The Steelers' defense doesn't pass out stickers for almost-shutouts. They do not take any consolation from a near-miss like they had last night against the Cleveland Browns. Or five days earlier against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette
	Rookie safety Anthony Smith is congratulated by teammate Tyrone Carter after intercepting a pass by Browns quarterback Derek Anderson in the third quarter. The Steelers' 27-7 victory was Smith's first NFL start

What could have been another shutdown performance instead morphed into another solid defensive performance for the defense, which lost its second shutout in a row late in the fourth quarter. And it happened when the Browns scored on a 45-yard catch-and-run by wide receiver Braylon Edwards -- the only blemish on a night when the Steelers held Cleveland to 18 yards rushing and 11 first downs.

It also was the only blemish on the night for rookie safety Anthony Smith, who missed a tackle in the open field that allowed Edwards to score the Browns' touchdown in a 27-7 victory at Heinz Field.

"Anthony Smith was really good," Coach Bill Cowher said.

"He showed he's capable of making big plays," said safety Tyrone Carter.

Smith, the team's second pick in the draft, celebrated his first NFL start with a couple big hits and an even bigger interception. That's why nobody was going to blame him for what happened when Edwards scored the first offensive touchdown against the Steelers in the past 10 quarters with 5:20 remaining.

Smith was starting for Ryan Clark, whose groin was injured in Sunday's 20-3 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And, with the exception of one play, he was near-flawless, playing with the instinctiveness and tenacity that have endeared him to the coaching staff.

"At free safety, you got to be able to make that tackle," Carter said. "But you can't let one play take away from the way he played. You can't let one play ruin that."

And Smith, the first of two third-round selections in the draft, wasn't going to let it spoil his night.

"Nah," Smith said. "I got my feet wet last week. I felt real comfortable out there. It was a good feeling to start out there. I had to seize the moment. Hopefully, this will be the first of many starts."

It will be if he continues to play as he did against the Browns.

He set a physical tone in the first quarter when he drilled Edwards with a big hit on an incomplete pass, then wiped out running back Reuben Droughns on a screen pass near the 50. In the second quarter, he slammed into tight end Darnell Dinkins so hard that the former Pitt player never had a chance to catch a bobbled pass.

It is difficult to quantify the significance of Smith's big hits. But, on a night when the wind-chill matched the Browns' total points, Smith thought the Cleveland receivers were starting to peak over their shoulder.

Especially wide receiver Dennis Northcutt, who had three of the Browns' seven drops.

"That was the reason they were dropping the balls," Smith said. "Those hits hurt when it's cold out. They started looking for us after that."

"He had some big hits," said Carter, who started the second game in a row at strong safety for injured Troy Polamalu. "He's going to be a great player for us. I love his attitude. I love his demeanor."

And they really loved his interception and 20-yard return near the end of the third quarter, which stopped a Browns' drive that had reached the Steelers' 34.

It was the only time the Steelers intercepted a pass by Browns quarterback Derek Anderson, who also was making his first NFL start. Anderson was not sacked. He completed 21 of 37 passes for 276 yards -- seven to wide receiver Joe Jurevicius for 111 yards.

Of Smith's play, Cowher said: "He made some big hits. And he made a big interception."

Just one flaw: A big missed tackle.

If not for the gaffe, Smith and the defense would have posted their first shutout of the season. Of course, the Steelers were saying the same thing Sunday when the Buccaneers kicked a meaningless field goal as time expired merely to avoid being shut out.

Including the first meeting Nov. 19 in Cleveland , the Steelers haven't allowed an offensive touchdown in 13 of the past 16 quarters. The only defensive breakdown came in Baltimore when the Ravens scored touchdowns in the first and second quarters en route to a 27-0 victory. The Ravens did not score a touchdown in the second half.

"And you look at the game, both of those touchdowns came on a short field," Cowher said.

Understand, too, though, the Browns have been outscored, 57-7, in their past two AFC North games.

"We're playing together right now, getting 11 guys to the ball, getting stops on third down," Carter said.

Smith was a big part of that against the Browns. And he will be a big part of that in the future.