November 30, 2009 News Clippings

Transcription

1 November 30, 2009 News Clippings Pittsburgh Steelers

2 Steelers Report Card: Game 11 vs. Ravens Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS Steelers Report Card: Game 11 vs. Ravens GERRY DULAC grades the Steelers' effort in their loss to the Ravens yesterday: Monday, November 30, 2009 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Quarterback It was a sterling first start for Dennis Dixon... until the overtime interception. He passed for one TD and scored on a 24-yard run for the go-ahead TD in the fourth quarter. Dixon surprisingly was efficient in the first half, completing 8 of 10 passes for 87 yards and no interceptions. He even made a nice playaction rollout on his 33-yard TD to Santonio Holmes in the first quarter. Running backs Rashard Mendenhall had 42 yards on 10 carries in the first half, including a 15-yarder, and finished with 90 yards on 22 carries. Willie Parker carried four times for 14 yards on the first TD drive and Carey Davis had a big 14-yard run on third-and-9 that allowed the Steelers to run out the clock in the first half. Mewelde Moore's holding penalty wiped out an 18-yard pass play. Wide receivers Holmes ended his drought with his first touchdown catch since the season opener -- a 33-yarder to tie the score in the second quarter. It was one of five catches for 60 yards in the first half. He also had a nice 18-yard catch-and-run for first down wiped out by a penalty. Hines Ward had three catches for 47 yards, but he got 17 after contact on a 22-yarder, his longest. Offensive line Their most important job was creating some gaps to establish a running game, and they did that in the first half when the Steelers rushed for 70 yards on 19 carries. But a holding penalty by C Justin Hartwig wiped out Dixon's 31-yard scramble to the Ravens' 24 in the first quarter. All in all, a nice job to keep the pressure off Dixon, who was not sacked and threw just one interception, in overtime. Defensive line Ray Rice gouged them with runs of 16 and 19 yards, the latter setting up the first TD, and finished with 88 yards on 19 carries -- the most by an opposing back this season. But the Ravens also used Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain to combine for 134 yards rushing, the most against the Steelers this season. DE Travis Kirschke had one of four sacks and Brett Keisel was disruptive. Linebackers Their failure to tackle Rice after a fourth-down dump pass that gained 44 yards led to the FG that forced overtime. Lawrence Timmons got out of position on several big running plays, but he had a big 11-yard sack in the third quarter and a strip sack in the fourth quarter that Keisel recovered and led to a go-ahead touchdown. LaMarr Woodley and James Farrior also had big sacks. Defensive backs More big pass plays for the second game in a row, and S Ryan Clark was involved again. CB William Gay got beat with a double move and Clark lost the ball on a 54-yard pass to Mark Clayton to set up the second touchdown. And they each missed tackles on Rice's 18-yard catch-and-run on third-and-12. Joe Flacco was a combined 8 for 8 for 125 yards on both of the first-half TD drives. Special teams It probably should be considered a significant achievement that they didn't allow a kick return for touchdown after giving

3 Steelers Report Card: Game 11 vs. Ravens Page 2 of 2 up four in the previous five games. But they allowed a 34-yard punt return by Chris Carr in the fourth quarter. Jeff Reed hit a big 44-yard field goal in the third quarter and Daniel Sepulveda had punts of 54 and 58 yards to give the Ravens a long field. Coaching Mike Tomlin's biggest coaching decision was deciding to not play Ben Roethlisberger. Give credit to offensive coordinator Bruce Arians for not putting Dixon in uncomfortable situations and easing him into the game. His call on Dixon's 24-yard touchdown run completely surprised the Ravens. But the defense failed to protect a lead in the fourth quarter again, thanks to poor tackling. Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com. Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details. First published on November 30, 2009 at 12:47 am

