Roethlisberger uses legs to lead Steelers past Browns
VIDEO PLAYLIST 
| Scouts Buzz |
The Browns scored touchdowns in the first half while the Steelers settled for field goals, but everything changed in the second half. Pittsburgh’s defense came out flying and rattled Cleveland quarterback Derek Anderson. That pressure affected Anderson’s accuracy and confidence on the road. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, meanwhile, got better as the game went along and excelled on third downs. He threw an interception early that led to a Browns touchdown and held the ball too long at times in hopes of making a big play downfield. But once again, he was the difference-maker for the Steelers. Cleveland varied its pass rush, blitzing heavily at times and bringing only three rushers at other times, and it didn’t matter that Pittsburgh’s pass protection was not particularly impressive. Roethlisberger continually made big plays with his arm and legs, and was the difference in the game, although kick returner Josh Cribbs and the Browns suddenly have made this rivalry much more competitive.
-- Matt Williamson, Scouts Inc.
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| Team Stat Comparison |
| |  |  |
| 1st Downs | 13 | 22 |
3rd down efficiency | 5-12 | 8-16 |
4th down efficiency | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Total Yards | 163 | 401 |
| Passing | 123 | 242 |
Comp-Att | 16-35 | 23-35 |
Yards per pass | 3.5 | 6.9 |
| Rushing | 40 | 159 |
Rushing Attempts | 18 | 35 |
Yards per rush | 2.2 | 4.5 |
| Penalties | 7-40 | 5-30 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
Fumbles lost | 1 | 0 |
Interceptions thrown | 0 | 1 |
| Possession | 21:43 | 38:17 |
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| Cleveland Passing | | | C/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | | Anderson | 16/35 | 123 | 3 | 0 |
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| | Pittsburgh Receiving | | | REC | YDS | TD | LG | | Ward | 7 | 80 | 1 | 19 | | Miller | 5 | 71 | 1 | 22 |
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| Cleveland Fumbles | | | FUM | LOST | REC | | Lewis | 2 | 1 | 0 |
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| Scoring Summary |
| FIRST QUARTER | CLE | PIT |
| TD | 04:10 | Kellen Winslow 4 Yd Pass From Derek Anderson (Phil Dawson Kick) | 7 | 0 |
| FG | 01:29 | Jeff Reed 28 Yd | 7 | 3 |
| SECOND QUARTER | CLE | PIT |
| TD | 14:56 | Lawrence Vickers 2 Yd Pass From Derek Anderson (Phil Dawson Kick) | 14 | 3 |
| FG | 09:02 | Jeff Reed 35 Yd | 14 | 6 |
| TD | 05:24 | Braylon Edwards 16 Yd Pass From Derek Anderson (Phil Dawson Kick) | 21 | 6 |
| FG | 00:04 | Jeff Reed 30 Yd | 21 | 9 |
| THIRD QUARTER | CLE | PIT |
| TD | 06:14 | Hines Ward 12 Yd Pass From Ben Roethlisberger (Jeff Reed Kick) | 21 | 16 |
| FOURTH QUARTER | CLE | PIT |
| TD | 11:32 | Ben Roethlisberger 30 Yd Run (Ben Roethlisberger Pass To Hines Ward For Two-Point Conversion) | 21 | 24 |
| TD | 11:14 | Josh Cribbs 100 Yd Kickoff Return (Phil Dawson Kick) | 28 | 24 |
| TD | 03:13 | Heath Miller 2 Yd Pass From Ben Roethlisberger (Jeff Reed Kick) | 28 | 31 |
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Cleveland Browns appear to be closing the gap between themselves and the rival Steelers.
They're not there yet, though, not with
Ben Roethlisberger able to beat teams two different ways in the same week.
Roethlisberger
| 20 Questions: QB edition |
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The Browns didn't end their nine-game losing streak to the Steelers, but they did end one other dubious streak. Derek Anderson's three TDs gave him 20 for the season, ending the franchise's 20-year drought of failing to have a QB reach that plateau.
