Sep 9, 2007, 20:36 GMT
Cleveland, OH - The Mike Tomlin era began with a win on Sunday, as Ben Roethlisberger completed 12-of-23 passes for 161 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 34-7 rout of the Cleveland Browns.
Willie Parker added 109 yards on 27 carries for the Steelers (1-0), who played for the first time under new head coach Tomlin, hired during the offseason to replace longtime coach Bill Cowher, who retired. Santonio Holmes hauled in a 40-yard score, and Hines Ward had three catches for 51 yards and a touchdown.
'We're happy with the effort today,' said Tomlin. 'I was trying to keep my emotions in check today. This is not my story, this is the story of the 2007 Steelers.'
Charlie Frye was pulled after a 4-of-10 start for 34 yards with one interception, and backup Derek Anderson came on to complete 13-of-28 passes for 184 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Browns (0-1). Jamal Lewis struggled in his Browns debut, gaining only 35 yards on 11 carries. Kellen Winslow had four catches for 83 yards for Cleveland. Fullback Lawrence Vickers had the lone score for the Browns, a one-yard reception in the third quarter, his first career touchdown.
'We were expecting a lot more,' said Browns head coach Romeo Crennel. 'We dug ourselves a tremendous hole.'
A shanked punt by Paul Ernster, combined with a holding penalty set the Steelers up at the Browns 22-yard-line early on. It took the Steelers only four plays to capitalize, with Roethlisberger finding Ward for a five-yard score, giving Pittsburgh a 7-0 lead with 11:49 left in the first quarter.
Cleveland's next possession was even more disastrous than the first, with Deshea Townsend picking off a Frye pass at the Cleveland 38-yard-line and taking it back 21 yards. The Browns defense held, but a 26-yard Jeff Reed field goal put the Steelers up 10-0.
Lewis' Cleveland debut got off to a rocky start, as he fumbled late in the first quarter, giving Pittsburgh possession at the Browns' 40. A play- action fake left Holmes wide open down the middle of the field, and Roethlisberger found him for a 40-yard touchdown, putting the Browns in a 17-0 hole with 58 seconds left in the first.
Frye was pulled midway through the second quarter in favor of Anderson, who did not fare much better against the Steelers defense.
As for who will start behind center next week for Clevelend, Crennel said 'Well, they both need to play better, and I don't know yet.'
The Steelers picked back up where they left off in the first drive of the second half, marching 71 yards on eight plays, and rout was on. Roethlisberger and Ward hooked up on a 24-yard connection, and Parker broke through for a 22- yard gain on the drive, which the Steelers QB capped with a five-yard TD pass to Matt Spaeth, posting the Steelers to a 24-0 lead with 10:33 left in the third.
The lone bright spot for the Browns came on the next drive, with Anderson finding Winslow for a 30-yard gain and a 20-yard gain, before passing to Vickers for a one-yard score, making it a 24-7 game.
Roethlisberger and the Steelers quickly answered the lone Cleveland score, though, as the Pittsburgh QB connected with Ward on the first play of the next drive for a 22-yard gain. Roethlisberger finished that drive off with a 22- yard scoring pass to Heath Miller, pushing the Steelers ahead 31-7 with 2:23 left in the third quarter.
A 31-yard Reed field goal with 7:12 left in the fourth capped the scoring.
Game Notes
Parker ripped the Browns last December for 223 yards on 32 carries...Reed has converted 18 consecutive field goals on the road...Braylon Edwards had three catches for 49 yards for the Browns...Pittsburgh's Ike Taylor intercepted an Anderson pass late in the fourth quarter...Cleveland cornerback Devon Holly left in the third quarter with a concussion.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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