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CLEVELAND - The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't overlook the Cleveland Browns. They overran, overpowered and overwhelmed them instead. Ben Roethlisberger threw one touchdown pass and Willie Parker busted off an 80-yard TD run as the Steelers improved their playoff chances with a 41-0 demolition of the Browns on Saturday. With thousands of their fans waving "Terrible Towels" from every corner of Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Steelers (10-5) dominated the Browns as thoroughly as in almost any meeting in the rivalry's 55-year history. Pittsburgh outgained Cleveland 457-178 and sacked rookie quarterback Charlie Frye eight times. The Steelers handed the Browns (5-10) a loss every bit as demoralizing as their 43-0 shutout in 1999 when Cleveland returned to the NFL as an expansion team. The Browns didn't belong on the same field with their neighbors from western Pennsylvania, who behaved like rowdy holiday guests. The Steelers have beaten Cleveland five straight times and won 11 of the past 12 meetings. Since 1994, Pittsburgh is 18-3 vs. Cleveland.
The Steelers even roughed up one foolish Browns fan, who sprinted onto the field in the fourth quarter before he was picked up and slammed to the turf by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison before police took him away. Pittsburgh, which will host Detroit at home next week, came in tied for the sixth and final AFC playoff spot. The Steelers seem to have fully recovered from a three-game losing streak that seriously jeopardized their postseason hopes. Roethlisberger, now 21-3 as a starter, picked the Browns' defense apart, going 13-of-20 for 226 yards in three quarters. Pittsburgh's defense thrashed and confused Frye, who miserably failed his toughest test since becoming a starter. Under pressure on every snap, he fumbled four times and finished 20-of-39 for 183 yards. Parker finished with 17 carries for 130 yards, giving him 1,067 this season and making him the first Steelers back other than Jerome Bettis to go over 1,000 yards since 1992. Bettis scored Pittsburgh's first TD in the first. The Steelers were already ahead 20-0 when Parker broke through a huge hole in the line and easily outran Cleveland's defensive backs for Pittsburgh's longest rushing play since Kordell Stewart went 80 for a TD in 1996. Verron Haynes barreled 15 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter to make it 34-0, sending Browns fans shuffling for the exits and maybe on their way to pick up some last-minute stocking stuffers. It got worse for Cleveland when wide receiver Quincy Morgan, traded by the Browns last season, caught a 31-yard TD pass from Charlie Batch and then taunted fans in the Dawg Pound before throwing the ball into the stands. READ MORE / LINK |
