Game story
In Week 2 of the 2008 NFL season on 2008-09-14, the Pittsburgh Steelers took care of business against the Cleveland Browns, pulling away with a 10–6 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 7 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
D. Anderson (Cleveland Browns) paced the passing game, with -4.09 total EPA, and -6.1% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, S. Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +7.95 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+13.9% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Cleveland Browns changed the game: (5:15) (Shotgun) 3-D.Anderson pass short right to 17-B.Edwards pushed ob at PIT 23 for 9 yards (20-B.McFadden).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Cleveland Browns | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 S. Holmes · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +7.95 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.59 EPA/play
- 2 H. Ward · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +5.61 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.12 EPA/play
- 3 B. Roethlisberger · Pittsburgh Steelers · Passing · +4.45 total EPA · 23 snaps · +0.19 EPA/play
- 4 K. Winslow · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +4.04 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.58 EPA/play
- 5 B. Edwards · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +3.45 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.15 EPA/play
- 6 S. Steptoe · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +1.83 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.92 EPA/play
- 7 J. Harrison · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +1.43 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.43 EPA/play
- 8 J. Lewis · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +1.25 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.42 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
S. Holmes — PIT · Receiving
S. Holmes posted the highest total EPA (+7.95) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Pittsburgh Steelers's efficiency. Across 5 counted snaps, they averaged +1.59 EPA per play.
The signature play (+3.42 EPA) came from Pittsburgh Steelers: (6:32) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right to 86-H.Ward for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Pittsburgh Steelers — H. Ward (B. Roethlisberger pass)
Field goals
- Pittsburgh Steelers — G. Warren
- Cleveland Browns — P. Dawson
- Cleveland Browns — P. Dawson
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The second quarter: Pittsburgh Steelers won the period 7–0. Pittsburgh Steelers found the end zone from the CLE 11 (Q2 36:32) — (6:32) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right to 86-H.Ward for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Pittsburgh Steelers added 1 points from the CLE 2 (Q2 36:26).
The third quarter: The quarter finished even at 3–3. Pittsburgh Steelers connected on a field goal from the CLE 30 (Q3 23:02) — (8:02) 3-Je.Reed 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-17-M.Berger.; Cleveland Browns connected on a field goal from the PIT 13 (Q3 16:29) — (1:29) 4-P.Dawson 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-64-R.Pontbriand, Holder-15-D.Zastudil..
The fourth quarter: Cleveland Browns won the period 3–0. Cleveland Browns connected on a field goal from the PIT 20 (Q4 3:24) — (3:24) 4-P.Dawson 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-64-R.Pontbriand, Holder-15-D.Zastudil..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Cleveland Browns (Q4 5:15) — (5:15) (Shotgun) 3-D.Anderson pass short right to 17-B.Edwards pushed ob at PIT 23 for 9 yards (20-B.McFadden).
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q4 3:16) — (3:16) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass deep middle to 83-H.Miller to 50 for 19 yards (20-M.Adams).
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q2 36:32) — (6:32) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right to 86-H.Ward for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q2 38:23) — (8:23) 39-W.Parker right guard to CLE 27 for 13 yards (20-M.Adams).
- Cleveland Browns (Q4 3:28) — (3:28) 3-D.Anderson pass incomplete short right to 17-B.Edwards (20-B.McFadden).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q2 36:32) — (6:32) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right to 86-H.Ward for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q3 25:16) — (10:16) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass deep left to 10-S.Holmes to CLE 36 for 48 yards (20-M.Adams).
- Pittsburgh Steelers (Q1 55:18) — (10:18) 7-B.Roethlisberger sacked at PIT 40 for -9 yards (sack split by 99-C.Williams and 27-N.Sorensen).
- Cleveland Browns (Q2 30:08) — (:08) (Shotgun) 3-D.Anderson pass short left intended for 12-S.Steptoe INTERCEPTED by 43-T.Polamalu at PIT 3. 43-T.Polamalu to PIT 15 for 12 yards (12-S.Steptoe).
Quarterback report card
D.Anderson led all passers in efficiency for Cleveland Browns, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- D.Anderson (Cleveland Browns) · 37 dropbacks · 48.6% completion · -6.1% CPOE · -0.11 EPA/play · -4.09 total EPA
- B.Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) · 23 dropbacks · 52.2% completion · +14.5% CPOE · +0.19 EPA/play · +4.45 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Pittsburgh Steelers | Cleveland Browns |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.017 | -0.058 |
| Offensive success rate | 45.8% | 44.0% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.194 | -0.110 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.160 | -0.252 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.058 | -0.017 |
| Defensive success rate | 56.0% | 54.2% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Pittsburgh Steelers generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.02 vs -0.06), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Cleveland Browns: 10 drives, -4.36 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 9 drives, +1.22 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Pittsburgh Steelers leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- S. Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- D. Anderson (CLE) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
- B. Roethlisberger (PIT) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Pittsburgh Steelers TD (+6) — Q2 36:32 · CLE 11 · Score 6-0
(6:32) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right to 86-H.Ward for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Pittsburgh Steelers XP (+1) — Q2 36:26 · CLE 2 · Score 7-0
3-Je.Reed extra point is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-17-M.Berger. PENALTY on CLE, Neutral Zone Infraction, 5 yards, enforced between downs. - Pittsburgh Steelers FG (+3) — Q3 23:02 · CLE 30 · Score 10-0
(8:02) 3-Je.Reed 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-60-G.Warren, Holder-17-M.Berger. - Cleveland Browns FG (+3) — Q3 16:29 · PIT 13 · Score 10-3
(1:29) 4-P.Dawson 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-64-R.Pontbriand, Holder-15-D.Zastudil. - Cleveland Browns FG (+3) — Q4 3:24 · PIT 20 · Score 10-6
(3:24) 4-P.Dawson 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-64-R.Pontbriand, Holder-15-D.Zastudil.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns?
The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns 10-6 in Week 2, 2008 on 2008-09-14.
What was the final score of Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns?
The final score was Pittsburgh Steelers 10, Cleveland Browns 6 (PIT 10-6 CLE) in Week 2, 2008 on 2008-09-14.
What was the score by quarter in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns?
Q2: Pittsburgh Steelers 7, Cleveland Browns 0; Q3: Pittsburgh Steelers 3, Cleveland Browns 3; Q4: Pittsburgh Steelers 0, Cleveland Browns 3; Final: Pittsburgh Steelers 10, Cleveland Browns 6.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns?
Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown — H. Ward (B. Roethlisberger pass) (Q2 36:32) Pittsburgh Steelers field goal — G. Warren (Q3 23:02, 3 pts) Cleveland Browns field goal — P. Dawson (Q3 16:29, 3 pts) Cleveland Browns field goal — P. Dawson (Q4 3:24, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns?
D. Anderson (Cleveland Browns), 48.6% completion, -6.1% CPOE, -0.11 EPA per dropback, -4.09 total passing EPA. B. Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers), 52.2% completion, +14.5% CPOE, +0.19 EPA per dropback, +4.45 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns?
S. Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers) led the game in total EPA with +7.95 on receiving plays. across 5 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+3.42 EPA): (6:32) (Shotgun) 7-B.Roethlisberger pass short right to 86-H.Ward for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was +13.9%.
Was Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cleveland Browns a close game?
Yes — the margin was 4 points. Pittsburgh Steelers won 10-6 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Pittsburgh Steelers
Entered 1-0 Now 2-0 W
Cleveland Browns
Entered 0-1 Now 0-2 L
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