GREEN BAY, Wis. — Troy Polamalu was frustrated, lying flat on the ground after being outfoxed by Brett Favre. The feeling didn't last long.

Cornerback Bryant McFadden was just behind the aggressive safety on a blitz and hit Favre flush, forcing a fumble that Polamalu scooped up and returned 77 yards for a touchdown in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 20-10 victory over Green Bay on Sunday.

"I was disappointed I didn't get the sack," Polamalu said. "My back was turned, I was on the ground. I looked at the ball on the ground and was like, 'Uh, I didn't see what happened, I wonder if this was really a fumble?'"

It sure was, and the play keyed the Steelers' franchise-best 11th straight road victory. And they did it without Ben Roethlisberger (knee) and Jerome Bettis (thigh).

Charlie Batch went 9-of-16 for 65 yards filling in for Roethlisberger, and Duce Staley added 76 yards on 15 carries after Willie Parker gained just 13 yards before injuring his left ankle.

So the Steelers (6-2) dug in, and their defense forced three turnovers that led to 17 points.

"That's the type of football we like to play," linebacker Clark Haggans said. "Force turnovers, force some ill-advised plays and try to capitalize on the mistakes they make."

With the Steelers up 6-3 in the second quarter after a pair of field goals by Jeff Reed and one by Ryan Longwell, Batch threw a pass that was intercepted by linebacker Robert Thomas.

Favre, who finished 20-of-35 for 214 yards and an interception, got the Packers to first-and-goal at the 3 after the next play when Polamalu was flagged for pass interference.

But Green Bay (1-7) couldn't score on a run or a pass. Then the Packers were twice flagged for false starts.

On third-and-goal at the 12, the Steelers blitzed Favre, who was alone in the backfield. Favre juked away from Polamalu, and right into McFadden.

"He made the great play," Polamalu said. "It was just the product of his great play that allowed me to pick up the ball and run."

And 77 yards later, the Steelers suddenly were up 13-3.

"We talked before the season about fine line plays that make a difference in a ball game and because of where we are it is very difficult to overcome negative plays," Packers coach Mike Sherman said. "We have had a hard time with that."

Favre appeared shaken on the sideline after the hit, and Sherman came over and asked Favre if he could continue.

Favre did, and engineered two drives straddling halftime that chewed up more than 17 minutes while the Steelers ran just one play — when Batch took a knee to end the half.

The first drive, 18 plays, resulted in Longwell missing a 31-yard field goal that would have brought the Packers within a touchdown.

The second, a 12-play, 65-yard effort to start the second half, ended when former practice squad running back Samkon Gado, who finished with 62 yards on 26 carries, scored from the 1 to cut the Steelers lead to 13-10 midway through the third quarter.

But the Packers again missed their chance to tie in the fourth quarter when Favre fired a ball that Donald Driver tipped and Tyrone Carter intercepted.

"I'm just waiting for it to settle in my hands," Haggans said. "And Tyrone came flying out there and took it. From there, I thought he was going to score."

He didn't, but to the chants of "Duce" from the large presence of Steelers fans, Staley, in his first meaningful carries since last year's AFC championship game, scored on a 3-yard run four plays later to seal Pittsburgh's victory and leave the Packers with their worst record at the midway point since 1986.

"We're not doing enough things to win and in the same respect, we're doing enough things to lose," Packers tackle Mark Tauscher said. "That's been the recipe for disaster."

Notes:

Favre's home TD pass streak ended at 27 games. ... The last time the Packers started as many as four running backs in a season was 1998. ... The Steelers haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 19 games. ... Pittsburgh LB James Farrior said he expects to be out a week or two with a sprained MCL ligament in his knee. He said he'll get an MRI on Monday. ... Longwell became the first Packers player in team history to score 1,000 points. He now has 1,002.