end zone as time expired.

Fueled by Myles Garrett’s three-sack performance in the first half and a heavy offensive effort amid the elements, Cleveland built an 18-6 lead early in the fourth quarter on quarterback Jameis Winston’s 2-yard touchdown run and pass to David Njoku tight end on a 2 point conversion attempt. But a few turnovers seemed to doom the Browns. First, Winston lost a fumble on a strip sack by linebacker Nick Herbig that led to a 19-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to wide receiver Calvin Austin III, giving the Steelers a 19–18 lead. He later threw an interception to cornerback Donte Jackson.

But after a defensive stop and a 16-yard punt, Winston led the Browns on a nine-play, 45-yard drive that included a fourth-down conversion to wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, capped by Chubb’s second score of the game.

The win is Cleveland’s seventh straight victory on Thursday night.

Here are the most important things to know for both teams starting Thursday evening:

Describe the game in two words: No stopping. Four days after giving up 21 points in the fourth quarter of a blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints, their seventh loss in their previous eight games, the Browns pulled off a gritty victory in front of their home crowd against the AFC North-leading Steelers. After an 18-6 lead became a 19-18 deficit in the fourth, the Browns appeared to be in serious danger before they got the stop – and a drive – they needed when the time came. It was the kind of resilience Cleveland was short of in a disappointing 2024.

QB breakdown: The Winston experience was in full effect amid the elements. He threw what appeared to be a backbreaking interception late in the fourth quarter, but ultimately continued to give the Browns a chance to win with extended plays and clutch throws. He finished 18 of 27 with 219 yards passing with an interception and a fumble. It was Winston’s third quality start in four games since taking over in Week 8.

Troubling trend: The Browns entered Week 12 having given up 16 completions this season on passes thrown 20 yards down the field, ranking seventh in the NFL, and gave up another deep completion on Wilson’s lone attempt on Thursday. –Daniel Oyefusi

Next game: at Denver Broncos (8:15 p.m. ET, Monday, December 2)

Three plays after Steelers safety DeShon Elliott made snow angels in the end zone at Huntington Bank Field, Wilson found Austin running through heavy snow showers across the same goal line and hit the wide receiver for a touchdown to erase a 12-point deficit for a one -point lead. But the celebration was short-lived.

Doomed by a failed two-point conversion, the repeat of previous offensive stagnation and a failed punt, the Steelers surrendered a winning drive capped by a Chubb touchdown in a 24–19 loss.

Although the Steelers forced three Browns turnovers, the offense turned the takeaways into just seven points, and the defense couldn’t hold on late on a short field after the punt. With less than a minute remaining after Chubb’s touchdown, the Steelers’ offense again failed to move the ball effectively, stalling 50 yards away from the same end zone where Elliott celebrated and Austin scored.

The loss ended the Steelers’ five-game win streak and handed Wilson his first loss as the team’s starter. Although Wilson completed 21 of 28 attempts for 270 yards and a touchdown, he struggled against the Browns’ pass rush as Garrett recorded three sacks.

Describe the game in two words: Trap game. Come on, a hapless 2-8 Browns team hosting an 8-2 Steelers team days away from a monster win against the Ravens? We should have known better. The Browns were on edge. And most seriously hampered by recurring offensive mistakes, the Steelers started right before rallying late.

Troubling trend: Wilson’s boom-or-bust game is under pressure. Through three quarters, Wilson had just three incompletions and 204 passing yards. But he once again struggled with the pressure, recording four sacks during that period, including a strip sack. Yet under that pressure, Wilson also completed 5 of 6 passes for 86 yards, including several deep shots. But as energetic as the deep balls were, the pockets were much more expensive. Wilson took a sack for an eight-yard loss at the end of the Steelers’ first drive. Instead of a 50-yarder, kicker Chris Boswell attempted a 58-yarder and missed for only the second time this season as he sailed wide right.

Crucial game: Herbig’s strip sack for the fourth quarter. For the second straight game, Herbig forced a fumble and Elliott recovered it to come home against Winston in the fourth quarter. The ball bounced loose and Elliott recovered it at the Browns’ 27-yard line. The critical turnover came right after the Steelers’ first touchdown in seven quarters, and it set up another Steelers score a few plays later when Wilson found Austin for the go-ahead 23-yard pass. –Brooke Pryor

Next game: at Cincinnati Bengals (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, December 1)