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|
Team
|
Last
|
QB
|
| Browns |
1987 |
Kosar* |
| Cardinals |
1988 |
Lomax |
| Ravens |
1996 |
Testaverde |
| Jaguars |
2000 |
Brunell |
| Dolphins |
2001 |
Fiedler |
| *Before Sunday |
scrambled 30 yards for a key touchdown during Pittsburgh's second-half comeback, then set up his own go-ahead 2-yard TD pass to
Heath Miller with an important third-down run as the Steelers rallied from a 15-point deficit to beat Cleveland 31-28 Sunday.
Roethlisberger's big second half, with two TD passes and some important scrambles, overcame Cleveland quarterback
Derek Anderson's huge first half and two long Joshua Cribbs kickoff returns.
Pittsburgh (7-2) beat Cleveland (5-4) for the ninth consecutive time. Barely.
Phil Dawson could have tied it, but was short on a 52-yard field goal attempt with 6 seconds remaining.
Relying on Roethlisberger's ability to shrug off blitzes and gain yards on plays that appeared to have broken down, plus his two TD passes, the Steelers took a big step toward making the playoffs after going 8-8 last season. Only six days before, Roethlisberger's five touchdown passes led the Steelers to a 38-7 Monday night rout of Baltimore.
"All I ever hear is about
[Tom] Brady and
Peyton [Manning], but this guy we have here is very special," defensive end
Brett Keisel said. "He makes plays those guys don't make and that's what makes him so special. He can get out of the pocket, he can create, he's a beast and we're glad he wears black and gold."
Cleveland led 21-6 in the first half as Cribbs' 90-yard kickoff return led to one of Anderson's three touchdown passes. But with the Browns offense managing only a single first down and no points in the second half, Roethlisberger's TD scramble put the Steelers up for the first time at 24-21 early in the fourth quarter.
"I was ready to slide ... but
Hines [Ward] was downfield blocking and when I get that close to the end zone, I'm trying to get it," Roethlisberger said.
Still, the Browns were in position to beat Pittsburgh for only the second time in their last 16 games after Cribbs' improbable 100-yard kickoff return touchdown with about 11 minutes remaining. Cribbs fumbled the ball near the goal line and was forced to take off down the Steelers sideline out of desperation.
"We had him stacked up -- it was a fluke and it just happened," the Steelers'
Larry Foote said. "It definitely tested our character."
A fluke? Cribbs finished with more yards on kickoff returns (204) than the Browns offense had total yards (163).
"It was a couple of inches from going into the end zone and I had to make a decision and live with it," Cribbs said of his 100-yarder.
With the Steelers down 28-24, Roethlisberger (23-of-34, 278 yards) calmly led the decisive 78-yard scoring drive that lasted 8 minutes and featured All-Pro guard
Alan Faneca challenging his teammates in the huddle to win it.
Roethlisberger kept the drive going with a 20-yard completion to Miller on third-and-18 and his own 10-yard run to the 2 on third-and-9 before Miller made a one-handed catch for the go-ahead score.
"Their whole philosophy was don't give up the big play, see if Ben could read defenses and take what the defense gave them," said Ward, who had a 12-yard TD catch. "Ben did a tremendous job of it."
The Steelers, playing six days after their 38-7 Monday night rout of Baltimore, quickly fell into a bad habit: trading field goals for touchdowns.
They settled for three
Jeff Reed field goals in the first half and fell behind 21-9 as Anderson threw TD passes of 4 yards to
Kellen Winslow, 2 to
Lawrence Vickers after Cribbs' 90-yard kickoff return and 16 yards to
Braylon Edwards.
Game notes LB
James Harrison, who had two forced fumbles on defense and another on special teams Monday, had two more forced fumbles. ... The Steelers are 4-0 in the division and 5-0 at home. ...
Willie Parker, who ran for a club record 223 yards against Cleveland last season, had 105 yards on 25 carries, the seventh running back to gain more than 100 against the Browns. ... Roethlisberger has 22 touchdown passes, four more than his previous career high, with seven games to play.
Cleveland 28, 
Pittsburgh 31
