Steelers playoff bound after beating Browns, help from Bills

Williams, 32, has been the leading rusher for the Steelers during the 2015 season in Le’Veon Bell’s absence, racking up 899 yards and an NFL-leading 11 touchdowns in the first 15 games of the season.

Brown fumbled to end the Steelers first drive after a 13-yard reception, and although the Browns took over at the Steelers 39, they did not score.

The NFC playoff picture was settled late Sunday night when Minnesota beat Green Bay 20-13 to win the NFC North. The Vikings will host Seattle in the early game Sunday, while Green Bay will travel to NFC East champion Washington for the late Sunday game.

Brian Hoyer threw for 249 yards with a touchdown and an interception in his return after missing the past two games after his second concussion in less than a month.

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense recorded four turnovers Sunday in their 28-12 road win over the Cleveland Browns but their first one was perhaps the biggest of them all as it came right at the beginning of the second half and in the red zone with the team clinging to a 14-9 lead.

Ramon Foster made a heart with his hands and pointed to a man in a front row seat behind the Pittsburgh Steelers’ bench.

They’re in. And they’re unsafe.

On the field, Ben Roethlisberger threw three touchdown passes, Pittsburgh’s defense dominated and the Steelers slipped into the AFC playoffs with the win over the Browns.

Pittsburgh pulled off its parlay on the Great Lakes.

“We have an excited locker room in there and rightfully so”, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “We’ll need that kind of collective effort to be successful in the playoffs”.

Ben Roethlisberger looked up in the fourth quarter and noticed Pittsburgh fans twirling their Terrible Towels with delight. NY had a five-game winning streak stopped, and it came against former Jets coach Rex Ryan, who was sacked by NY and hired by the Bills (8-8) last January. “I hate it for them and obviously hate it for us”.

Josh Freeman and Ryan Lindley combined at quarterback to push the Colts to a 30-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans, but Indianapolis needed a long list of results to claim the division for a third straight time. As usual, Roethlisberger did his part, throwing for 349 yards, including 187 to sensational wide receiver Antonio Brown, who had 13 catches and a TD.

The Steelers will enter the playoffs as a sixth seed, a scary sixth seed. Can the Steelers be beaten?

Roethlisberger took advantage of injuries in the Browns secondary throughout the game. “I realize they’re very awful… but I’m having some fun out there and if people don’t like it then they can do whatever sack dance they want when they get a sack in the National Football League”.

They’re still chasing another Super Bowl title.

“We greatly appreciate Ray’s and Mike’s dedication and hard work while with the Cleveland Browns”, said Haslam, who owns the team along with his wife, Dee.

CLEVELAND (AP) – The Browns changed uniforms to start the season and their coach and general manager to end it. If Pettine is let go by owner Jimmy Haslam, Cleveland will begin searching for its eighth coach since 1999.

Pettine went 10-22 in two years, dropping 18 of his final 21 games after a promising 7-4 start in 2014.

Said Foster: “It’s happiness for us”.

DeAngelo Williams injured his right ankle during Pittsburgh’s playoff-clinching win at Cleveland and left the stadium wearing a boot. Tomlin said Williams will be evaluated, and would not rule him out of the postseason.