PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers honored defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau with a pregame ceremony for his 50 years as an NFL coach and player. His league-best defense found the best possible way to pay tribute to him.

The Steelers limited the depleted Bengals to six first downs following an early touchdown drive and found just enough offense themselves amid the snow flurries to control the clock behind Ben Roethlisberger and beat Cincinnati, 27-10, last night.

Pittsburgh (8-3) wasn't dominating — except defensively — in winning its fifth in a row over Cincinnati (1-9-1), its longest streak since an eight-game run in the early 1990s. The Steelers trailed 7-0 until Roethlisberger threw a 3-yard pass to tight end Heath Miller, their first touchdown in more than seven quarters, and didn't take control until backup running backs Mewelde Moore and Gary Russell led a third-quarter drive that made it 20-7.

"It just felt good to score," Roethlisberger said.

For the Steelers' defense, it felt good to throttle Cincinnati following an early TD drive.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, under constant pressure from a Pittsburgh defense that leads the NFL in almost every major statistical category, was below 100 yards passing until a short drive in the fourth quarter ended with Shayne Graham's 26-yard field goal. Fitzpatrick finished 20 of 37 for 168 yards, but the Bengals were outgained 364-208.

"It's definitely a big honor for him," linebacker LaMarr Woodley said of LeBeau. "You honor him and you want to go out there and win that game for him."

Not having wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco, the former Chad Johnson, made it a lot harder for the Bengals.

He was deactivated for violating team rules following an apparent flare-up at a team meeting, though coach Marvin Lewis wouldn't explain what Ocho Cinco did.

"It's a curveball for us, but we had guys who stepped in and knew the game plan and knew how to execute it," Fitzpatrick said. "Nothing changed. It was more of a curveball."

Roethlisberger was 17 of 30 for 243 yards and was turnover-free for a second game in a row.

Roethlisberger himself scored from the 8 late in the game as Pittsburgh held a more than 10-minute edge in time of possession.

ELSEWHERE

Browns: Cleveland general manager Phil Savage has apologized to a fan for sending a profane e-mail following Monday night's victory over Buffalo. Savage used an expletive in his response to the fan, who criticized the GM in several e-mail exchanges. Earlier, Browns coach Romeo Crennel said he spoke with Savage, who sent the e-mail moments after Cleveland's 29-27 win over the Bills in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Also, Browns quarterback Brady Quinn broke his right index finger in the first half of Monday night's win over Buffalo, but will try to play Sunday against the Houston Texans.

Cowboys: Dallas rookie running back Felix Jones is done for the season. The team said that Jones, one of Dallas' two first-round draft picks, will be placed on injured reserve because of a big left toe injury sustained while doing rehabilitation after hurting his left hamstring Oct. 12.

Vikings: Minnesota gave Adrian Peterson's body a break. Peterson was held out of yesterday's practice; he did some running in the pool instead. Coach Brad Childress said he decided the NFL's leading rusher needed a day to rest after taking plenty of hard hits in last week's game against Tampa Bay.

Giants: New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress missed practice yesterday because of a hamstring injury. Coach Tom Coughlin was short in discussing Burress' injury, saying time would tell whether Burress plays Sunday against the Cardinals in Arizona.

Dolphins: Receiver Greg Camarillo's breakout year with Miami has earned him a new contract. Camarillo's $6 million, three-year extension keeps him under contract through 2011. He leads the Dolphins with 49 receptions for 538 yards and one touchdown.