VETERAN QUARTER BACK Ben Roethlisberger had a night to forget as he threw four interceptions to help the Cleveland Browns record their first post-season win since 1994, 48-37.
The Pittsburgh Steelers gave up seven points on the first play after kick-off when Maurkice Pouncey’s snap went over the head of Big Ben and into the end zone where a grateful Karl Joseph fell on the ball.
Roethlisberger turned over the ball three more times inside the first quarter with interceptions, two of which led to Cleveland touchdowns.
The Browns were up 28-0 after the first quarter and 35-10 at the half, with Pittsburgh’s first visit to the end zone coming through a one-yard rush from James Conner with two minutes left to play before the break.
Pittsburgh, who had opened the season with 11 straight wins but collapsed to a 12-4 record, regained some momentum after the half, with Roethlisberger slinging four touchdowns in the second half and passing for 501 yards but it was too little, too late.
Elswhere, Drew Brees threw two touchdowns as the New Orleans Saints swept past the Chicago Bears 21-9, with the win setting up a clash between two veteran quarterbacks with Brees facing Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the divisional round.
New Orleans restricted the Bears to 11 first downs and 239 yards, while Jimmy Graham snared a 19-yard pass from Mitchell Trubisky as time expired for Chicago’s only score of the game.
