Steelers Put Browns In Pound

For Cleveland Browns fans, losing like this to the dawg gone Pittsburgh Steelers was almost as bad as losing their team.

Almost.

Cleveland's emotional return to the NFL following a nearly four-year absence was trashed Sunday night by Pittsburgh, which embarrassed the expansion Browns 43-0.

The Steelers held Cleveland to its fewest net yards in a game since 1950, the original Browns' first year in the NFL.

"We got our butts kicked. That sums it up," defensive tackle Jerry Ball said.

It was all Steelers after that.

Kordell Stewart rushed for one TD and threw for another as Pittsburgh, Cleveland's hated division rival, dominated the Browns from the opening kickoff until the final gun.

Richard Huntley scored three TDs, Jerome Bettis rushed for 80 yards in one half and the Steelers outgained the Browns 460-40 in total yards despite playing most of the second half with reserves.

"It's kind of hard to assess them or to judge them right now because they kind of ran into a bus," Bettis, a.k.a. "The Bus," said.

Mike Tomczak, the Steelers' second-string quarterback, went 8-for-8 with two TD passes.

The Steelers did more than just beat the Browns. They humiliated them, turning a promising night into a pummeling.

Pittsburgh had 32 first downs to Cleveland's 2. The Steelers had the ball for 47:49 to te Browns 12:11, and ran 88 offensive plays to Cleveland's 28.

"You don't mind losing to a team when you flat-out get beat," Browns rookie wideout Kevin Johnson said. "This was worse."

This wasn't the way Cleveland hoped to usher in a new era of pro football after waiting more than 1,300 days between games. The Browns, who had less than a year to get ready for their opener, thought a solid performance on national TV against the Steelers on opening Sunday would help them build momentum in their inaugural season.

Instead, it showed Browns coach Chris Palmer just how far his team has to go.

It was the worst shutout loss in Cleveland history and the worst season-opening loss. The Browns gained just 9 rushing yards on nine carries. The 43-point margin was the second worst loss in Browns history, surpassed only by a 51-3 defeat to Minnesota in 1969.

"We wanted to run the ball, and we came out in the second half wanting to run the ball," Palmer said. "And on the play we run and (linebacker Levon) Kirkland is two yards in the backfield."

Browns starting quarterback Ty Detmer was unable to get anything going on offense, and rookie QB Tim Couch, Cleveland's No. 1 draft pick, made his pro debut with 10:38 remaining. Detmer was 6-of-13 for 52 yards and one interception.

But Couch was as bad as the rest of the Browns, throwing an interception on his first attempt. Once the pickoff was made, thousands of fans headed for the exits as a historic night that began with such promise ended dreadfully.

"This is kind of tough day to come in down 36-0," Couch said. "I tried to make something happen when there was nothing there. I forced the first one and after that point it was downhill."

Bettis looked fresh and completely recovered from knee surgery in the first half as he bowled over some tacklers, and ran around others. He finished with 89 yards on 16 carries and spent most of the second half standing on the sideline in a baseball cap laughing along with his teammates as the rout unfolded.

Stewart was equally impressive, showing poise under pressure by tucking the ball under his arm when forced out of the pocket and picking up 33 yards on six rushes. He finished 15-of-23 for 173 yards.

"It was fun tonight," he said. "I don't want to say I didn't expect it, but it was nice."

Pittsburgh took the opening kickoff and drove to the Cleveland 20, but Stewart was stopped on a sneak on fourth down, and the new Browns celebrated their first big play.

It was the last time they could cheer all night.

Detmer was picked off by Chris Oldham, wo had taunted the Browns' Dawg Pound during player introductions, and four plays later the Steelers went up 7-0 on Stewart's 1-yard TD run.

Kris Brown kicked two field goals and Huntley scored on a 5-yard run as the Steelers opened a 20-0 lead at halftime.

Pittsburgh didn't let up in the second half despite playing its second and third units.

Huntley's 3-yard run was the only score in the third quarter and Tomczak followed a field goal by Brown with a 21-yard scoring toss to Huntley and a 1-yarder to Hines Ward.

"Everyone of us when we were acquired, it was beat into us, `You've got to beat the Steelers,"' Browns fullback Marc Edwards said. "All I can say is that I'm sorry the Cleveland fans had to go through that joke out there."

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