Browns’ Victory Plans Intercepted by Steelers : AFC: Perry picks off three of Testaverde’s passes, including game-clincher with 54 seconds left in game.

Vinny Testaverde’s reputation preceded him--and cost him dearly.

“It was fairly simple, because Testaverde has a knack for zeroing in on his receivers,” Darren Perry said Sunday after the Pittsburgh Steelers intercepted Testaverde four times and beat the Cleveland Browns, 17-10.

Perry made a career-high three interceptions, including the one that clinched it with less than a minute to play.

Perry stopped a last-gasp drive by the Browns (1-1) when he picked off Testaverde’s underthrown pass at the Pittsburgh 10-yard line with 54 seconds to play.

The interception came four snaps after an apparent 33-yard touchdown pass from Testaverde to Mark Carrier was nullified by a holding penalty on Cleveland guard Gene Williams.

The Browns were whistled for holding again on the next play, and Williams angrily threw his helmet down and kicked it as he walked off after the final interception, which came on fourth-and-16 from the Steelers’ 44-yard line.

The Steelers, coming off a humbling, 26-9, home loss to Dallas last week, had a miserable first quarter but began turning it around when Neil O’Donnell connected with a wide-open Yancey Thigpen on a 33-yard touchdown pass play to close to 10-7 midway through the second.

Barry Foster, who rushed for 84 yards, put them ahead to stay with a 1-yard plunge late in the half. Gary Anderson added a 25-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, points set up by Woodson’s interception.

The turnabout came after Pittsburgh committed nine penalties in the first quarter and let Testaverde complete four consecutive passes on the Browns’ opening drive. Testaverde ended it with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Walter Reeves.

But after Matt Stover’s 23-yard field goal put Cleveland ahead, 10-0, early in the second quarter, the Steelers finally straightened themselves out, scoring on three of their next five possessions. Woodson’s 54-yard kickoff return got them going, putting them in position for Thigpen’s touchdown catch.