Steelers earn playoff berth, lose DeAngelo Williams

If the veteran running back is forced to miss the playoff game next week, it will mark the second straight year that the Steelers have lost their starting running back in the final week of the season, hampering their offensive game plan in the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hands the ball to a fan after the Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns 28-12 in an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Cleveland.

As a result of their win and the Buffalo Bills’ 22-17 victory over the New York Jets, the Steelers (10-6) will advance to the playoffs.

The Steelers’ opponent next week has to figure out a way to knock Roethlisberger down, keep him from throwing it at all or force him to make a bad throw. He’s had three games this season with more yardage, and two with more catches.

James Harrison – How about the Steelers’ most veteran defensive playmaker coming up with what might have been the biggest play of the game today with his red zone interception. His final stats on the season are 1,834 yards and nine touchdowns on 136 receptions. It came one play after Lawrence Timmons’ sack of Cleveland quarterback Austin Davis, who then fumbled.

ATLANTA – Jamarca Sanford’s interception at the Atlanta 25 with less than two minutes remaining set up Kai Forbath’s 30-yard field goal as time expired.

Cleveland had cut the Steelers’ lead to 17-12 early in the fourth quarter when Travis Coons kicked his fourth field goal, from 29 yards.

Roethlisberger threw his third touchdown pass to Markus Wheaton from 8 yards out with 10:43 left in the game. He threw two interceptions, helping the Steelers see more action on offense.

Brown finished with 13 catches and 187 yards.

“We have an excited locker room in there and rightfully so”, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

The stunning reversal for last year’s 12-4 division champion in a season mostly without quarterback Tony Romo because of a twice-broke left collarbone put the Cowboys back at.

Cousins got it on his second throw of the second quarter – a 28-yarder to Jamison Crowder after he had already thrown all three of his TD passes in the first.

Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter and did not return. The Bills had to become temporary frenemies – and of course, the Steelers had to win against the hapless Browns – but the stars aligned on Sunday for Pittsburgh to get the chance to play postseason football.

They took over at their 20 after that Cleveland field goal and moved 80 yards on six plays, the big one a 40-yard reception by Wheaton over the middle of Roethlisberger’s deep pass to the Cleveland 40.

The finale had the look of a preseason game with plenty of empty seats at the $1.2 billion home of the Cowboys, and the feel of one with plenty of Washington subs in the second half. It came on third-and-19.

Manning led the Broncos to 20 points in less than two quarters after replacing Brock Osweiler.

-QB Ben Roethlisberger passed for 349 yards and three touchdowns Sunday at Cleveland.

The Browns (3-13) ended another losing season in disarray. The Steelers likely wouldn’t swap Brown for any of them, even Gronk.

ARLINGTON, Texas – Kirk Cousins threw for three touchdowns before leaving late in the first half of a playoff tuneup.