4 Collier: A troubling trend besets Steelers' defense Page 1 of 2 Gene Collier Collier: A troubling trend besets Steelers' defense Monday, November 30, 2009 By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Larry French/Getty Images Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason beats Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor for and scores the Ravens' second touchdown in a win at at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore last night. View all related images BALTIMORE -- Given the tempest roaring through the Steelers' battered offense, Dick LeBeau's defense couldn't escape the reality that it pretty much had to pitch a shutout here last night. Even common excellence would not do, because the likelihood that a Dennis Dixon-operated attack would be able to carve 20 or 30 points out of Baltimore's defense was similar to the chances of Ray Lewis winning the Miss America pageant. Even 17 points seemed beyond the possible. But there we were at the 11 o'clock news with the Steelers somehow ahead, 17-14, in a crucial AFC North conflagration that a concussed Ben Roethlisberger was watching from the sideline. All that was necessary for Mike Tomlin's team to nail down a wildly unlikely victory and jump back into the playoff picture was one defensive stop as the Ravens faced third-and-22 at the Baltimore 39 as the M&T Bank Stadium clocks blinked inside four minutes. Too much to ask, evidently. Joe Flacco found Derrick Mason in the middle of the Steelers' zone for 17 yards, and Baltimore coach John Harbaugh sent the punt team out to the vociferous boos of more than 71,000. Harbaugh called timeout to consider their position, then sent Flacco back out to try his luck at fourth-and-5. How many Steelers can miss Ray Rice on one play? A minimum of three, evidently. Rice beat James Farrior across the middle to take a short Flacco toss, ran through Ty Carter's tackle, ran through Ike Taylor's tackle, and didn't stop until he was bumped across the sideline at the Steelers' 10. Four plays later, Billy Cundiff chipped home a 24-yard field goal that erased the Steelers' only lead. "He's a quality player man," Tomlin marveled after the 5-8, 210-pounder slashed his defense for 88 rush yards and another 67 on five receptions. "It kind of all goes through him and he got us at critical times." Rice's 44-yard rhumba was the fourth pass of 20 yards or more against the Steelers' secondary. Pile those on the five passes

5 Collier: A troubling trend besets Steelers' defense Page 2 of 2 of 20 or more the awful Kansas City Chiefs completed last week and maybe you see a trend developing. The fact is, Dixon deserved better than this. "I liked his demeanor throughout," Tomlin said. "He made some plays and represented himself relatively well. We wanted to limit his exposure, that's probably the best way to say it. We wanted to run the ball, get the ball on the perimeter, let him find some rhythm and settle in. "We weren't going to play scared by any stretch." Translation: We were pretty much hand-cuffed. There were all kinds of excuses available to the offense, but none as handy as Dixon's "exposure." It's a shame this one will be remembered for Dixon's first career interception, the one he fired into the arms of rookie linebacker Paul Kruger in front of Santonio Holmes in the overtime. But where are the excuses for Dick LeBeau's unit? Baltimore went 73 yards to a touchdown right through it on nine plays the first time it touched the ball, with Flacco hitting all five of his passes for 50 of those yards. Typically, LeBeau's schemes confound the old Blue Hen. The Steelers picked him off five times in their previous two meetings, three of those in the AFC title game. That Dixon was able to erase that lead with a 33-yard scoring pass to Santonio Holmes was a small miracle, but the defense gave the lead right back when safety Ryan Clark, who dropped interceptions in each of the previous two games, allowed Mark Clayton to pull down a 54-yard pass. It didn't matter a whit that Clark arrived in plenty of time to prevent that completion, yet inexplicably, he never looked for the football. On the very next play, Derrick Mason beat Ike Taylor on the left edge of the end zone for a 14-7 Ravens lead that stood until halftime. But even after Dixon rallied them to a three-point lead with a 24-yard run early in the fourth quarter, the Steelers remained willing and able to give it back. "Shouldn't have gone to overtime," said linebacker LaMarr Woodley. "We still had the right opportunity. We had enough points out there to win the game. We've got to finish strong. "We've lost the last three. Those three losses could drag you down, cause you never know." Right. So now you can play scared. Gene Collier can be reached at gcollier@post-gazette.com. More articles by this author Gene Collier's "Two-Minute Warning" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details. First published on November 30, 2009 at 1:49 am

