I was surprised, although the Steelers were heavily favored and at home, that the Browns came out of the gate so flat. All three phases, absolute amateur hour.

But recall how Chud got whacked within a year because the team failed to show improvement. After a 3-27 first-half deficit in his debut, Mike Pettine won’t have that problem.

I was surprised that in the second half the Browns started succeeding with up-tempo offense and pressure on Big Ben Roethlisberger. The rookie runners rambled past some solid blocking, and the Browns rallied for a tying score early in the fourth quarter.

Keeping Brian Hoyer in the game showed a commendable lack of panic, and it was the right choice. Pigskin pundits will have their day to feast on Johnny Manziel’s on-field exploits, but halftime of a season-opening blowout is not when you bail on your starter and expect the rookie to do anything but take some lumps.

Unfortunately, that’s what Cleveland’s other first-round rookie is there to do. We can only hope that Justin Gilbert’s growing pains produce more growing and less pain, as the corner had an awful introduction to the NFL: repeatedly beaten in coverage, sloppy in tackling, lacking poise in committing an obvious personal foul, and — for the second big turning point of the game (the first being halftime) — leaving gunner Antwon Blake uncovered on the Steelers’ successful fake punt.

That neutralized the Browns’ surging second-half momentum, and the moment suddenly seemed to get too big for the young Browns and their new coaching staff.

Critical sequence: The Browns faced second-and-seven from the Pittsburgh 35 with the score tied and under five minutes left. They called a pass play: incomplete to Miles Austin. Then they called timeout. Then they called another pass play, again incomplete, this time to Gary Barnidge. So after eschewing the running game twice from that spot on the field, Pettine’s choice on fourth down was to punt, rather than have strong-legged Billy Cundiff try to give the Browns the lead with a 52-yard field goal in ideal weather conditions.

It was classic Crennel-esque, Mangini-esque, Shurmur-esque playing not to lose, which, of course, leads to what it led to. A touchback. And an offense that went fetal on its next and last possession, losing 11 yards and leaving Big Ben another shot to avoid overtime.

Disappointing, true. Demoralizing, yes. But all in all, it was a quintessential late summer day to welcome back another NFL season, and after an exceptionally change-intensive off-season, even by our standards, this was very, very familiar as a Cleveland Browns football game.

So I was not surprised.