Beat goes on for Roethlisberger

Ohio native makes Browns pay again

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was on target enough to lead the Steelers to their 10th straight win in Cleveland. (Aaron josefczyk/Reuters)

CLEVELAND - Ben Roethlisberger ignored the biting pain in his shoulder, the howling wind, and swirling rain for a chance to beat the Browns again.

Nothing makes this Ohio boy happier.

"I love to come here," he said. "The Browns had the 10th pick in my draft, and I went 11th, so it's good to get a win."

Close to home, he always does.

Playing with a separated shoulder in 60-mile-per-hour gusts, Roethlisberger threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward as the Pittsburgh Steelers made it 10 straight wins over their closest rival, beating the Browns, 10-6, Sunday night to extend the NFL's longest current winning streak between two teams.

As is their way, the Steelers wrecked Cleveland's return to prime time after a five-year hiatus. Pittsburgh has won eight in a row in Cleveland, 16 of 17 in the series and 23 of 26 in a rivalry that has been one-sided since the days Roethlisberger was learning how to throw a football as a kid in Findlay, Ohio.

During the game, it was disclosed on TV that Roethlisberger sustained a separated shoulder last week in a win over Houston. But Big Ben didn't seem bothered as he completed 12 of 19 for 186 yards and improved to 10-0 in NFL games in his home state. The Cincinnati Bengals haven't had any luck in their stadium against him either.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin didn't deny the reports about Roethlisberger's shoulder.

"They know more than I did," he said. "That's good television, I guess. He's hurting pretty bad, but he's a tough character. Is he 100 percent? No. But no one plays as hard as he does without getting banged up."

Roethlisberger refused to discuss his injury. He wore a glove on his right hand to help him throw tight spirals through the remnants of Hurricane Ike.

"I'm from Ohio, I've played in windy conditions before," he said. "That might be at times the gustiest I've ever played in."

Jeff Reed kicked a 48-yard field goal in tricky conditions and the Steelers held off a late rally by the Browns (0-2), who were hoping this would be the year they finally challenged Pittsburgh for supremacy in the AFC North.

Not yet.

Phil Dawson kicked field goals of 31 and 38 yards, the second one with 3:21 left to pull the Browns to 10-6.

Browns coach Romeo Crennel was counting on his defense getting the ball back, but Roethlisberger, as he always has done against Cleveland, came up with the big play. He scrambled from pressure to buy some time and rifled a 19-yard pass to Heath Miller for a first down at midfield.

Willie Parker broke free on a 19-yard run and the Steelers ran out all but the final 26 seconds. Parker finished with 28 carries for 105 yards.

The Browns got the ball back, but Derek Anderson threw two incompletions and was sacked.

One of Anderson's interceptions set up Roethlisberger's scoring pass to Ward, and the second ended the Browns' best shot at a TD on the final play of the first half following some questionable clock management by Crennel.

"We shot ourselves in the foot," Crennel said. "We screwed it up. The story of the game was turnovers and penalties and they took advantage."