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Roethlisberger helps Tomlin win debut with Steelers

Sep 9, 2007 - 10:29 PM By Jeff Brewer PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CLEVELAND (Ticker) - Mike Tomlin's first win as an NFL head coach was gift-wrapped - compliments of the Cleveland Browns.

The Pittsburgh Steelers capitalized on several Cleveland miscues and Ben Roethlisberger connected on a career-high four touchdown passes in a 34-7 rout of the Browns in the season opener for both teams.

Willie Parker carried 27 times for 109 yards and Jeff Reed added field goals of 26 and 31 yards for the Steelers (1-0), who have beaten the Browns eight straight.

"(Tomlin) is trying to play it off like he's not too excited," Roethlisberger said. "But it's got to be thrilling, your first win as a head coach in the NFL."

Tomlin succeeded Bill Cowher, who led the Steelers for 15 years and guided them to a win in Super Bowl XL. There has been speculation that if Cleveland's Romeo Crennel is fired after this season, Cowher will be the next coach of the Browns.

"I was trying to keep my emotions in check today," Tomlin said. "This is not my story; this is the story of the 2007 Steelers."

In the first quarter alone, Cleveland (0-1) had two turnovers, a botched punt, three penalties for 25 yards and yielded two sacks in handing Pittsburgh a 17-0 lead.

"We wanted to come out of the box strong and take some of the pressure off of him (Tomlin)," Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark said.

Roethlisberger completed 12-of-23 passes for 161 yards and teamed with Hines Ward on his first strike, a 5-yarder to the corner of the end zone at 11:49 of the first period.

After a fumble by Cleveland running back Jamal Lewis, who was signed in the offseason as a free agent, Roethlisberger hooked up with Santonio Holmes on a 40-yard scoring pass for a 17-0 lead with 1:05 left in the first quarter.

"That's the sign of a good football team that we were able to capitalize," Tomlin said.

Lewis finished with just 35 yards on 11 carries.

Roethlisberger added two more touchdown tosses in the third quarter - a 5-yarder to Matt Spaeth and a 22-yarder to Heath Miller - to push the lead to 31-7.

"We talk about winning by attrition," Tomlin said. "I'll enjoy it today and move forward."

Despite Pittsburgh's recent dominance in the series, Steelers guard Alan Faneca said the rivalry remains pretty intense.

"This rivalry is driven by the fans," he said. "The two cities have their thing and it's always going to be a rivalry no matter what it means to the two teams."

Browns starting quarterback Charlie Frye was pulled for Derek Anderson midway through the second quarter, after completing 4-of-10 passes and being sacked five times.

"We felt we would play a lot better going in," Crennel said. "But we turned the ball over, put the defense in a short field and then finally they wore down."

Anderson also struggled, completing 13-of-28 passes with one fumble and one interception, but he did manage to throw a 1-yard scoring pass to Lawrence Vickers. Cleveland finished with five turnovers.

"I did some good things, but obviously I made some mistakes," Anderson said. "It was not the way to start the season."

The Steelers sacked Cleveland's quarterbacks six times.

"We put some hurt on them and that kept them uncomfortable in the pocket," Pittsburgh linebacker Clark Haggans said.

The Browns' special teams became unsettled in the last week when punter and holder Dave Zastudil injured his back.