CLEVELAND -- The game was over, yet the clock hadn't run out yet as the Browns marched toward a score against a Steelers defense that included many backup players.

Quarterback Charlie Frye had them at the Steelers' 3 with 31 seconds left when he tripped dropping back to pass and Larry Foote touched him down. He threw incomplete on second down at the 7. With 15 seconds left, he completed a pass to tight end Aaron Shea over the middle.

Ka-blam! Foote smacked into Shea and dropped him at the 3.

"Oh, that was a great hit," linebacker James Farrior said. "That was a linebacker's dream right there. That put the stamp on the game and just what type of day it was. It was a tough, physical game all day, and we made it that way. Foote just capped it off with that hit."

Even though the Browns could have tried another play, they got the message and let the clock run out as the Steelers preserved their first shutout in five seasons, 41-0.

"That's my homeboy, Aaron Shea," a smiling Foote said of his former Michigan teammate. "We wanted the shutout. All our vet guys were out. I didn't want them pointing the finger at the guys left on the field, so it was important to keep them from scoring."

The shutout was the Steelers' first since a 22-0 blanking of Cleveland in 2000. It was their largest margin of victory since they won in Cleveland, 43-0, to open the 1999 season, the new Browns' first game as an expansion team.

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

Amateur hour

Harrison recorded a hit nearly as resounding as Foote's, only it will not go into the books.

Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Steelers linebacker James Harrison demonstrates an open field tackle to a fan who sprinted onto the field. Click photo for larger image.

With 9:17 left and the Steelers lined up on offense at Cleveland's 28, a roly-poly Browns fan wearing orange socks charged out of the stands, through the Browns' sideline and toward Verron Haynes, lined up in the backfield.

Haynes veered away from the fan, who continued toward the Steelers' sideline. He slowed, turned his back and Harrison grabbed him and slammed him to the ground, holding him until security could cart the man away.

Only the Browns themselves were treated more rudely by the Steelers yesterday.

"When he first came out he took off after V," Harrison said. "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."

Linebacker Joey Porter laughed when he talked about it.

"I thought I was the biggest outlaw in Cleveland," Porter said. "I told him if something happens from the league, if you get fined, whatever, guys will chip in because that was a laugh I'm going to remember forever."

In Frye's face

Porter will remember Cleveland for another reason. His three sacks yesterday marked the fourth time in his career that he has had at least that many in one game. He had four once.

It left him with a season total of 10 1/2 to lead the Steelers. Clark Haggans had one to give him nine. The Steelers have 46 as a team.

Porter's sacks are the most by a Steelers player since Jason Gildon led them with 12 in 2001.

"He was outstanding," linebacker James Farrior said. "It seemed like nobody could block him. He seemed like a man among boys today. That's what we need right now, this time of year, guys stepping up and playing like that, and he's done a great job all season."

Once the Steelers went up by two touchdowns, Porter said things got easier for the pass rush against rookie quarterback Charlie Frye.

"With the pressure we put on him, and with the run game not being [effective], they were one dimensional. Our offense just kept on scoring.

"When you're down, 14-0, 17-0, you can't sit there and run the ball, it's like a wasted play. They have to take a shot, and we know they're going to take a shot, and every time they took a shot we tried to be in Frye's face."

Payback time

Quincy Morgan came back to Cleveland, rubbed it in the Browns' noses and did not care. The former Browns receiver caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Charlie Batch with 6:16 left for the game's final score.

It didn't bother him either that the Steelers were throwing into the end zone with a 34-0 lead and time nearing an end.

"I have no reason to still love this organization or these fans, and that's the truth," said Morgan, who played for the Browns from 2001-04. "I saw a couple people with my jersey on in the stands, those are the people I care about. The ones who were booing me, I could care less about."

Morgan wanted to dance but debris flew out of the stands and he thought he'd better just leave the end zone.

"I had something planned, but I had to get away from that," Morgan said.

Morgan's best season with the Browns was 2002, when he caught 56 passes for 964 yards. He was traded to Dallas in '04 for Antonio Bryant.

Rookie roasting

Frye struggled all afternoon with his decision-making. Under relentless pressure, Cleveland's rookie quarterback completed two of his first 10 passes, missing high, missing low, missing with his timing.

Though he settled down in the second half when the Browns allowed more four- and five-wideout formations, Frye's shaky performance prompted one question for Romeo Crennel.

Had he lost any confidence that Frye could be Cleveland's quarterback?

Crennel answered decisively.

"No," he said. "Not at all.

Coal in their stockings

At the game's conclusion, as teams shuffled to their locker rooms, only several thousand fans remained in the stadium. Browns cornerback Daylon McCutcheon noticed one thing about the scene:

"There were just as many Steelers fans with the towels as our fans," he said. "And that's on us. We need to give them something to cheer about."

Quick hits

Hines Ward's first-quarter touchdown reception was the 52nd of his career, moving him out of a tie with Lynn Swann and into second place among the Steelers' touchdown reception leaders. He trails only John Stallworth, who had 63.

The Steelers outgained the Browns in the first quarter, 196 yards to 1.

Bill Cowher ran his record to 99-1-1 when his team led by more than 10 points. That's the best record in NFL history of the 70 coaches who have held leads of more than 10 points at least 40 times. Cowher's only loss came in 2001 at Cincinnati, when a 14-0 lead turned into a 26-23 overtime loss. The Steelers also led Atlanta, 34-17, in 2002 and wound up in a 34-34 tie.

On consecutive plays in the second quarter, Cleveland defensive end Alvin McKinley sacked Ben Roethlisberger for an 8-yard loss and linebacker Kenard Lang stopped Willie Parker for no gain. Each defensive player celebrated by dancing. The Browns trailed, 17-0, at the time.

Antwaan Randle El had another good punt return that covered 36 yards but he fumbled and the Browns recovered at the 12.

Batch entered the game at quarterback with 11:29 left and threw one pass, his 31-yard touchdown to Morgan.

Inactives

Steelers: QB Tommy Maddox (3rd QB), RB Duce Staley, CB Willie Williams, LB Rian Wallace, G Chris Kemoeatu, WR Nate Washington, LB Andre Frazier, DE Shaun Nua.

Cleveland Browns: QB Derek Anderson (3rd QB), WR Brandon Rideau, DB Antonio Perkins, RB William Green, DB Michael Lehan, OL Dave Yovanovits, TE Paul Irons, LB David McMilllan.