When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers there really isn’t anything Super about them anymore.

The defending Super Bowl champs lost their fifth game in a row, and their playoff hopes were thrown for a loop by the struggling Cleveland Browns. With their defeat of Pittsburgh 13-6 on Thursday night facing wind chills at subzero temperatures, Cleveland snapped a 12 game losing streak versus the rival Steelers.

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger got sacked eight times. It was his first defeat at the hands of Cleveland (2-11) in eleven career games. The Browns extended the longest losing streak of the Steelers in six years, defeating Pittsburgh (6-7) at home. It’s the first time that has happened since 2000.

The Steelers will need some help in order to make it into the playoffs. The free fall is stunning for the team that at the halfway point of the season had a record of 6-2.

The losses to Cleveland, Oakland and Kansas City, three of the worst teams in the NFL whose combined record is 9-28 has been completely unexpected, and has pushed Pittsburgh to the brink of missing the playoffs.

Hines Ward, Steelers receiver said, losing five games in a row after coming off last year’s Super Bowl is really embarrassing. There is nothing ever fun when it comes to losing games, especially when you lose five straight. We are a better team than that and should be playing a lot better. We have three games left. You will see who wants to really go out there and play for our city’s and organization’s pride and who really doesn’t want to be here.

Kicker Phil Dawson had two field goals of 29 yards each, and Chris Jennings, who started off the season on the practice squad for Cleveland, scored a 10 yard rushing touchdown, as the Browns snapped a losing streak of seven games as well as a home ten game losing streak to defeat Pittsburgh for only the second time in the last twenty games.

Ben Roethlisberger tried his best to rally his team, however a fourth down pass intended for Santonio Holmes with under two minutes to play in the game got knocked down by David Bowens, Browns linebacker.

When Holmes got tackled on the punt return as the final second of the game ticked off on the clock on the scoreboard, the frozen fans of the Browns, who were almost outnumbered by Pittsburgh Terrible Towel waving fans, danced for joy in the aisles. Some of the Browns players raced down field to the Dawg Pound and jumped into the section to celebrate.

Josh Cribbs, Browns receiver said, it means everything. There’s lots of Steelers fans in the city. I hope that people go into work and give those Steelers fans a kick.

Pittsburgh, who lost some of their spirit as well as much of their toughness on defense when Troy Polamalu, Pro Bowl safety injured his knee, left the football field completely stunned.

Holmes said, it’s very hurtful. I never thought we would lose five games straight. Those guys will definitely continue fight over our last three games. I hope we will be able to get back together this summer and regroup and just start all over again.

It was only the second win for Eric Mangini, the embattled first year head coach of Cleveland. He definitely helped his cause for job security with the Browns defeat of Pittsburgh. The last Browns coach to do so was Chris Palmer when he did nine years ago.

From the wildcat formation Cribbs had 87 yards rushing and 104 return yards. He also caught a nine yard pass and picked up a critical first down during the fourth quarter when a run of 14 yards when Cleveland was trying to hold the ball and milk the clock.

After the game, Cribbs soaked up the biggest win of his career. He knew that the 2 ½ hour bus ride for the Steelers back to Pennsylvania was not going to be fun.

Cribbs said, they will be hearing the engine of the bus all the way home. It’s a lonely ride. For years I have ridden it. Now it’s time that they hear the engine on their way home as they are looking at the stat sheets.

With 6:16 left to play, the Steelers got the ball at their 21 yard line needing to get a touchdown to tie the game. Roethlisberger, who in the past has broken the hearts of Cleveland, began to lead the Steelers down the field with his short passing. However at midfield he was sacked during the last two minutes of the game and also had his last pass batted away.

Browns quarterback Brady Quinn, who was making the first start of his career against the Steelers, only completed one pass during the second half. He finished the game 6 for 19 for a total of 90 yards.

Roethlisberger was 18 for 32 for a total of 201 yards. The swirling winds that blew over twenty mph on a consistent basis, gave him trouble throwing, while the running game of the Steelers was never established against Cleveland’s 32nd ranked defense.

The first half of the game was dominated by the Brown’s defense. Roethlisberger was sacked five times and he was pressured on practically every play.