NOTEBOOK

NOTEBOOK
Steelers vs. Browns
YSU connection: Steelers safety Russell Stuvaints picked up Jeff Garcia's fourth-quarter fumble and ran 24 yards for a touchdown. Asked to recall his last touchdown, the McKeesport, Pa., native, who played at Youngstown State, said it "probably was high school. I got to play a little tailback in college for Coach [Jim] Tressel in the spring of 1999. He put me there for the spring, then moved me back to safety. It's always fun getting the ball in your hands, but I'm just having fun contributing to the defense."
Series: The Browns lead the series against Pittsburgh 55-49, but the Steelers have won three straight. Cleveland coach Butch Davis is just 1-8 against the Steelers. The teams have met 106 times -- the most between any two teams in the AFC. The Steelers won both playoff games.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Steelers coach Bill Cowher probably has more love for Garcia and his team than most fans in Northeast Ohio. "I have a lot of respect for Jeff Garcia. He is a very fierce competitor." About the 3-6 Browns, Cowher said, "In the National Football League, we are not that much better [than anyone]. You can say what you want, but they should have won their last two games [overtime loss to Eagles and road defeat to Ravens]."
Letdown blues: "If you start to take yourself too seriously, then that is the trap that you fall in to," Cowher said of the Steelers' surprising 8-1 start. "We are not going to do that. Our team has not accomplished anything."
Still kicking: Browns kicker Phil Dawson made his 27th straight field goal -- the best current streak in the NFL -- by connecting on a 31-yarder early in the first quarter. The field goal was set up by a 74-yard kickoff return by Richard Alston on the game's first play.
Injury: Steelers fullback Dan Kreider suffered a shoulder stinger in the first quarter and was replaced by Matt Cushing.
Next up: The Browns will play host to the Jets next Sunday, then travel to Cincinnati Nov. 28. The Steelers travel to Cincinnati next Sunday, then on the 28th, they play host to the Washington Redskins.
Tom Williams, Joe Scalzo