Steelers get gift one day early

TAMPA, Fla. The Pittsburgh Steelers made the Tampa Bay Buccaneers look like championship pretenders again.

Tommy Maddox threw for 236 yards and one touchdown as the Steelers dominated the Bucs 17-7 Monday night to clinch the AFC North championship, their seventh division title in coach Bill Cowhers 11 seasons.

It was just a matter of who is the bigger bully, Steelers running back Jerome Bettis said. They said they were waiting a full year for this. ... We came out and bullied them and showed them that were the baddest on the block.