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CLEVELAND — Here's hoping Mike Tomlin didn't spend too much time working on that NFL Coach of the Year speech. The feel-good vibes that have surrounded the Steelers' season — all of those correct buttons pushed and sticky situations navigated — backfired on Tomlin on Thursday night during what has become an all-too-common theme of his tenure. A humiliating loss to an inferior team, this time in the familiar setting of Cleveland's Huntington Bank Field and by a 24-19 score to the previously 2-8 Browns. Talk about spoiling a sterling start. "They made more plays over the course of 60 minutes," Tomlin said. "Obviously, we have to own our portions of it." It's a shame you can't put them on Craigslist or something. The Browns snapped the Steelers' five-game winning streak. Pittsburgh also dropped to 0-8 all time in road Thursday night games against teams in their division. Amazingly, Tomlin's Steelers have lost five of their past six games in Cleveland. What the Steelers must own from this one was substantial, too, starting with some poor decision-making by Tomlin, who actually entered the game as the betting favorite to win his first coach of the year award. A small sampling of things that will likely rub Steelers fans the wrong way: — Seemingly getting caught in between toward the end of the first half. Tomlin called a timeout after a second-down pass but then allowed around 40 seconds to run off the clock before Cleveland called timeout and kicked a field goal. Just call the timeout, get the ball back with some time, and give your team a chance. — It's not just all Tomlin and likely involves offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, but the fade route thrown to Cordarrelle Patterson once the Steelers took the lead in the fourth quarter made zero sense. George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, anyone? — Justin Fields randomly throwing deep to Pickens with the Steelers trying to salt away the game. — Not instructing his players to allow Browns running back Nick Chubb to score on a 7-yard run with 1:43 to go, a move that would've afforded the Steelers more than 50 seconds to answer. — Burning a timeout after a confusing sequence where Tomlin thought it was intentional grounding and deciding to hastily accept the penalty, another decision that can certainly be questioned. If you decline, it's an easier field goal. If you accept, you're obviously giving the Browns another shot. "We wanted to move them 5 yards back," Tomlin said. "They were potentially kicking into the wind, so we wanted to stop 'em and make the field goal a longer one." The decision, the same as many on this wintry night, turned out to be the wrong one, as Jameis Winston found wide receiver Jerry Jeudy 15 yards to convert on third-and-6, and Chubb scored the go-ahead touchdown with 0:57 left. "Missed opportunities," Cam Heyward said. "We have to eat it. They made more plays at the end. "I know everybody is pretty [upset] about the loss, but we have to learn from it and be better next time." It also wasn't simply about binary decisions such as these, but it's Tomlin's job to have the Steelers ready to play on the road — and against a lousy team — where the biggest conversation topic has been the potential firing of coach Kevin Stefanski and other goofy Cleveland talk. That didn't happen. It was a trap game, and the Steelers fell right into it, torpedoing their shot at the No. 1 seed in the AFC in the process. Think about it: They needed this one to keep pace with the Chiefs and Bills. Now, they're facing an uphill climb — and doing so with plenty of questions before traveling to Cincinnati in about 10 days. The pass protection was rough early on, as defensive end Myles Garrett did his part to wreck the game. As much as Steelers fans might hate the guy, he was incredible with three sacks, five total tackles and a forced fumble, a solid answer to the T.J. Watt kerfuffle this week. Cleveland finished with four sacks of Russell Wilson, who did complete 21 of 28 passes for 270 yards, a touchdown and a 116.7 rating. Still, it wasn't enough to correct some drive-sustaining issues that plagued the Steelers early. A missed Chris Boswell field goal on the first drive — albeit from a hard-to-say-much 58 yards — then turning it over on downs. It was the first of two of those for the Steelers, who lost yards both times. They have to figure out how to sustain drives better. "They made a few plays," Wilson said. "Myles made a few plays. I thought we moved the ball at different moments, but we have to stay consistent." As Wilson said, this was a game the Steelers should have won — and not only because they forced three turnovers and had the lead in the fourth quarter of a game against a woebegone opponent. Their 8-2 start should've opened the group's collective eyes to what's possible should the Steelers take care of business. That didn't happen. The Steelers started slow on offense, made too many mistakes, botched a bunch of decisions and left Cleveland in the middle of the night with another unsightly blemish suffered here. The reason starts at the top. "It's painful, but it's life in this business," Tomlin said. "We'll take a look at the tape and learn from it. We're in the midst of some thick AFC North action. No rest for the weary. We have a big one coming up." Can't get here soon enough, honestly. (c)2024 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Visit the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at www.post-gazette.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.This week offers a mix of professional achievements, family harmony, and personal growth for Scorpio natives. The beginning of the week highlights a boost in reputation and recognition, especially in your workplace. You’ll find yourself more efficient and productive, earning praise from colleagues and seniors alike. Family life is harmonious, with an atmosphere of mutual respect and laughter strengthening your bonds. Midweek shifts your focus to financial matters, as discussions about property, investments, or long-term planning dominate your attention. This is an auspicious time to deliberate on major decisions, especially those involving family assets or joint ventures. Toward the weekend, expect an active social calendar as invitations from friends or relatives come your way. You’ll enjoy meaningful interactions that not only bring joy but also expand your network. The week concludes on a positive note, leaving you feeling accomplished and emotionally fulfilled. Love and Relationships Love and relationships take a positive turn for Scorpios this week. For those in committed relationships or marriage, the week starts on a high note as mutual support and understanding deepen your connection. You’ll feel closer to your partner, and discussions about future goals or plans are likely to bring you even closer. Singles, meanwhile, may experience exciting developments