6 Gerry Dulac's Two-Minute Drill Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS Gerry Dulac's Two-Minute Drill Game 11 vs. Kansas City Chiefs Monday, November 30, 2009 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana/Post-Gazette Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon runs away from Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. Dixon threw for a touchdown, ran for one and threw one interception. Game ball goes to: Dennis Dixon Even though his only interception led to the winning field goal in overtime, he performed remarkably well in his first NFL start. Not only did he appear relaxed and poised, he passed for one touchdown, ran for another and converted several big third downs with sneaks. His 33-yard touchdown to Santonio Holmes, on a play-action roll to the right, was a thing of beauty, as was the option draw play he ran for a 24-yard touchdown that gave the Steelers a lead with 6:24 remaining. The countdown: A quick look at the top performances from yesterday's game: 1. RICE DICES DEFENSE AGAIN: Of all the big plays turned in by Ravens RB Ray Rice, none was bigger than the 44-yard catch-and-run to the Steelers' 10 that set up Billy Cundiff's 24-yard field goal with 1:51 remaining to force overtime. Rice curled out of the backfield, got behind LB James Farrior and gained 37 yards after the catch by bouncing off poor tackles by LB Lawrence Timmons and CB Ike Taylor. It was one of five catches Rice had against the Steelers. 2. JUST WHISTLIN' DIXON: Fortunate that he wasn't intercepted in the final minute, Dixon was picked off in overtime by LB Paul Kruger when he tried to jam a pass to Santonio Holmes on third down, leading to the winning field goal. 3. TIMMONS NOT TIMID: Despite missing several tackles in run defense, Timmons had two of the five sacks against QB Joe Flacco, none bigger than when he forced a fumble that Brett Keisel recovered and led to the go-ahead touchdown. 4. RAVEN-OUS ON THE GROUND: The Steelers rushed for 153 yards, their third-highest total of the season. But no run was longer or more important than Dixon's 24-yard TD on a play in which he faked an inside handoff to WR Mike Wallace. 5. ANOTHER BIG PASS PLAY: The Steelers gave up two more passes of 40 yards or longer, and the first was a 57- yarder to Mark Clayton in which CB William Gay got beat and S Ryan Clark misplayed the ball, setting up the Ravens' second TD. Inside the numbers: 155 That's the number of total yards gained by Ravens RB Ray Rice, who rushed for 88 of those yards on 19 carries. Rice had a 44-yard catch-and-run that led to the tying FG in regulation.

7 Gerry Dulac's Two-Minute Drill Page 2 of 2 What was he thinking? Mike Tomlin opted to dress injured Ben Roethlisberger as the third quarterback and had no intention of playing him against the Ravens. But he said he would have used him in an emergency to "absolutely hand the ball off every single play" if Dixon and backup Tyler Palko were injured in the game. Tomlin made the decision not to play Roethlisberger Saturday morning after meeting with team neurosurgeon Dr. Joe Maroon. Roethlisberger complained of headaches after practice Wednesday and Thursday. Overheard "This guy should have won the Heisman, probably should have been a higher pick than he was. He showed that tonight. I just wish, defensively, we would have made him some plays to get him the win." -- Ryan Clark on Dennis Dixon X's and O's For the fourth time this season, the Steelers lost a game because their No. 1-ranked defense failed to protect a lead. It happened again in the fourth quarter when the Ravens drove 84 yards in 10 plays to kick the tying field goal. And they did with passes of 17, 20 and 44 yards from Joe Flacco, who finished with 289 yards passing -- his most in five games. That is the eighth time this season the Steelers have allowed a quarterback to pass for over 200 yards, two more than last season. Up next VS OAKLAND RAIDERS, 1 P.M.: The teams have met five times this decade, with the Steelers leading, 3-2. The previous meeting was in 2006 in Oakland, won by the Raiders, Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com. Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details. First published on November 30, 2009 at 1:58 am

