Browns-Steelers Rivalry Renewed, Cleveland Beats the Super Bowl Champions

The sky is bluer, the air is cleaner, and it's a good day to be a Cleveland Browns fan.

The Browns recorded eight sacks as their decimated, cobbled defense rose from the netherworld to eviscerate the Steelers' shoddy offensive line. It truly was a glorious evening.

I have a confession to make. I was so afraid of predicting a Browns win yesterday that, even though I outlined a clear path to victory for the Browns, I projected another humbling defeat.

Head coach Eric Mangini and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan made all my fears disappear by the end of the first quarter. By that point, I knew this team was going to win.

Whatever problems the Browns may still have, and whatever adversities they may face in the coming weeks, I'm taking a step back and ignoring them for 24 hours, because this team beat the super-bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Take a moment just to revel in the victory. Enjoy the feeling that comes from a hard-earned win against an opponent with some clout. It's wondrous.

Cleveland fans living outside the immediate Cleveland vicinity, especially those trapped in the Pittsburgh area, might want to steer clear of tall buildings and bridges to avoid the masses of bandwagon Steelers fans jumping off said structures.

The exodus of bandwagon fans started after their Raiders loss, and should be picking up a lot of steam heading into the weekend. They are a shallow and mercurial lot, and should be avoided at all costs.

They'll probably be rooting for the Bengals and wearing Chad Ochocinco jerseys by Christmas.

Hardcore Steelers fans should be showed no pity. Go ahead and take a moment to laugh at them and delight in their misfortune. This is a rare opportunity for Cleveland fans to actually be on the giving end of sports misery.

By the way, did I mention the Browns defense recorded eight sacks Thursday night?

Rob Ryan, who always seems to be a few players short of having a top-ranked defense, took it to the defending champs with multiple looks, a lot of blitzing, and a knack for finding the gaping holes in the Steelers offensive line.

The Browns handled the cold better than the Steelers did, and Joshua Cribbs was an unsolvable mystery for Pittsburgh's lowly special teams unit.

The offense was just good enough, and as I said earlier, any of the problems it had last night are washed away by the win. I'll worry about those later.

Brady Quinn, a lifelong Cleveland fan, got what is probably the biggest victory of his short career. Beating the Steelers is the best way to keep your job, and Quinn did enough to make sure the Browns aren't looking at quarterbacks next spring.

With this win, the rivalry is now in full effect again. The Steelers had something to lose last night, and they lost everything.

The Browns had everything to lose last night and won everything.

Eight sacks! Eight!

It's a good day to be a Cleveland Browns fan.