Cleveland Still Sucks.

34
7

Cleveland starts the game by winning the toss. It was the only thing they'd win all night.

Jeff Reed's leg was replaced by a cannon in the offseason. Touchback.

Cleveland's big addition of the offseason, Jamal Lewis, was supposed to improve their running game. The Steelers were supposed to miss Joey Porter. Lewis ran for 2 and was stopped by Porter's replacement James Harrison. Two plays later Aaron "Aero" Smith comes up with a big sack.

Next came the defining moment in the game. The Browns new punter fumbled a perfect snap and the Browns ensued to get four penalties on the play.

The Steelers accepted a holding penalty that gave them the ball on the Cleveland 22. Big Ben spreads the ball around to Holmes and Miller to get the ball down to the 5 and it's all Hines. Great lob pass to the back of the end zone. 7-0.

Two plays after the kickoff, Deshea Townsend picks off Charlie Frye and takes it back to the 17.

As the Steelers come out for the next drive, their average starting position is the 19-yard line. Awesome. Run-run-sack...but wait! Offsides on Cleveland. New life for the Steelers. After a failed roll-out look for Tuman, Reed comes in and knocks in a field goal. 10-0. 9 min to go in the 1st Qtr.

Cleveland tries to establish something with Lewis and throwing to Winslow, but an offensive pass interference penalty on Winslow negates a first down pass. Farrior comes up with a sack on the next play, forcing a punt.

The Steelers, starting in the area of the 20, do something familiar. Run-screen-pass-punt. Sepulveda can only be stopped by kryptonite.

The Browns go back to Lewis, but Farrior forces a fumble on the second play and B-Mac jumps on the ball.

The Steelers respond with a 1-play, 40-yard strike to Santonio Holmes. 17-0 and we're still in the 1st quarter.

Cleveland's next drive lasts 3 plays and ends with a Clark Haggans sack.

The teams trade punts, Parker fumbles, but James Harrison and Ike Taylor come up with sacks on consecutive plays to force a punt. The Steelers respond by punting and the Browns bring in Derek Anderson to replace Charlie Frye.

Anderson moves the Browns down the field but is stripped by Ryan Clark and the fumble is recovered by Aaron Smith. This is the last exciting play of the first half as the teams exchange 3-and-out drives for the last two minutes.

The Steelers come out of the half with a heavy dose to Willie Parker, driving the ball down the field on some solid runs. Big Ben hits 3rd Round Draft pick Matt Spaeth out of Minnesota for a 5-yard score to extend the lead to 24-0.

Anderson hooks up with Winslow and Carter on the next drive, picking apart the Steelers secondary, driving the Browns down into the Red Zone. The D holds Lewis from short yardage and forces a play-action pass to the fullback for a touchdown to pull the Browns within 3 scores. 24-7.

Roethlisberger comes out showing who the best QB in the game is by hitting Hines for a 22-yard reception. Back to the ground for some hard yards, and then...

Big hookup from Ben to Heath for a 22-yard score.
31-7.

Cleveland manages 1 first down on their next drive then punts. The "Brady, Brady" chants can be heard over the broadcast announcers.

The Steelers respond with classic 4th quarter Steelers football. Parker. Parker. Parker. Wilson gets his hands on the ball on a reverse that springs for 37 yards. Back to Parker on the ground and the drive stalls resulting in a Jeff Reed field goal. 34-7.

Two plays after the kickoff, Anderson hits Braylon Edwards for a big reception, but Anthony Smith strips the ball and William Gay falls on it. Another big play by these two, they just find the ball.

Homestead Charlie comes in to hand off to Najeh, run-run-run-punt.

Ike Taylor jumps in front of an Anderson pass and buries Cleveland in misery. The nail is in the coffin as the Steelers win their first regular season game of the Tomlin era. Solid performance all around.

Stats:
Roethlisberger: 12/23 for 161 yds and 4 TDs.
Parker: 27 carries, 109 yds.
Tight Ends: 2 TD receptions
(would have been 3 if we could have hit Tuman on the second drive)
Steelers Defense: 3 Fumble recoveries, 2 INTs, 6 sacks
Rushing Yards: Steelers 206, Browns 46
TOP: Steelers 36:16, Browns 23:44