Steelers clinch bye, AFC North title with 41-9 win

CLEVELAND -- The Steelers won the AFC North Division championship today and clinched the No. 2 seed in the conference and a bye next weekend in the playoffs by routing the Cleveland Browns, 41-9.

Ben Roethlisberger threw touchdown passes to Mike Wallace and Heath Miller; Rashard Mendenhall ran for two 1-yard touchdowns; and Antwaan Randle El tossed his second touchdown pass of the season, to Hines Ward. The Steelers ran out to a 31-3 halftime lead and scored on the first six possessions -- five touchdowns and a 41-yard field goal by Shaun Suisham. They did not punt until late in the third quarter. Suisham also kicked a 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

The Steelers will open the playoffs Jan. 15 or 16 at Heinz Field. A victory in that game would advance the team to the AFC championship game.

Their division championship is their 20th since the 1970 NFL merger, most in the league.

PG VIDEO: STEELERS REPORT PG VIDEO: STEELERS REPORT

Interceptions by Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark set up two of the touchdowns as the Steelers picked off Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy three times in the first half.

The Steelers struck early when Polamalu, playing for the first time in three games, intercepted McCoy on the game's second play from scrimmage. On the third play from scrimmage, Roethlisberger threw deep and connected with Wallace, who caught the pass at the five and polished off the 56-yard touchdown play.

On their second drive, the Steelers scored again, although it took them a few more plays on that one. They moved 71 yards on 10 plays with Mendenhall crashing over right guard for a 1-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead.

Cleveland put together a longer drive, starting from its 18, and moved 80 yards on 15 plays. On fourth down at the two, Phil Dawson came on and kicked a 19-yard field goal, and it was 14-3.

The Steelers made it three series, three touchdowns after Mendenhall scored a second time from the one, ending a 74-yard drive on the 11th play.

Clark gave them the ball back three plays later when he picked off McCoy to give his offense the ball at the Browns' 24. Three plays after that, Miller caught Roethlisberger's second scoring pass of the half, good for four yards, and it was 28-3.

Anthony Madison, playing as the nickel back because Bryant McFadden injured his groin, gave his offense another shot to score before the half when he intercepted McCoy with 2:33 left in the half.

They did not score a touchdown, but they did score on Suisham's 41-yard field goal to make it five offensive series, five scores in the first half.

They opened the second half on offense and scored again, making it 6 for 6. Randle El took a pitch from Roethlisberger and threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward to make it 38-3 with 7:18 to go.

That was enough. Coach Mike Tomlin began pulling a few key veterans. He took Polamalu out of the game (James Farrior departed near the end of the first half). Byron Leftwich replaced Roethlisberger on the second series of the second half. It was Leftwich's first appearance in the regular season, as it was for rookie halfback Jonathan Dwyer on that series. On the next series, Miller and Flozell Adams were out, as was Maurkice Pouncey, who had a "stinger,'' according to the Steelers.

The three interceptions by the Steelers gave them 21, the most in one season since they had 23 in 1996.

Wallace had his seventh 100-yard game, tying John Stallworth for most in one season by a Steelers receiver.

Leftwich guided his offense to another Suisham field goal, from 24 yards with 12:32 to go in the game.

The Browns finally reached the end zone with 6:33 left in the game when McCoy threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Brian Robiskie against a defense that featured substitutes at each position except for linebacker James Harrison. The Browns failed to convert their two-point conversion try.

For more on the Steelers, read the blog, Ed Bouchette On the Steelers at www.post-gazette.com/plus. Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com

First published on January 2, 2011 at 2:42 pm