8 Cook: Tomlin must fix Steelers' locker room Page 1 of 2 Ron Cook Cook: Tomlin must fix Steelers' locker room Monday, November 30, 2009 By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana/Post-Gazette Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin argues pass interference call during last night's loss at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. View all related images BALTIMORE Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has a much bigger problem on his hands than anything that was created by a overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens last night. The team lost more than just its third consecutive game in a season that's rapidly headed toward mediocrity. Clearly, it has a schism in the locker room that needs to be repaired before it sabotages any chance the Steelers have of making the playoffs. Shame on wide receiver Hines Ward for going on national television before the game and saying it's "almost like a toss-up in the locker room" about whether quarterback Ben Roethlisberger should or should not have played. Roethlisberger was benched by team neurosurgeon Dr. Joseph Maroon after experiencing concussion-related symptoms late last week after taking a knee to the head in Kansas City the previous Sunday. His replacement, Dennis Dixon, made his first NFL start and, after throwing for one touchdown and running for another, threw a killer interception in overtime that led to the winning field goal. Shame on the 50 percent in the locker room who questioned Roethlisberger's toughness. This is fair to say: Virtually all of those who did will never be as tough as he is. Ward, who is as tough as any player in the NFL, acknowledged during an interview with NBC that only Roethlisberger knows for sure how he felt in the days leading up to the game. But he didn't do his quarterback -- his teammate and supposed friend for the past six years -- any favors by pointing out that he and a lot of other guys would do just about anything to play in "almost a must-win" game, even if it means lying to team doctors. "I've been out there dinged up. The following week, got right back out there," Ward told NBC. "I don't think guys really worry about the future when they're playing currently in the NFL. Trust me, the players want to go out there because these games you don't get back. You're never going to get this Baltimore-Pittsburgh game back. This is a big game." If I'm Roethlisberger, I'm furious. If I'm Ward, I don't know how I look Roethlisberger in the eye. If I'm Tomlin, I'm thinking I have to get the two in a room. Like first thing this morning. Actually, it sounded after the game as if that's exactly what Tomlin will do. As expected, he downplayed any problem in the locker room and said, "In that instance, maybe Hines was uninformed. In response to that, I will give him that information

9 Cook: Tomlin must fix Steelers' locker room Page 2 of 2 [about Maroon having the final say]. I will give our football team that information." For his part, Ward said his intent wasn't to call out Roethlisberger. He said he was "frustrated" after finding out Saturday that his quarterback wouldn't play. "I'm not going to get into a war of words with my quarterback," he said. "We needed him out there. We wanted him out there." Apparently, tackle Willie Colon is among the 50 percent who didn't have a problem with Roethlisberger sitting out. "I believe in him. You can't sit back and start questioning him after he's been through so much and been in enough fires to be roasted many times over." Now, that is well-said. Ward was wrong on a number of fronts, none greater than the fact he put the Roethlisberger issue under the brightest of lights for public scrutiny. If he had a problem with Roethlisberger, he should have taken it directly to him. He never should have taken his thoughts out of the house. That does no one on the team any good. Beyond that, how can Ward -- or anyone else, for that matter -- have a problem with Roethlisberger's toughness? A teammate who did much of the heavy lifting to put two Super Bowl rings on their fingers in the past four seasons despite being sacked like a zillion times? No one questioned safety Ryan Clark's toughness when he didn't play in Denver a few weeks ago because of a blood disorder. Nor should they have. Too bad that 50 percent didn't give Roethlisberger the same benefit of the doubt. I know some will argue Roethlisberger brought some of this on himself by embellishing his injuries over the years. He has earned a reputation inside the locker room of being a drama queen. But this is different. A head injury can impact the rest of a player's life. Tomlin said Roethlisberger had exercise-induced headaches last week. There's no way he should have played last night. The NFL is taking head injuries more seriously than ever. It is scared to death that it's going to be besieged in the years ahead by former players with concussion-related problems. I saw an example of this a few weeks ago with former Pitt star and Steelers safety Paul Martha, who estimated he had at least 10 concussions during his career. He's 67, has dementia issues and lives in an assisted care facility in St. Louis. He's one of more than 100 former players who receive up to $88,000 a year in assistance from the NFL for such problems. Just yesterday, ESPN.com reported the league and the NFL Players Association are close to an agreement that will ban a player from re-entering a game after he experiences concussion-related symptoms. There's also discussion between the two sides to have such a player arbitrarily banned from playing the next week. They are doing their best to save tough-guy players such as Ward from themselves, players so macho that they're even willing to risk their long-term health by lying to team doctors in order to play. Too bad that ban-from-the-next-game rule wasn't in effect last night. It would have saved Roethlisberger and Tomlin from one giant headache. Pardon the poor pun. Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com. More articles by this author First published on November 30, 2009 at 12:30 am

