Steelers Use Steals to Seal Win

CLEVELAND —  In a startling turnaround from their embarrassing 51-0 loss in the season opener, the Pittsburgh Steelers intercepted Bernie Kosar a career-high four times and forced seven turnovers, beating the Cleveland Browns, 17-7, Sunday.

The Steelers (3-3) had lost their previous seven games to the Browns (3-3), and they had not won in Cleveland since 1981. The Browns had forced eight turnovers in the opener at Pittsburgh.

But with Bubby Brister sidelined by a sprained knee and several of Pittsburgh’s other offensive starters banged up, Todd Blackledge threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Carter in the third quarter and Dwight Stone returned a fourth-quarter kickoff 73 yards to set up a one-yard scoring run by Warren Williams.

Kosar was 15 of 41 for 162 yards. Blackledge wasn’t any better statistically, going nine for 28 for 143 yards with one interception.

With the Steelers leading 10-0, Cleveland got within three on Eric Metcalf’s two-yard run with eight minutes left. But Stone demoralized the Browns by taking the ensuing kickoff to the Cleveland 25-yard line. The Steelers used up more than five minutes covering the 25 yards in nine plays, capped by Williams’ clinching touchdown.

The Browns, averaging only 13 points a game over the previous three weeks, had five first-half turnovers.

Pittsburgh wasn’t much better, losing a fumble and an interception and missing a field goal.

The Browns added second-half turnovers as Mike Oliphant recovered a fumble in the third quarter and linebacker Carnell Lake, a rookie from UCLA, intercepted a Kosar pass at the Cleveland 15 in the fourth.