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Pittsburgh 18, NY Jets 7

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Hines Ward enjoyed career highs with 10 catches for 124 yards Sunday and the Pittsburgh Steelers stuffed NFL rushing leader Curtis Martin to down the New York Jets, 18-7.

Pittsburgh has won 14 of its last 15 meetings with the Jets.

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The Steelers improved to 10-2 for the first time since 1978, when they finished 14-2 en route to winning Super Bowl XIII. Pittsburgh extended its winning streak to five games, owns the best record in the AFC and holds a two-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens (8-4) in the Central Division. Pittsburgh visits Baltimore next Sunday night.

"I think we have a special group of guys, but talk to me in February," Steelers safety Lee Flowers said.

New York (7-5) was the AFC's lone remaining unbeaten road team at 5-0 coming into the contest, but it was no surprise the first loss came here. The Jets have never won at Pittsburgh in five visits.

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The Jets suffered their second straight loss and slipped into third place in the AFC East, behind Miami (8-3) and New England (8-5).

"It's just that we played two pretty good football teams," said Jets rookie coach Herman Edwards. "We didn't step up and beat them, we didn't make the play to beat them. But I don't think it's slipping away."

Over the last 16 years, including this loss, the Jets have had just three winning Decembers, with a post-November record of 18-43 since 1986. Last year, they lost their final three games of the season after starting 9-4 under former coach Al Groh and missed the playoffs.

Sunday's game was supposed to be a showdown between the NFL's rushing leaders -- Martin of the Jets and Jerome Bettis of the Steelers. But Bettis missed the game with hip and groin injuries.

Without a reliable running attack, Kordell Stewart threw for 214 yards and leaned heavily on Ward, who is enjoying a Pro Bowl-type season. With Sunday's career-best performance, Ward has 79 receptions for 855 yards.

"I've been playing this way the whole year, just going out and playing aggressive," Ward said. "I don't know how other receivers are but I want to try and run over guys and get that extra yard. Just do whatever it takes to get that first down."

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Kris Brown kicked four field goals for Pittsburgh, but failed on attempts from 26 and 44 yards and also missed an extra point.

"That's a concern. I'm not going to sugarcoat it," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said of Brown's struggles. "We need him to be Mr. Dependable. I would like to think that he's going to get that rectified. I know if the game is on the line, I think that he'll be there."

Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala started for Bettis and was held to 50 yards on 21 carries, but scored on a one-yard run in the second quarter.

Martin, who starred at the University of Pittsburgh from 1991-94, played in his second game here and had just 58 yards on 18 carries. However, he accounted for New York's lone touchdown, hitting Wayne Chrebet with an 18-yard score on a halfback option in the second quarter.

"The way we were able to hold Martin down was everyone moving to the ball," Flowers said. "You can't have just one guy trying to tackle him."

The third player to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first seven NFL seasons, Martin leads the NFL with 1,140 rushing yards. As a rookie with the New England Patriots in 1995, Martin rushed for 120 yards in his first NFL game at Pittsburgh.

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The Steelers dominated statistically, totaling 23 first downs and 345 total yards to 14 and 220 for the Jets. The Steelers controlled the ball for nearly 37 minutes.

"I think the percentages (of stopping Martin) fall into our favor when the offense you have is moving the ball, eating up the clock," Steelers safety Brent Alexander said.

Stewart completed 20 of 36 passes, rushed for 36 yards on seven carries and committed no turnovers.

"Kordell's playing with a lot of confidence, throwing the ball very accurately," Cowher said. "There's no indecision. Our offense has done a great job, we'd like to think that we're a balanced football team."

Meanwhile, New York's Vinny Testaverde, who has not thrown for more than 202 yards in a game this season, was 15 of 26 for 141 yards.

"It's disappointing," Testaverde said. "We're concerned with the lack of consistency."

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