Steelers 31, Browns 28
There were six or seven plays in the game that, had they gone differently, the Browns would have beaten the Steelers.

If that had happened, you can be sure this post would have been up long ago.

Some might point to week 1, where the Browns lost 34-7, and were humiliated. Two months later, the Browns were a hungry team, a better team.

But I have trouble being too optimistic. The truth is that the three-point loss counts as much as the 27-point loss. The Browns gave up a 30-yards touchdown run to Ben Roethlisberger, and gave up a third down and 18.

That's inexcusable.

Not quite as inexcusable as Romeo Crennel burning a timeout, then throwing the red flag.

It was stupid because it cost the Browns two timeouts. It was stupid because the late touchdown pass he was challenging was on second down from the 3. So what if the pass is incomplete? Two plays from the 3 against this defense?

Derek Anderson needed a timeout on that last drive. He didn't have one. So the Browns had to send Phil Dawson out to attempt one of the longest kicks in Heinz Field history.

Is there progress? Yes. But the close loss only means something if the Browns beat Baltimore next week. If the Browns play the way they did after the last time they lost a close game to Pittsburgh (remember Braylon Edwards grabbing Charlie Frye?), this promising season could be nothing more than a tease.

The Browns play Baltimore at the worst, and the best, possible time. The Ravens offense has been poor, and the team appears to be in turmoil.

But as the Browns showed last season against Kansas City, that can make a squad dangerous.

Hopefully the Browns (who are better than the Ravens) can put last week behind them and do what they are capable of.

Six-and-four is a lot better than 5-5.