Steelers looking to avoid letdown

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November 11, 2007

BY JIM WEXELL The Tribune-Democrat Sun Nov 11, 2007, 12:09 AM EST

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers’ 38-7 win over the Baltimore Ravens was their first divisional blowout on a Monday night since Oct. 29, 2001, when the Steelers beat the Tennessee Titans, 34-7.

The week after the game, the 5-1 Steelers lost to the 4-3 Ravens, 13-10.

The Steelers went on to host the AFC title game that year, but those two games serve as an example of the emotional roller coaster the Steelers often rode under former coach Bill Cowher.

The same scenario unfolds today for the Steelers (6-2), who host the Cleveland Browns (5-3) at 1 p.m. But of course, the Steelers have a different coach.

“Sometimes, when you have splash games,” coach Mike Tomlin said, “you can trick yourself into thinking that it was a great execution game. It was not.”

The Steelers may have lit up the scoreboard, but they were stuffed at the point of attack. In a game that was marked by the physical play of individuals such as James Harrison and Hines Ward, the Steelers could not forge a running game. Willie Parker carried 23 times for 42 yards, his worst pro average (1.83) when carrying at least 12 times.

After the game, defensive lineman Trevor Pryce called Parker “a fraud” as the Ravens were unimpressed by the Steelers’ rushing attack.

Parker avoided reporters as best he could this week. He usually does before he – in the vernacular – goes off.

The Steelers are facing a Browns team today that ranks 27th in the league in per-rush defense. The Browns allow 4.6 yards per carry. They allowed 100-yard runners in their first six games, and appeared on course to allow another until Steven Jackson left Game 7 with an injury.

Last week, the Browns held the fading Shaun Alexander to 32 yards, but reserve Maurice Morris gained 55 yards on nine carries.

Parker is one of the six 100-yard rushers the Browns have faced this season. In the opener he rushed for 109 yards on 27 carries (4.0) and Najeh Davenport added 42 on eight carries.

Parker has a history of burning the Browns. In five games, he’s carried 100 times for 552 yards (5.5). He has three 100-yard games against the Browns, including a Steelers record 223 on 32 carries on Dec. 7, 2006.

That was Parker’s second 200-yard game of the season. His first was a 213-yard performance on Nov. 12 against New Orleans. The game was played a day after his 26th birthday and today is Parker’s 27th birthday.

Parker politely declined comment on any or all of these facts that seem to suggest a perfect storm is brewing.

Of course, the Steelers need to keep their energy level up following Monday night’s impressive win. The Browns have won five games in spite of a run defense with a big hole in the middle. The move of journeyman Ethan Kelly to nose tackle hasn’t been much help in their 3-4 defense. The Browns have instead won with offense, and Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau knows it.

“Big-strike capability,” was how LeBeau explained the Browns’ turnaround. “They’ve got athletes all over the field and this quarterback’s getting the ball out there to them. And their running back, he had over 200 yards in one game. They’ve got three running backs who are averaging up there over 4 or 5 (yards) a rush. I mean they’re a big-play, a big-strike offense. They’re fourth in the league.”

The Browns are fourth in both yardage and points. Jamal Lewis, who rushed for 216 yards against the Bengals, averages 4.2 per carry. Quarterback Derek Anderson has a 91.7 passer rating on the strength of a near 2-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (17-9). He also averages 8.2 yards per pass to rank fourth in the NFL. Anderson’s targets are Braylon Edwards (42 catches, 736 yards, nine touchdowns), Kellen Winslow (42-657-3) and Joe Jurevicius (24-305-3).

“They’re big and they’re excellent athletes,” LeBeau said. “That’s a tough combination to defend, and that’s why they’re having success. And this quarterback’s getting the ball up there at their plane and that’s usually a notch or two above the DBs.”

The Browns can score, make no mistake. But so can the Steelers, particularly if Quiet Willie Parker goes off on his birthday.

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