1:00 PM ET, October 12,2014
FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH
FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, OH
Top Performers
Passing: B. Roethlisberger (PIT) - 228 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INTRushing: L. Bell (PIT) - 18 CAR, 82 YDS
Receiving: A. Brown (PIT) - 7 REC, 118 YDS
Associated Press
Sunday Blitz: Steelers-Browns Recap
Later, the Pro Bowl tackle stood at his locker, his voice cracking for a very different reason.
For Thomas, this win meant more than any other.
More from ESPN.com
Mike
Pettine couldn't hide his enthusiasm for what he described as a 'huge'
win as the Browns continue to make believers out of skeptics, Pat
McManamon writes. Story
Ben
Roethlisberger has led the Steelers' offense to just 20 points over the
last two weeks, and he said it wasn't the game plan that failed them
Sunday, Scott Brown writes. Story"It was special," Thomas said following Cleveland's 31-10 rout on Sunday. "I've been on the other end of this rivalry when we lose by three scores so many times. I've been through the hell of getting our butts kicked. It felt really good to finally be on the other end of it. It was a family win."
Brian Hoyer passed for 217 yards and pulled off a rarity for a Cleveland quarterback, leading the Browns to a romp over Ben Roethlisberger and their biggest rivals.
Hoyer threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Cameron and improved to 6-2 as Cleveland's starter as the surprising Browns (3-2) beat the Steelers for just the third time in 23 games. Cleveland hadn't beaten Pittsburgh so soundly since a 51-0 shutout in 1989.
Hoyer, the hometown kid quickly turning into a hero, ran off the field to loud cheers and exited near a banner that read: "This Is Hoyer Country."
And it's only growing.
"I think the last time the Browns beat the Steelers, I was the backup quarterback for the Steelers that day," said Hoyer, referring to Cleveland's win on Nov. 25, 2012.
Ben Tate had two rushing TDs and rookie Isaiah Crowell added another as the Browns opened a 21-3 lead in the first half and rolled to the easy win one week after staging the largest comeback in NFL history by a road team.
Roethlisberger suffered just his second loss in 20 games against Cleveland. The Steelers (3-3) never found a rhythm on offense and their defense, missing two starters, gave up too many big plays.
"We failed in all three phases," coach Mike Tomlin said. "We got to play better. We got to swallow this one and we will."
The victory legitimizes the Browns' turnaround and Hoyer as the team's unquestioned leader. There were some doubts about Hoyer when the season began, and with rookie Johnny Manziel on the roster, it was assumed Cleveland would eventually undergo yet another change at quarterback.
Hoyer has put that talk to rest and made the dramatic Browns, whose first four games were decided by eight points, one of the league's unexpected winners.
He finished 8 of 17 and still has just one interception in 149 attempts.
"It was a little boring out there for me at the end," Hoyer joked.
Roethlisberger wasn't as efficient as he usually is against Cleveland. He went 21 of 42 for 228 yards and one late TD, was sacked twice and threw one pick against Cleveland's maligned defense. It was his first loss to the Browns since Dec. 10, 2009.
Tate's 1-yard run with 12:47 left put the Browns ahead 31-3.
Really, it was over long before that.
Cleveland led by 18 at halftime, a 180-degree switch from Week 1 when the Steelers built a 27-3 lead and gave up 24 unanswered points before winning on a last-second field goal.
The Browns rammed the ball down Pittsburgh's throat to take a commanding lead late in the second quarter.
Tate's 8-yard TD run capped an 85-yard drive soured by the loss of Mack, who got his legs tangled in a pile of players on a running play. He laid face-down in the grass for several minutes before several Steelers -- and all of his teammates -- came over to console him. Mack, who signed a five-year, $42 million contract in March, gave the crowd a thumbs up as he was driven off.
Mack had played 5,189 consecutive snaps without missing a play, anchoring an offensive line that has played well this season.
Seeing Mack leave was a huge blow for Thomas.
"We have played every snap together for six years and you are finally getting the best of Pittsburgh, he deserved to be out there with us," Thomas said. "It was hard to go on. It's so difficult to lose such a tremendous player like that."
Right guard John Greco, who had never played center during a game in his career, slid over and took Mack's spot, and Paul McQuistan came off the bench. The Browns barely missed a beat without Mack.
Coach Mike Pettine has a team united in purpose.
"They believe in each other and they believe in what they're doing," he said. "We talk about being a team and they embody that word."
