Steelers lose 24-point lead, but hold off Browns

PITTSBURGH -- Brian Hoyer, the journeyman veteran who beat out Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel for the starting job in Cleveland, provided a lesson in resilience on Sunday. Then Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers provided another in how to finish.

Again.

Roethlisberger hit Markus Wheaton twice during a last-gasp drive to set up Shaun Suisham's 41-yard field goal as the Steelers survived, 30-27.

"Well, that was exciting, wasn't it?" joked Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.

That's one way of putting it. Another might be harrowing after Pittsburgh let a 24-point lead evaporate.

Still, in the end it was Roethlisberger doing what he always seems to do when he faces the Browns. Roethlisberger improved to 18-1 against Cleveland after one last audible set up Wheaton for a 20-yard gain.

"When (Suisham) lines up to kick it, I was on the sideline like, 'This was why we have him,'" Roethlisberger said. "There was never a doubt he was going to make it." There never is when the Browns (0-1) play in Pittsburgh (1-0). Cleveland hasn't beaten the Steelers on the road in 11 years, though for the first time in a long time the gap in the decidedly one-sided rivalry appears to be narrowing.

Roethlisberger passed for 365 yards and a touchdown, running back Le'Veon Bell had 197 total yards and a score and Antonio Brown caught five passes for 116 yards with a touchdown. Brown added a highly entertaining (if illegal) kick to the face of Cleveland punter Spencer Lanning -- and still the Steelers needed every last second to hold off the Browns.

"We can't apologize for the way we win," Roethlisberger said. "We just have to win games."