BEREA, Ohio -- Preparation and poise can be the difference between winning a play and losing one.

Winning a play can mean winning a game.

In the Browns 31-10 win over the Steelers, a couple early plays went under the radar. Both were important in getting the team going, both were the result of preparation and study and work on the part of the players and coaches.

The first came as the Steelers lined up for their second field goal try at the 17 with 13:41 left in the second quarter. At that point, special teams Chris Tabor called the field goal block unit together and told them that the Steelers were going to try to draw them offside on fourth-and-3 and not to fall for it.

According to punter Spencer Lanning, the Browns coaches had noticed four or five times since the 2013 season began that the Steelers tried a hard count on the snap, and that its holder would move his fingers slightly to also draw the penalty.

Tabor noticed it on film, especially in a late season game last season against Green Bay. On fourth-and-3 from the 10, the Steelers tried the trick, it worked and Pittsburgh went on to score the game-winning touchdown in a 38-31 win.

So Tabor warned his unit about the ploy as they went on the field. The Steelers were ahead 3-0, a second drive had stalled in the red zone and Tabor expected the attempt to draw his team offside with the hard count.

Pittsburgh did just that. And when Wing moved his fingers and the Browns didn’t jump he wasn’t ready for the snap when it came back to him.

As a result, he rushed the set and put the ball down a few inches behind where it should be. Shaun Suisham could have still tried the kick, but he stopped and at that point Wing was an easy mark.

Preparation in that case mattered.

The Browns then took over for their first possession of the second quarter. In the first quarter, they had a total of minus-8 yards. Two plays gained 4 yards. On third down, Brian Hoyer dropped back and threw a deep in to Miles Austin. The pass was high, but Austin went up and grabbed the ball with William Gay covering.

“I guess when you think about a play I try to think about it being a better catch than it was, a tougher catch than it was,” Austin said. “Looking at it on film, it’s a catch you should make. It’s one that if you didn’t make it. ... I don’t want to say it’d be understood, but it was a play that you’re supposed to make and anybody could make.

“It’s one that you need to make at the time.”

The next play was the first deep throw to Jordan Cameron, with the Browns first touchdown the next. The Browns had a lead they never gave up.

Austin’s preparation came in his professional approach. Receivers are paid to catch the ball. In a sense his effort is emblematic of the effort by the Browns receivers this season.

They were a disparaged group, and few had good expectations for them. They have proven many wrong, and as Austin said “we go out, do what we have to do and we’ll do it to the best of our ability.”

Where did their confidence come from?

“I think confidence comes through preparation,” Austin said. “It’s a cliche, but it’s true, man.”

Games are won on Sundays.

But the work that goes into Sunday can have a large effect on what happens Sunday.