Steelers benefit as Browns finish with a whimper
Cleveland coach, GM fired after game
• Ben Roethlisberger looked up in the fourth quarter and noticed Pittsburgh fans twirling their Terrible Towels with delight.
The Steelers needed help, and they got it.
They’re still in the hunt for another Super Bowl title.
Roethlisberger t hrew three touchdown passes, Pittsburgh’s defence dominated and the Steelers slipped into the AFC playoffs with a 28-12 win Sunday over the Cleveland Browns, who fired coach Mike Pettine and general manager Ray Farmer after the game.
Needing a win and Buffalo to knock off the New York Jets to make the post-season, the Steelers (10-6) got both.
Leading comfortably in the closing minutes, Roethlisberger heard the crowd roar.
“I assumed there was a fight or a Steelers fan was beating up a Browns fan,” he said with a laugh. “When I saw the towels getting out I kind of assumed what was going on. A lot of thanks to coach Ryan and the rest of the Bills and everybody in Buffalo. I know they’re excited about 8- 8 and we’re excited they got us in.”
Pittsburgh’s bumpy season — the Steelers overcame suspensions, injuries and a shocking loss last week in Baltimore — will continue with at least one more game. As usual, Roethlisberger did his part, throwing for 349 yards, including 187 to sensational wide receiver Antonio Brown, who had 13 catches and a TD.
“It’s been a tough, 16-week fight for us, but we’re where we want to be,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “We’re where we need to be.”
The Browns ( 3-13) ended another losing season in disarray and doubt. Owner Jimmy Haslam, who vowed in August that he wouldn’t “blow things up” ousted Pet- tine and Farmer. Pettine went 10-22 in two seasons, losing 18 of his final 21 games.
“I’m not into pleading,” Pettine said after the game, before the announcement was made. “That to me is the resume: how hard the guys play, the effort that goes in, how hard we practice, what we do in meeting time, walkthrough, out on the practice field, how that carries over to the game field. I feel like we’ve done a lot of good things, but I’m the first one to tell you this is a pass/fail league, and the results aren’t there.”
When the Steelers knew they were in the playoffs, they hugged and high-fived on the sideline and thousands of Pittsburgh fans celebrated.
“It’s so gratifying,” said Brown, who finished with 136 catches for 1,834 yards. “Sitting here as a Pittsburgh Steeler, that’s the expectation to make the playoffs and hoist the Lombardi Trophy. We continue to stay together no matter what people say.”
The loss in Baltimore had severely damaged the Steelers’ playoff chances, but Roethlisberger made sure there wouldn’t be another costly misstep.
Roethlisberger finished 24 of 36 and improved to 19-2 against Cleveland.
There was one hiccup as Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams left in the first half with an ankle injury. Tomlin said Williams will be evaluated, and would not rule him out of the post-season.