CLEVELAND -- The Steelers fell to 1-2 Thursday night, losing to the Browns by a score of 29-17.
A significant contributor to the loss was the defense's inability to not only rush Jacoby Brissett, but his 220 passing yards complemented a strong running game that produced 171 yards. To make matters worse for a secondary that had a rough night, one of their starting cornerbacks left the game and did not return.
Ahkello Witherspoon left the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury, and was later ruled out by the team. Witherspoon was in coverage against Amari Cooper for most of the night, and the Browns' new receiver had a strong night hauling in seven passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.
But, even considering that performance, losing Witherspoon for any length of time impacts this defense on the back end. They're already missing their best player in T.J. Watt up front. With the defense having to compensate for the absence of the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, losing any starters in the secondary weakens the defense even more.
The defense played more than 100 snaps in Week 1, played over 33 minutes against the Patriots last week and played another 36 minutes Thursday night. This is a tired group. They're fortunate to lose only one player to injury against Cleveland, especially with it being a short week. But, the defense is far and away the reason this team isn't 0-3 right now. They can't afford any more losses while the offense continues to sputter.
Witherspoon did seem upbeat in the locker room after the game, at least in terms of his injury. Fortunately for him and the defense in general, there are a few extra days to rest and recover.