midweek, such as meeting someone intriguing through a professional or social setting. Midweek also favors rekindling old flames or exploring unspoken feelings in an existing connection. By the weekend, a shared outing or heartfelt gesture will help you strengthen the emotional and romantic aspects of your bond. Family dynamics will also improve, adding to your sense of security and happiness. Education and Career Students and professionals alike have a productive week ahead. For students, the beginning of the week might be slightly challenging in terms of staying focused, but determination and structured effort will lead to success. Those preparing for competitive exams or academic presentations will find midweek particularly favorable for achieving their goals. On the career front, Scorpios will shine as their skills and efficiency receive recognition. If you’re employed, expect positive feedback or even opportunities for growth, such as new responsibilities or projects. Entrepreneurs and business owners can explore new avenues for collaboration or diversification. Networking midweek will bring unexpected opportunities to the forefront. The weekend is ideal for planning future strategies and solidifying your long-term objectives. Money and Finance Financially, this week is stable with opportunities for growth. Early in the week, you might focus on increasing your income or securing long-term financial stability. Discussions related to family assets, property, or investments are likely to arise midweek, and this is a favorable time to make informed decisions. Avoid impulsive spending during the weekend, as social activities might tempt you to overspend. Instead, channel your resources into savings or investments that align with your future goals. Support from family members or a partner may help ease any financial concerns, and by the end of the week, you’ll feel more secure in your financial position. Health and Well-being Health remains steady for Scorpio natives this week, although you might feel the effects of overwork or stress during the middle of the week. The high demands of work and social engagements could lead to fatigue if you don’t maintain a balanced routine. Incorporate relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, or simple breathing exercises to rejuvenate your mind and body. Pay attention to hydration and nutrition, as neglecting these could cause minor issues like headaches or indigestion. The weekend brings an opportunity for physical and emotional rejuvenation, especially if you spend time outdoors or engage in activities you enjoy. Focus on maintaining balance to keep your energy levels high throughout the week.
Kosovo arrested several suspects Saturday after an explosion at a key canal feeding two of its main power plants, while neighbouring Serbia rejected accusations of staging the blast. The explosion Friday near the town of Zubin Potok, which sits in an ethnic Serb-dominated area in Kosovo's troubled north, damaged a canal that supplies water to hundreds of thousands of people and cooling systems at two coal-fired power plants that generate most of Kosovo's electricity. As security forces swarmed the area around the canal, whose concrete walls were left with a gaping hole gushing water, Prime Minister Albin Kurti visited the site and announced authorities had arrested several people. Law enforcement "carried out searches" and "collected testimony and evidence, and the criminals and terrorists will have to face justice and the law," he said. The arrests follow a security meeting late Friday, when Kurti pointed the finger at Serbia. "The attack was carried out by professionals. We believe it comes from gangs directed by Serbia," he told a press conference, without providing evidence. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic hit back Saturday, denying the "irresponsible" and "baseless accusations". "Such unfounded claims are aimed to tarnish Serbia's reputation, as well as to undermine efforts to promote peace and stability in the region," he said in a statement to AFP. Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric had earlier suggested on X that the Kosovar "regime" could itself be behind the blast, calling for an international investigation. The main political party representing Serbs in Kosovo, Serb List, also condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms". AFP journalists at the scene saw water leaking heavily from one side of the reinforced canal, which runs from the Serb-majority north of Kosovo to the capital, Pristina. However, electricity supplies to consumers were running smoothly on Saturday morning, with authorities having found an alternative method to cool the plants, said Kosovo's Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli. Repair work was ongoing, authorities said, while Kurti confirmed workers had managed to restore water flows to 25 percent capacity. The United States strongly condemned the "attack on critical infrastructure in Kosovo", the US embassy in Pristina said in a statement on Facebook. "We are monitoring the situation closely... and have offered our full support to the government of Kosovo to ensure that those responsible for this criminal attack are identified and held accountable." Turkey's foreign ministry also condemned the attack, adding: "We call on all parties to exercise restraint to avoid escalation in the region." The NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping mission for Kosovo joined the calls for restraint. "It is important that facts are established and that those responsible are held accountable and brought to justice," it said in a statement. The force is providing security in the surrounding area and has offered logistical, explosives removal and engineering support to the Kosovo authorities, it added. The European Union's ambassador to Kosovo, Aivo Orav, joined the international condemnation, saying on X: "The incident needs to be investigated and those responsible brought to justice." Animosity between ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo and Serbia has persisted since the end of the war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian insurgents in the late 1990s. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, a move that Serbia has refused to acknowledge. Kurti's government has for months sought to dismantle a parallel system of social services and political offices backed by Belgrade to serve Kosovo's Serbs. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Saturday denounced "the act of sabotage on the critical water supply infrastructure in the Iber-Lepenc Canal" in comments on X, calling it "a serious crime that endangers the lives of Kosovo's citizens and undermines the process of normalizing relations in our region." Friday's attack came after a series of violent incidents in northern Kosovo, including the hurling of hand grenades at a municipal building and a police station earlier this week. ih/ach/giv/jhb/sbk