10 Steelers Notebook: Ward admits locker room '50-50' on Roethlisberger Page 1 of 3 SPORTS / STEELERS Steelers Notebook: Ward admits locker room '50-50' on Roethlisberger Monday, November 30, 2009 By Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana/Post-Gazette Steeler wide receiver Hines Ward had three receptions for 47 yards last night during a loss to the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. BALTIMORE -- If Hines Ward's words sounded cutting in an interview aired before the game, he later explained they were merely spoken in frustration. In a taped interview with Bob Costas aired beforehand on NBC's "Football Night in America," the Steelers' all-time leading receiver talked about the locker room being "like a toss-up" over whether quarterback Ben Roethlisberger should have played last night despite a concussion from seven days earlier. Ward talked about lying to team doctors on occasions when he suffered from concussion symptoms and how many NFL players overlook them, statements that league officials won't relish reading and hearing amid an increased effort to protect players from such life-altering injuries. And he talked in such a way that his predecessor as the player voted the league's dirtiest, NBC analyst Rodney Harrison, criticized Ward for questioning his team leader's toughness. "This game is almost like a playoff game. It's almost a must-win. I could see some players or teammates questioning, like 'It's just a concussion. I've played with a concussion before,'" Ward told Costas in an interview taped Saturday at the team's suburban-baltimore hotel as a prelude to the Steelers-Ravens game last night at M&T Bank Stadium and on NBC. "It's almost like a toss-up in the locker room: Should he play? Shouldn't he play? It's really hard to say. I've been out there dinged up; the following week, got right back out there. Ben practiced all week. He split time with Dennis Dixon. And then to find out that he's still having some headaches and not playing and it came down to the doctors didn't feel that they were going to clear him or not -- it's hard to say. Unless you're the person [himself].... I've lied to a couple of doctors saying I'm straight, I feel good when I know that I'm not really straight." After a overtime loss to Baltimore, Ward attempted to set the record straight: "I mean, you know, you really don't want to mess around with concussions. Guys have concussions and still play. But you got to look at the whole, big picture. When your health comes into question, you've got to look at the long-term effect. When I said that, I really wasn't saying that negative toward Ben. But you have to be concerned about it. You don't know what the future may hold.... "Wish we had him out there. But we didn't." As for the interview itself, Ward mentioned that the timing of the Roethlisberger decision on Saturday morning confused most of the locker room. "That's where the frustrating part is," Ward said. "A lot of guys didn't find out until Saturday [morning]. It was very shocking to a lot of guys on this team."

