Winners and losers of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 27-14 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon.

WINNER

RBs Najee Harris/Jaylen Warren

The running game may have been ignored early, but once Arthur Smith and the offense established themselves, the Steelers got rolling. RB Najee Harris ran hard on the first few possessions and had more than six yards per carry at one point, starting with a well-blocked crunch run on the team’s first drive. He also scored the team’s first touchdown of the game, a short shot across the goal line.

Warren has looked much healthier in recent weeks and is playing like himself. He was an absolute handful to beat, running hard, breaking tackles and continuing to show ridiculous contact balance. Later in the first half, he drove the run game bus. The two sprinted over 90 yards together, while Warren also contributed through the air. The distribution and performance as it should be.

NT Keeanu Benton

Pittsburgh got off to another slow start. As was often required, the defense had to pounce on a turnover to tip things in the Steelers’ favor. Today that was Benton, who intercepted an attempted Browns screen pass and returned it deep into Cleveland territory.

Benton has done a great job as a defender all season, and that often doesn’t show up in the stats. But he made impactful plays there too, including a hustle play against a TE screen against the Baltimore Ravens that led to LB Patrick Queen forcing and recovering a fumble.

Benton remains without a sack but has made contributions in other areas, particularly defending the screens.

EDGES Alex Highsmith/TJ Watt

EDGE rushers were loud today after a quiet outing in Week 12. It helped get Highsmith back, who put Browns LT Germaine Ifedi through the mixer. Highsmith recorded a sack in his return. Watt was outstanding against the run, setting the tone with a big hit and a TFL on RB Nick Chubb to open the game for the Steelers’ defense.

Pittsburgh allowed WR Jerry Jeudy an ugly touchdown early on the extended play, but rallied as the game progressed. The Steelers rush containment was impressive and helped corner QB Jameis Winston.

DL Cam Heyward

Just another multi-sack day for a 35-year-old defensive tackle. Remember when there was talk about whether it would be washed? Heyward does things that players his age and at his position simply don’t do. It even exceeds my expectations. Some of his pressures and sacks were partly the result of good coverage downfield, but Heyward continues to show his strength, playing the run hard and pushing into the pocket.

LB Elandon Roberts

Speaking of tone generators? You’re talking about Elandon Roberts. He blasted Browns center Ethan Pocic early in the game, something he has done repeatedly throughout the season and his career. But Roberts’ statement play went through and resulted in a tackle for loss on an attempted 4th-and-1 that the Browns couldn’t convert. A big moment in the game.

TE Pat Freiermuth

Freiermuth and QB Russell Wilson have established their connection and things are heating up. On a scramble-drill touchdown last week, the two similarly connected for a big third down before later finding the end zone with a great throw over the middle from Wilson.

In the last three games, Freiermuth has become a central part of the offense with around 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He came up big without WR George Pickens in the lineup due to a hamstring injury.

P Corliss Waitman

Let’s show the players a little love too. Waitman fired the ball well, including assisting Browns PR Kadarius Toney, which led to a botched punt in the fourth quarter that was recovered by the Steelers. This officially ended what little chance Cleveland had of a comeback.

LOSER

Pass scheme game plan

At least early. Pittsburgh initially appeared to be out of shape without Pickens after practicing with him all week and planning the game. He sat out after he was expected to play. Lots of clunky concepts and third-down battles leading to third-and-short deep throws to WR Scotty Miller.

The Steelers cleaned up and got going later in the game, but Pittsburgh was definitely trying to stay afloat early on. Felt like the opposite of the Week 12 game. A better run game plan but a worse pass game attack that showed Pickens’ value to the fluid offense.

Third-down offense

Not good enough and was ugly to begin with. A third-and-1 QB sneak thwarted by a penalty was costly and the Steelers couldn’t convert in controllable situations early. Things got better as the game went on, including a long ball catch from Miller, but the situation still needs work.

Coverage units

Pittsburgh’s coverage units haven’t been good the last two weeks. They had trouble in kick coverage last week, but they struggled again against Cleveland. The whole thing was marred by a 56-yard runback by Browns RB/KR Jerome Ford to open the second half, which broke several tackles and advanced deep into Steelers territory.

Luckily, Pittsburgh was saved by K Dustin Hopkins missing a field goal, but the coverage units need to tighten up. They are healthy, so injuries and the domino effect that affects team unity are not even a factor, although they would never be an excuse. Even in the punt return game, the Browns averaged 15 yards on their first three attempts.

CB Hat Bishop Jr.

Not an obviously bad game from Bishop, but he struggled to get through downhill and played too passively. Allowed too much YAC and first downs that otherwise should have been stopped. He continues to cede playing time to veteran DB Cam Sutton.

Although it wasn’t enough to put him on the loser’s list alone, SS DeShon Elliott allowed two touchdowns in this game. He gave up his post safety spot on Jerry Jeudy’s long TD and was mossed on TE David Njokus’ TD in the fourth quarter. Elliott has made other impressive plays and continues to be good at tackling, so he’s not officially on the roster, but is a name worth mentioning when it comes to secondary plays.

RB Cordarrelle Patterson

Apparently for his costly fumble in the fourth quarter. Patterson attempted to short a run and lost the ball, which was recovered by DE Myles Garrett. It gave Cleveland life in a 27-14 game. Luckily, CB James Pierre immediately took the football back and made a nice sliding grab to intercept Winston just a few plays later.