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Pittsburgh Smashes Cleveland

The Associated Press

Published: September 10, 2007

CLEVELAND - The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't changed a bit under Mike Tomlin.

In their first game in 15 years without iconic coach Bill Cowher stalking the sideline, the Steelers looked the same while smashing and slapping around Cleveland - again.
Ben Roethlisberger threw a career-high four touchdown passes and Pittsburgh rolled to a 34-7 win in Tomlin's NFL coaching debut and embarrassed the Browns, who had a disastrous season opener at home.
Willie Parker rushed for 109 yards as the Steelers started the Tomlin Era with the kind of bruising victory that typified Cowher's tenure in the Steel City. Cowher went 21-5 against the Browns, but Tomlin did something his iron-jawed predecessor couldn't: beat Pittsburgh's bitter rival in his first meeting against them.

Cowher, who left the Steelers in January to become a TV analyst, lost his first game against Cleveland after replacing Hall of Famer Chuck Noll in 1992.

However, Tomlin had his first win all but locked up after the first quarter, when the Steelers pounced on mistakes by the bumbling Browns to open a 17-0 lead. By the end of the third quarter, the Steelers led 31-7.

Pittsburgh	17	0	14	3	-	34
Cleveland	0	0	7	0	-	7

First Quarter

Pit-Ward 5 pass from Roethlisberger (Reed kick), 11:55.

Pit-FG Reed 26, 8:56.

Pit-Holmes 40 pass from Roethlisberger (Reed kick), 1:05.

Third Quarter

Pit-Spaeth, 5 pass from Roethlisberger (Reed kick), 10:38.

Cle-Vickers, 1 pass from Anderson (Dawson kick), 6:56.

Pit-Miller, 22 pass from Roethlisberger (Reed kick), 2:23.

Fourth Quarter

Pit-FG Reed, 31 , 7:16.

A-73,089.

	Pit	Cle
First downs	17	13
Total Net Yards	365	221
Rushes-yards	42-206	16-46
Passing	159	175
Punt Returns	2-7	0-0
Kickoff Returns	2-44	4-98
Interceptions Ret.	2-23	0-0
Comp-Att-Int	12-23-0	17-38-2
Sacked-Yards Lost	1-2	6-43
Punts	6-37.2	7-36.6
Fumbles-Lost	2-1	4-3
Penalties-Yards	6-45	6-51
Time of Possession	36:16	23:44

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-Pittsburgh, Parker 27-109, Davenport 8-43, Wilson 1-37, Holmes 1-11, Davis 3-5, Roethlisberger 1-2, Batch 1-(minus 1). Cleveland, Lewis 11-35, Vickers 2-8, Wright 1-3, Frye 1-1, Anderson 1-(minus 1).

PASSING-Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger 12-23-0-161. Cleveland, Anderson 13-28-1-184, Frye 4-10-1-34.

RECEIVING-Pittsburgh, Miller 4-35, Ward 3-51, Holmes 2-55, Davenport 1-17, Spaeth 1-5, Parker 1-(minus 2). Cleveland, Winslow 4-83, Edwards 3-49, Jurevicius 2-28, Lewis 2-11, Vickers 2-7, Carter 1-22, Dinkins 1-8, Cribbs 1-7, Heiden 1-3.

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