The Steelers Inexplicably Didn’t Field A Safety Kick And The Browns Recovered

The Browns and Steelers played to a tie in Week 1 in a bizarre game that saw the Browns force six turnovers while the offense sputtered and the kicking game was a minor disaster for both teams.

So, in their Week 8 meeting there was plenty of reason to expect weirdness in Pittsburgh for their rematch. Sure enough, the two divisional rivals delivered the wacky and weird action, none more so than a sequence in the third quarter that saw the Browns take a safety on a holding call and then score a touchdown shortly after.

You may be wondering how a team takes a safety and then scores a touchdown themselves quickly after considering they have to kick the ball away to the other team. I give you, the dumbest special teams play of the year.

The Steelers appear to be under the impression a safety kick works like a punt and if you just let it go the other team will down it. Instead, it works just like a kickoff and essentially the Browns got a 60 yard onside kick. Part of the confusion was that one player called for a fair catch and so Ryan Switzer didn’t want a penalty for being the one to catch it when someone else made the fair catch signal, but someone needed to pick the ball up and just eat the penalty yardage if there would’ve been any rather than, well, that.

After a roughing the passer, pass interference, and holding penalty on the Steelers, the Browns finally were able to capitalize on the incredible break with a Baker Mayfield to Antonio Callaway touchdown pass.

Have no fear, though, the Browns still looked awful and immediately allowed a Steelers touchdown march and would find themselves down two touchdowns again in no time.