Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons from Wilson High puts pressure on Panthers QB Jimmy Clausen.
(AP) -- PITTSBURGH (AP) - Ben Roethlisberger showed off Pittsburgh's deep passing game and the Steelers inched closer to a division title and a first-round playoff bye, beating the Carolina Panthers 27-3 on Thursday night.
Pittsburgh (11-4) will wrap up the AFC North and the bye if it beats Cleveland on Jan. 2. The Browns (5-9) could end the division race even earlier than that if they upset the Ravens (10-4) at home on Sunday.
Roethlisberger found Mike Wallace on a 43-yard scoring play and Emmanuel Sanders on a 35-yard completion to set up Rashard Mendenhall's 1-yard touchdown run as the Steelers opened a 20-0 halftime lead. It didn't seem that close and it wasn't, not with the Steelers outgaining the Panthers (2-13) by a more than 3-to-1 margin.
2003 WPDE Zoneman winner Lawrence Timmons made five tackles including one solo stop in the Steelers win.
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