Post by rainman on Sept 10, 2007 6:26:14 GMT -5
Tomlin Era gets off to a roaring start with an impressive 34-7 victory
Monday, September 10, 2007
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
CLEVELAND -- Mike Tomlin knows most of the rest of his victories as Steelers coach won't come as easily as did the first one yesterday.
"Great starts are always great, but they can't define us," Tomlin said shortly after his players gave him the game ball from their manhandling of the Cleveland Browns, 34-7, to open the NFL season.
Because the Browns played so poorly, it was difficult for anyone to define the Steelers. It looked like a college opener, Steelers vs. Cupcake State. Before the first quarter ended, the Browns had lost two turnovers, botched a punt and committed what may be an NFL record of four separate penalties on one play, if they kept track of those things.
Their starting quarterback, Charlie Frye, was yanked before halftime after he was sacked more times (five) than he had completed passes (four).
The Steelers were methodical in their domination. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw four touchdown passes for the first time in his career, one each to Hines Ward (5 yards), Santonio Holmes (40), rookie tight end Matt Spaeth (5) and Heath Miller (22). Most importantly, the quarterback who led the NFL last season with 23 interceptions had none yesterday and finished with a healthy passer rating of 114.3.
"We talked all offseason and finally we were able to utilize the weapons we have," Roethlisberger said. "I was pleased with the way our offense performed."
Jeff Reed made his field-goal attempts of 26 and 31 yards. Willie Parker ran 27 times for 109 yards, and the Steelers' defense had two interceptions, three recovered fumbles and rained terror on quarterbacks Frye and Derek Anderson as the impatient crowd at Cleveland Browns Stadium often chanted "Bray-dee, Bray-deee" for rookie quarterback Brady Quinn.
"I think we're going to be good. I think we're going to be really good," defensive end Brett Keisel said.
Their domination of the Browns said they were that way yesterday. The Steelers rushed for 206 yards to go with Roethlisberger's production (12 of 23, 161 yards, one sack). They held old Ravens/new Browns running back Jamal Lewis to 35 yards on 11 carries and Cleveland to just 46 yards rushing. Cleveland's two quarterbacks were 17 of 38 for 218 yards. They were sacked six times, threw two interceptions and one touchdown pass -- from Anderson to fullback Lawrence Vickers -- of 1 yard in the third quarter.
Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, on his 70th birthday, unveiled some different schemes and used plenty of his depth chart, including two separate sets of three-man lines to keep them fresh.
"It was fun," Tomlin said.
So much so that when asked what adjustments the Steelers made at halftime, Tomlin answered, "We didn't."
It could be both the Steelers are that good and the Browns that bad.
"I wish I could say we're that good, but it's just one game and it's too early to start determining anything," linebacker James Farrior said. "We're still trying to find our identity and see what type of team we have here. We haven't gone through any adversity yet."
That's pretty much how it has been when they play the Browns, who lost their past eight to the Steelers and 14 of the past 15. The Steelers took the series lead for the first time since it began in 1950, 56-55.
It all started with a bad play on special teams by the Browns. Newly signed punter Paul Ernster, replacing injured Dave Zastudil, dropped the ball after the snap deep in Cleveland territory at the end of the game's first series. He did get off the punt, but it traveled only 15 yards and when the Steelers accepted one of four penalties called against the Browns on that play, they started at Cleveland's 22.
Roethlisberger hit Ward with a nice soft-touch pass in the back of the end zone for a 5-yard score.
Next series, on second down, Frye threw an interception right into the hands of cornerback Deshea Townsend, who returned it 21 yards to Cleveland's 17.
Reed ended that with a 26-yard field goal after Roethlisberger rolled right and threw short to open tight end Jerame Tuman on third-and-1 at the 8.
"You always want to make some plays for your defense," Townsend said. "We played what we wanted to play; we always want to dictate."
The domination continued when Farrior slammed into Lewis, who fumbled the ball and cornerback Bryant McFadden recovered at the Browns' 40 late in the opening period.
On the next play, Roethlisberger faked to Parker and Holmes got behind free safety Brodney Pool to catch the quarterback's throw 2 yards deep into the end zone for a 17-0 lead.
"I think he was looking into the backfield when the quarterback [faked] and I made a move over top and beat him over the top," Holmes explained.
After a scoreless pause in the second quarter, the Steelers continued to punish the Browns. They moved 71 yards on eight plays on their first series of the second half, ending that drive with the 6-foot-7 Spaeth catching his first touchdown pass in the middle of the end zone with Pool as the victim again.
The Browns responded on their next possession with their only score after Farrior dropped a ball thrown perfectly into his arms by Anderson on the first play of that drive.
"They might fine me double for that in the linebackers' meeting," Farrior said.
"We definitely wanted a goose egg," Keisel said.
It was about the only thing the Steelers wanted that they did not get. They scored twice more in response to Cleveland's lone touchdown -- one a touchdown by Miller for two scores to tight ends.
With 6:55 left, Tomlin sent Charlie Batch in for Roethlisberger long after the outcome was decided.
Farrior said his new head coach took it all in stride. There was little emotion and certainly no Gatorade baths on a day that marked only the third time in 39 years that a head coach made his debut with the Steelers.
"He was excited, but he really didn't want to show too much," Farrior said. "I guess he wanted to act like he's been there before."
Tomlin never had, not as a head coach, but if yesterday's game was any indication, he'll get a lot more practice at it.
