NOTEBOOK | Browns vs. Steelers

Browns milestones: Cleveland safety Sean Jones forced the first fumble of his career, stripping Steelers running Willie Parker in the second quarter. The fumble was recovered by linebacker Antwan Peek, his first as a Brown and the fourth of his career. Peek, who signed with Cleveland from the Texans in the offseason, also got his first sack as a Brown. Fullback Lawrence Vickers scored his first NFL touchdown on a 1-yard TD catch from QB Derek Anderson in the third quarter.

Poor punting: Newly-signed punter Paul Ernster, who appeared in three games for the Broncos last season, had a rough debut with the Browns, averaging 36.6 yards on seven attempts. His first was his worst, a 15-yard punt that came after he dropped a perfect snap in the first quarter. “I’m not going to sit here and make excuses because dropping the ball was my fault,” said Ernster, who was filling in for the injured Dave Zastudil (back). “If they have me punt next week, we will work out the issues and hopefully have a better showing.”

Method: Steelers coach Mike Tomlin cares deeply about what transpires on the field. He prefers that you don’t see how he feels. “I let those guys play the game,” Tomlin said. “I just try to manage it. I need to have a little clarity of thought and that mentality.”

Room to improve: Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith, who recovered a second-quarter fumble and sacked Charlie Frye, said the Steelers played well but “obviously we have some room to grow and some things to work on.”

Sympathy: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he has some sympathy for the pounding that Frye and Anderson took. “On this team, you like to see that but as a quarterback you know what they are going through and it’s never fun. It’s never good to see a quarterback get hit that much.”

Vindicator staff report