11 Steelers Notebook: Ward admits locker room '50-50' on Roethlisberger Page 2 of 3 Fellow receiver Santonio Holmes continued: "Only [No.] 7 knows how he feels right now. It was coach's decision to not play him. We wanted him to play. We felt like he could play -- that's only the way we felt. He felt like he couldn't go, so he didn't go. We just got to get the job done." Roethlisberger said afterward: "I wanted to go out there and play. But the doctors told me it wasn't a good decision. Then, the coaches told me the same thing. So I wasn't playing." Studio types critical The player voted the NFL's dirtiest before Ward, NBC's Harrison of Chargers and Patriots infamy, responded to Ward's interview comments that his New England mates never would have talked about their quarterback in such a fashion. "It really surprised me," Harrison said on "Football Night." "You look at Hines and Ben, and they've been teammates for six years, won two Super Bowls together, and for him to question his quarterback's toughness really shocked me. If Tom Brady had a hangnail, never would any of the guys question Tom Brady. So it really shocked me that he questioned his toughness." Added ex-indianapolis coach and former Steelers player and coach Tony Dungy: "As a coach, that's why you can't listen to the players. You can't listen to: 'Hey, I'm OK.' You have to go with the doctors. Mike Tomlin, I'm sure, is going with the doctors' view on this. The thing I don't understand is, why he's the third quarterback [last night].... The third quarterback would have played last week [in overtime at Kansas City] because they had two quarterbacks get hurt. I think if he's out, he should be out." It wasn't just NBC. A couple of CBS analysts criticized the Steelers for how they handled the Roethlisberger situation -- especially given Arizona making quarterback Kurt Warner inactive yesterday, a fellow concussion sufferer the prior Sunday and similarly listed as questionable after practicing all week. "How does Pittsburgh go into this game without signing a veteran backup [quarterback] earlier in the week knowing that Charlie Batch was out of the mix?" former quarterback Boomer Esiason asked. "In my opinion, the Steelers made a mistake," former Washington and Houston general manager Charley Casserly added. "When you end Sunday's game, your backup quarterback Charlie Batch is out. Your starting quarterback didn't finish the game. You're in the middle of a playoff hunt. Sign a veteran quarterback. Have that insurance ready. Have that done by Monday night." On Wednesday, the Steelers brought in former NFL starters/backups Patrick Ramsey and Todd Bouman for physicals and inspection by scouts and coaches, but have yet to sign either. 4-for-16 finish Dixon ended his inaugural NFL start with a passing thud: He misfired on 12 of his final 16 pass attempts -- this after an 8- for-10 first half -- and threw an inaugural NFL interception to Ravens rookie linebacker Paul Kruger, whose return set up the winning field goal. "I put my all into it," said Dixon, who finished 12 for 26 for 145 yards, one touchdown and that interception. It left him with a passer rating of But Dixon also ran three times for 27 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown run that gave the Steelers the lead with 6:30 left in the game. He had a 31-yard rush negated by a holding penalty in the first quarter. "This guy should have won the Heisman. Probably should have been a higher pick than he was," safety Ryan Clark said of this 2008 fifth-rounder. "He showed that. Did an awesome job. I just wish, defensively, we would have made him some plays to get him the win." "We had enough points out there to win the game," linebacker LaMarr Woodley added. Continued Ward: "He gave us his best. It was a very positive sign to see him go out there under the circumstances, against a great defense, hostile territory, Sunday night.... He's going to be a good one." Inactives Steelers -- S Troy Polamalu, G Chris Kemoeatu and Batch (wrist) due to injuries, CB Keenan Lewis, G Kraig Urbik, DE Sunny Harris, DE Nick Eason and Roethlisberger. It has been quite a revolving-door season for Eason, who has been released, signed, started the past three games and then rendered inactive last night. Ravens -- LB Terrell Suggs due to injury; CB Cary Williams, FB Charles Ali, LB Antwan Barnes, OT Oniel Cousins, OL Tony Moll, NG Kelly Talavou and QB John Beck.

12 Steelers Notebook: Ward admits locker room '50-50' on Roethlisberger Page 3 of 3 Chuck Finder can be reached at cfinder@post-gazette.com. Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details. First published on November 30, 2009 at 12:41 am

13 Steelers fall in overtime to Ravens, Page 1 of 2 SPORTS / STEELERS Steelers fall in overtime to Ravens, Monday, November 30, 2009 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Peter Diana/Post-Gazette Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff kicks a field goal in overtime and gives his team a win against the Steelers last night at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore Baltimore. BALTIMORE -- Third-string quarterback Dennis Dixon played well in his first NFL start, yet the Steelers' defense once again could not hold a fourth-quarter lead and they lost to the Baltimore Ravens, 20-17, last night in overtime. As Ben Roethlisberger watched from the sideline amidst a swirling controversy over his status, the Steelers lost a third consecutive game for the first time under coach Mike Tomlin. It was their second overtime loss in a row and at 6-5 they and Baltimore trail Cincinnati by two games in the AFC North Division. "We will not go gently," Tomlin emphatically declared afterward. Dixon threw a touchdown pass of 33 yards to wide receiver Santonio Holmes and ran 24 yards for another score to give the Steelers a lead with 6:24 left to play in the fourth quarter. But Baltimore tied the score on Billy Cundiff's 24-yard field goal with 1:51 left that ended an 84-yard drive by the Ravens, and then won it in overtime after Dixon threw his only interception. Rookie linebacker Paul Kruger picked off a pass intended for Holmes and returned it 26 yards to the Steelers' 28. The Ravens worked their way to the Steelers' 11 and Cundiff hammered home a 29-yard field goal for the Baltimore victory with 6:42 to go in overtime. Of their five losses, the Steelers' defense has allowed a fourth-quarter lead to slip away in four of them. "Any time you have a lead in the fourth quarter and lose, it stinks," defensive end Brett Keisel said. It particularly hurt this time because Dixon had given them a chance to win after Roethlisberger and backup Charlie Batch went down with injuries in their overtime loss in Kansas City seven days earlier. Roethlisberger had concussion-like symptoms that day, according to Tomlin, but then passed every test last week as he practiced. However, on Friday he told Tomlin he was having headaches and on Saturday team neurosurgeon Dr. Joseph Maroon of UPMC advised coaches not to play him. While he did not play, Tomlin did suit him up as the emergency No. 3 quarterback. "I had no other options," Tomlin explained. The late decision to not play him did not go down well with receiver Hines Ward. "This game is almost like a playoff game," Ward told NBC-TV in a Saturday interview broadcast last night. "It's almost a must-win. I could see some players or teammates questioning, like, 'It's just a concussion. I've played with a concussion before.' "It's almost like a toss-up in the locker room. Should he play? Shouldn't he play? It's really hard to say."

