Newsome and Matthews Savor Win at Pittsburgh

The jinx that plagued the Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium for 16 years meant more to Ozzie Newsome and Clay Matthews than anyone else on the team. Newsome and Matthews each endured eight of the losses to the Steelers before the streak was finally broken last Sunday.

“I went home Sunday night and I watched ‘Trading Places’ on TV,” said Newsome, referring to the movie in which actors Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd portray characters who switch their roles in life. “I was Eddie Murphy and (Pittsburgh defensive back) Donnie Shell was the other guy.”

Newsome, the Browns’ starting tight end, and Matthews, a starting linebacker from USC, learned early in their careers that playing in Pittsburgh had a special meaning: The game with the Steelers, whose home field is three hours from Cleveland, is important whether or not it has any eventual impact on the AFC Central Division race.

“It was explained to me that way when I first came here,” said Newsome, who took it upon himself last week to explain the rivalry to Cleveland’s new players. “I think it was (former wide receiver) Reggie Rucker who told me about how important it was and how different it was to play over there. I think it gave me a good idea and helped me to prepare myself for going up there to play.

“So I felt like I should do the same thing for the other guys. They’ve been in tough games, but they’ve never been in a game like playing in Three Rivers before.”

Newsome said he went into Three Rivers feeling more confident this year than at any time in the past.

“I said all week, I felt we were a better football team and we should win the game,” he said. “That’s the first time I went there and said, ‘Regardless of anything that happens, we should win this football game.’ ”

The Steelers’ poor record thus far--the loss dropped them to 1-4--did not mar the 27-24 victory at all for Newsome.

“A win up there after 16 years of losing, after eight years of losing on my part, is a win, regardless of how bad they are,” he said. “It’s a win. You can’t take that victory away from me. No way. It was a feeling of accomplishment.

“Hopefully what happened up there can provide this team with the over-the-hump thing we’ve been looking for and we can really get on a roll.”