The fabled Pittsburgh Steelers-Cleveland Browns rivalry isn't dead.

But it's safe to say it's slipped into a coma.

The Steelers' 31-0 victory Sunday at Heinz Field marked their 11th straight over Cleveland. It was also Pittsburgh's 17th triumph in the last 18 meetings between the teams.

That's not a rivalry. That's a domination.

For there to be any hint of a rivalry between these two teams, Sunday's game would have been intense regardless of the fact there was nothing riding on the game for either side.

It was not intense at all.

If the Browns were playing for coach Romeo Crennel's job, well ... I hope he remembered to remove his toothbrush from the team's practice facility before coming to Pittsburgh over the weekend.

Otherwise, team ownership may not let him back in to get it.

Granted, the Browns played with their fourth starting quarterback and fourth-string tight end Sunday. And the Steelers did have a seasoned veteran in Byron Leftwich to go to when Ben Roethlisberger was carted off the field with a concussion.

Had Bruce Gradkowski gotten hurt, the Browns' No. 2 quarterback was Richard Bartel, from Tarleton State.

Who? From where?

In case you're wondering — I certainly was — Tarleton State is located in Stephenville, Texas.

The Browns marched 44 yards on 11 plays during their first possession Sunday before Phil Dawson was wide left on a 53-yard field goal attempt from the Pittsburgh 36.

They didn't advance the ball past their own 41-yard line the rest of the day.

During the Steelers' 11-game win streak over the Browns, consider the following numbers:

n Willie Parker's 116-yard rushing effort was the eighth 100-yard game turned in by a Steeler back in those 11 games. The Browns have not had a 100-yard back against the Steelers during that stretch.

Jamal Lewis did come close Sunday. He had 94.

• The Steelers have scored 17 touchdowns in Cleveland. The Browns scored four.

• The Steelers average 168.9 yards rushing in those 11 games. The Browns have averaged 63.6.

• Roethlisberger has posted five 100-plus passer ratings during the streak. Gradkowski's passer rating Sunday was 1.0.

• The Steelers racked up 526 yards of offense against the Browns in their December meeting two years ago. Parker had a team-record 223 yards on 32 carries in that game.

This isn't a rivalry at all.

The Steelers' biggest rival now plays in Baltimore. That team is the old Browns and the Steelers are 5-5 against them in the past five years.

Most of those games had a lot on the line.

The Browns won 10 games last year, but never more than six in any other season under Crennel.

Maybe if Bill Cowher took over in Cleveland ...

"That would add some spice to it,"Steelers receiver Hines Ward admitted. "But even then, Coach Cowher will always be part of the Black and Gold to us."

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle