One Final Game Versus Big Ben

This Monday could be Ben Roethlisberger’s final start at Heinz Field. In my 21 years of existence, the Browns have managed to win at Heinz Field just two times and only one of those wins came against Big Ben. For the better part of my life, Roethlisberger has found ways to ruin my Sundays and made the NFL far less enjoyable.

With that being said, there’s only one thing left to do: crush the Steelers’ playoff aspirations and ruin Ben’s final game in Pittsburgh. My 2021 was completed just 10 days into the new year. Not only was it fun knocking the heavily favored Steelers out in the first round, but watching a sad Roethlisberger on the bench was everything I could have asked for. 

This time around it won’t be as easy. Heinz Field will be filled to the gills to watch Ben’s final homecoming, Renegade will be blasting through the speakers at least one time, and most importantly, Baker Mayfield won’t play like he did in his last trip to Pittsburgh. But none of that seems to scare me in any way. 

The Browns have found every way in the book to let me down. From blocked kicks to dropped passes, and Chad Henne running right through the heart of Cleveland. We’ve experienced enough heartbreak for 10 lifetimes. Now’s the time to get one sliver of enjoyment for the fans of Cleveland. The Browns need to ruin Ben’s final game. 

I don’t ask much out of the Browns. In the words of Zendaya’s MJ: “If you expect disappointment, then you can never really be disappointed.” It’s how I’ve always been with the Browns. But it’s a new year and a new me, and I’m going to believe in the browns. I’m not sure believing in the Browns is a great idea, but hope is the only thing we really have. 

After 21 years of mostly terrible Browns memories, can’t they do this one thing for me? Avoid the season sweep against the Steelers and ruin Big Ben’s final game.