Game notes
Browns DE Armonty Bryant departed with a knee injury and Pettine said "the news is not good on Armonty." ... Over the past six quarters, the Browns have outscored their opponents 50-10. ... Thomas has played 7,242 consecutive snaps, not missing a single play since he was drafted in 2007.
Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press
Photo Wire
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 12: Johnny Manziel #2 of the Cleveland Browns throws a pass during warmups prior to the...
(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Team Stat Comparison
PIT
|
CLE
| |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Downs | 22 | 19 |
Passing 1st downs
| 12 | 7 |
Rushing 1st downs
| 5 | 10 |
1st downs from penalties
| 5 | 2 |
3rd down efficiency
| 6-16 | 4-11 |
4th down efficiency
| 0-2 | 0-0 |
| Total Plays | 76 | 56 |
| Total Yards | 359 | 368 |
| Yards per play | 4.7 | 6.6 |
| Total Drives | 13 | 12 |
| Passing | 221 | 210 |
Comp-Att
| 21-42 | 8-17 |
Yards per pass
| 5.0 | 11.7 |
Interceptions thrown
| 1 | 0 |
Sacks-Yards Lost
| 2-7 | 1-7 |
| Rushing | 138 | 158 |
Rushing Attempts
| 32 | 38 |
Yards per rush
| 4.3 | 4.2 |
| Red Zone (Made-Att) | 0-3 | 3-3 |
| Penalties | 6-42 | 6-60 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
Fumbles lost
| 0 | 1 |
Interceptions thrown
| 1 | 0 |
| Defensive / Special Teams TDs | 0 | 0 |
| Possession | 33:05 | 26:55 |
Passing Leaders
| PIT | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | SACKS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roethlisberger | 21/42 | 228 | 5.4 | 1 | 1 | 2-7 | |
| CLE | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | SACKS | |
| Hoyer | 8/17 | 217 | 12.8 | 1 | 0 | 1-7 | |
Scoring Summary
| FIRST QUARTER | PIT | CLE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | FG | 5:09 | Shaun Suisham 20 Yd Field Goal
Drive info: 10 plays, 63 yds, 6:11
| 3 | 0 |
| SECOND QUARTER | PIT | CLE | |||
 | TD | 11:45 | Isaiah Crowell 5 Yd Run (Billy Cundiff Kick)
Drive info: 5 plays, 68 yds, 1:51
| 3 | 7 |
| TD | 9:35 | Jordan Cameron 51 Yd pass from Brian Hoyer (Billy Cundiff Kick)
Drive info: 3 plays, 60 yds, 1:08
| 3 | 14 |
| TD | 2:27 | Ben Tate 8 Yd Run (Billy Cundiff Kick)
Drive info: 11 plays, 85 yds, 5:07
| 3 | 21 |
| THIRD QUARTER | PIT | CLE | |||
| FG | 3:23 | Billy Cundiff 40 Yd Field Goal
Drive info: 6 plays, 58 yds, 2:52
| 3 | 24 |
| FOURTH QUARTER | PIT | CLE | |||
| TD | 12:47 | Ben Tate 1 Yd Run (Billy Cundiff Kick)
Drive info: 7 plays, 39 yds, 4:17
| 3 | 31 |
| TD | 2:36 | Lance Moore 26 Yd pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Shaun Suisham Kick)
Drive info: 5 plays, 74 yds, 1:03
| 10 | 31 |
Research Notes
Two Browns rushed for at least 75 yards Sunday, with Isaiah Crowell (11 rushes, 77 yards) and Ben Tate (25 rushes, 78 yards) each finding the end zone (Tate twice). Cleveland's success on the ground set up Brian Hoyer's play-action passing well.
[+] |
Brian Hoyer
completed three-quarters of his deep passes and only 22.2 percent of
his short throws Sunday, despite throwing only one fewer deep attempt.
[+] |
The Browns lead the NFL in offensive efficiency despite:
-942 snaps at QB/RB/WR/TE from undrafted players (most in NFL)
-40.4% of rush + rec yards from rookies (2nd-most in NFL, Jaguars have more)
-1 of 2 teams in NFL without 1st-round pick starting at offensive skill position (QB/RB/WR/TE)...other team is Patriots
|
In the first half, Brian Hoyer
was 4-5 for 134 yards and a TD on passes thrown 15 yards or more
downfield, but just 1-6 for 12 yards on passes shorter than 15 yards.
|
The Browns have outscored the Steelers 45-6 since the start of the second half of their Week 1 meeting.
|
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