Teresa Varley

With the 2025 season on the horizon, Steelers.com is bringing you Looking Back, where a game against each of our opponents is highlighted. In this edition, it's the Cleveland Browns.

Steelers 41, Cleveland Browns 0

December 24, 2005

Cleveland Browns Stadium

With visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, the Steelers got an early Christmas gift when they defeated the Browns handily, with a 41-0 shutout.

The win put the Steelers in a good spot for the postseason, with just one game remaining against the Detroit Lions at home.

"We'll take some time, enjoy Christmas, come back and understand what we have in front of us," said Coach Bill Cowher after the game. "We control our destiny. That's the only thing that counts."

It was the Steelers first shutout since they shutout the Browns, 22-0, on October 22, 2000. It was also a win that set them up to clinch the final playoff spot with a win the following week over the Lions.

"It's big, man," said defensive lineman Casey Hampton said. "It's a one-game season. We control our own destiny, you can't ask for anything else. That's what you play for."

The Steelers came out of the gate like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer leading the way for Santa's sleigh, not letting anything get in their way. Running back Jerome Bettis had a two-yard touchdown run, and receiver Hines Ward pulled in a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to put them up 14-0 before the Browns knew what hit them.

"This was one of those games where we clicked really well on offense," said Roethlisberger. "Our defense was out there having fun flying around. It was fun watching them."

Kicker Jeff Reed hit two second quarter field goals to send the Steelers into the locker room at halftime with a 20-0 lead.

Receiver Quincy Morgan, who played for the Browns from 2001-04, caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Charlie Batch, which gave the Steelers the 41-0 lead. Morgan was thrilled to deliver against his former team.

"My Christmas is good now," said Morgan. "I don't need anything else for Christmas."

The defense stuffed the Browns, allowing just 63 yards rushing, 183 yards passing, and sacking quarterback Charlie Frye eight times, linebacker Joey Porter accounting for three of them.

"It's real big," said linebacker James Harrison. "That's what you want to do as a defense, shut out a team."

Harrison had the hit of the day, and it didn't even show up in the stats. A Browns fan ran out on the field during the game and toward Steelers running back Verron Haynes, who was in the backfield, and then toward the Steelers' sideline. Harrison saw it happening and went into action. Harrison grabbed the fan and slammed him to the ground until security took over.

"When he first came out, he took off after 'V,'" said Harrison. "He started toward our sideline, he turned around and started backing up toward our sideline, so I don't know if the guy had anything on him or whatever. With his back to me, I thought I could take him down safely without risking injury to myself or my teammates and hold him there until the proper authorities came."