AP News, December 8th, 2006
Ben Roethlisberger's 49-yard touchdown pass to Nate Washington gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a 7-0 lead over the Cleveland Browns after one quarter Thursday night at chilly Heinz Field.
Roethlisberger's pass with 3:18 to play in the quarter capped a 97-yard drive for Pittsburgh, the defending Super Bowl champion that has won three of its last four since starting 2-6.
The Steelers' Willie Parker ran for 33 yards on eight carries. On his fifth carry, Parker eclipsed 1,000 yards on the season _ the second consecutive season he accomplished that. He is the first Steeler to do that since Jerome Bettis, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards each year from 1996-01.
Roethlisberger was 4-for-7 for 88 yards and the touchdown.
Cleveland's Derek Anderson was 7-or-1 for 74 yards in his first career start. Anderson started in place of Charlie Frye, sidelined by a right wrist injury.
Pittsburgh played without both starting wide receivers (Hines Ward and Cedrick Wilson) and both starting safeties (Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark).
The gametime temperature was 20 degrees with a wind chill of 7.
The Steelers and Browns have met more than any two AFC teams, and the Steelers have never been tied in the season series since they first met in 1950. Including playoffs, Cleveland leads the series, 55-54.
The two teams met three weeks ago in Cleveland with the Steelers scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter for a come-from-behind 24-20 win. Pittsburgh has won 12 of the past 13 and 19 of the past 22 meetings and is 20-5 against the Browns since Bill Cowher became head coach in 1992.
