PITTSBURGH - On a balmy Halloween evening at Heinz Field, the New England Patriots and Tom Brady found plenty of scary moments when they faced the Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

The Super Bowl champs, led by defensive-minded head coach Bill Belichick, figured to have several tricks up their sleeves when they faced Pittsburgh's rookie quarterback.

However, the trick was on Brady and the Patriots as Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh defense treated the Steelers to a 34-20 victory Sunday that ended New England's 21-game winning streak with a loud thud.

The loss of running back Corey Dillon, who was scratched before the game with a thigh bruise, hindered the Patriots and allowed the Steelers defense to concentrate on Brady and the passing game.

Pittsburgh took advantage of the situation, harassing the Super Bowl MVP early and often as it choked the New England running attack to near extinction, holding it to a total of four yards in the game.

"When (Dillon) became inactive, (defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau) and I sat down and had a long talk about what they might do in terms of spreading it out," said Steelers head coach Bill Cowher. "The guys did a good job executing."

With the Steelers up 7-3 and a first-and-10 at his own 29, the Pittsburgh defense swarmed around Brady before linebacker Joey Porter sacked him, forcing a fumble that was recovered by defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen at the Patriots 27.

The turnover set up a 4-yard pass from Roethlisberger to Plaxico Burress that gave the Steelers a 14-3 lead.

On New England's next offensive play, Deshea Townsend picked off Brady's pass and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown that put the Steelers in the driver's seat with a 21-3 advantage.

Linebacker James Farrior was aware of the significance of the two takeaways.

"They were big," he said. "They set up our offense in good field position."

"On the interception, Deshea made a great break on the ball. He does that in practice all the time."

Townsend said film study gave him an edge on the play.

"When the running back gets to the flat, they're going to curl," he said. "It was a curl, and I jumped on it."

Defensive back Ike Taylor also robbed Brady in the period.

Brady did lead the Patriots on a seven-play, 56-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass to David Givens late in the quarter to cut the Pittsburgh lead to 24-10. The drive made his halftime stats a bit more palatable: 11-for-21 for 113 yards for a touchdown and two interceptions.

The turnover bug bit the Patriots again on the first play of the second half when Brady hit running back Kevin Faulk with a pass and Porter notched his second forced fumble that defensive end Aaron Smith recovered.

Three plays later, running back Jerome Bettis scored from 2-yards out to give the Steelers a 31-10 lead.

Porter had his best day since the 2002 season, recording eight tackles, three sacks for 19 yards and the two forced fumbles.

"Joey played a very inspired game," Cowher said.

Porter acknowledged the early lead Roethlisberger and the offense built made things easier for the defense.

"When it was 21-3, it was pretty much predictable," he said. "You know they have to pass the ball. They have no time to run the ball.

"When you get a team in that situation, you have to tee off. You have to go get the quarterback," he added.

Brady ended up throwing another touchdown pass to Givens with 6:39 left in the fourth quarter to finish 25-for-43 for 271 yards for two touchdowns and two interceptions, but the Steelers controlled the ball the rest of the game to bring the Patriots' streak to a sudden stop.

But knocking off the previously undefeated Super Bowl champs is just another step on a long road for Cowher.

"We still have half a season to play," he said. "Nothing was accomplished today."

Notes:

Roethlisberger threw for two touchdowns, giving him nine for the season and breaking the Steelers' record for TD passes by rookie quarterback of eight, which was previously held by Butler native Terry Hanratty in 1969. The attendance of 64,737 was the largest in Steelers history.