Steelers Win 12th Straight Against Browns

NFL News - October 18th, 2009 - Written by John

The Cleveland Browns said this week that they were unwilling to trade do-it-all man Joshua Cribbs, despite a bleak outlook in 2009 and a need to get fresh bodies. After an impressive performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers, his value only increased and there is no doubt who is the MVP of the Browns thus far.

Cribbs had 203 all-purpose yards, including a 98-yard kickoff return that provided half of his team's points. But there was little chance the Browns would be able to muster any more points and inevidbly fell to the reigning World Champs, 27-14, on Sunday.

Ben Roethisberger continued his impressive start to the season with 417 yards and two touchdowns. He led an offense that accumulated 543 total yards and had 16 more first downs than Cleveland. He is second in the NFL in passing and allowed two different receivers to have 100 yard days. Hines Ward led all receivers with 159 yards and a score, just enough to edge out Santonio Holmes' 104 yards. They beat the Browns for the 12th straight times and put the Steelers back atop the AFC North race after losses by the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.

But the Steelers only led by three at the half, mostly because of Cribbs sparking return. They only had two touchdowns despite the Browns being without their best defender, Kamerion Wimbley, due to an undisclosed illness. Roethisberger had both of his touchdown passes in the first quarter when he found the end zone in two of his first three drives. The first one went to Heath Miller, who he found in the back of the end zone from eight yards out. Then he hit the home run ball on a deep pass to Hines Ward. The pass only went about 20 yards, but Ward did the rest of the work, racing left to the corner of the end zone to make it 14-0.

The Browns countered on the ensuing kickoff on Cribbs' touchdown and then tacked on another touchdown on a one-yard pass from Derek Anderson to Lawrence Vickers.

But the Steelers finally broke away, scoring 10 unanswered points to close it out. Rashard Mendenhall had a late touchdown in that stretch and finished with 62 yards on 17 carries. Willie Parker, who was active for the first time in three weeks, ran seven times for 26 yards.

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