14 Steelers fall in overtime to Ravens, Page 2 of 2 Ward backed off somewhat from those words after the game, expressing frustration that no one on the team found out until Saturday. In the meantime, Dixon completed 12 of 26 passes for 145 yards, one touchdown and the interception in overtime that led to Baltimore's victory. He had help from a ground game that produced 153 yards on 38 carries with Rashard Mendenhall getting 95 yards on 24 tries. But Willis McGahee and the Ravens' ground game were successful, too. McGahee had 88 of his team's 132 yards rushing and ran 2 yards for a Baltimore touchdown early in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead. Joe Flacco completed 23 of 35 passes for 289 yards and tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Mason Dixon, who had completed just one pass in his two years and had not played this season, gave the Steelers a lead when he ran 24 yards for a touchdown with 6:24 to play in regulation. On that third-down play, he faked a handoff from the shotgun and ran around right end. Mewelde Moore threw a block to help spring him. "I liked his demeanor throughout it all," Tomlin said. "He made some plays. I thought he represented himself relatively well, but we came up short." Baltimore grabbed an early 7-0 lead as Flacco completed all five of his passes to smartly move the Ravens 73 yards in nine plays on their first drive of the night. McGahee ran up the middle for 2 yards and the score to stake Batlimore to an early 7-0 lead. Dixon scrambled for a 31-yard gain up the middle in the first quarter to Baltimore's 24 but a holding call negated that play and set the Steelers up with a third-and-13 at their 35. But on the Steelers' third possession Dixon got hot. The drive began at the 26 with three consecutive handoffs to Willie Parker and a first down. Then Dixon went to the air and did so with authority. He hit Holmes for 8 yards and found Ward for 19 to put the ball on the Baltimore 33. From there, he faked a handoff to Parker to the left and rolled to his right. He hit Holmes at the 12 and Holmes ran to the left front corner of the end zone, where he stiff-armed cornerback Domonique Foxworth and squeezed into the end zone on the 33-yard play. It was Holmes' first touchdown since the opening game. Dixon completed another pass to Holmes on third-and-18 to the Baltimore 23 that would have gone for a first down, except Moore was caught for holding. That scuttled the play and the Steelers wound up punting to end the series and the game seemed headed toward a 7-7 halftime tie. But then Flacco, from his 30, pumped once and then again as Mark Clayton put a double-move on cornerback William Gay and beat him badly down the left sideline. Flacco cut loose and safety Ryan Clark closed but missed the ball as Clayton came down with it for a 54-yard gain to the Steelers' 16. Two plays later, Derrick Mason beat Ike Taylor in the left side of the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown and a 14-7 Baltimore lead with 1:45 left before the half. It was the first touchdown catch by Mason against the Steelers in 21 games that covered 80 receptions. Jeff Reed cut the Ravens' lead to with a 44-yard field goal in the third quarter. It came after a short drive that began at midfield and included a 20-yard reception by Mendenhall. Dixon put the Steelers ahead with his bootleg touchdown run, but it fell apart again for the Steelers in the fourth quarter and in overtime. "We won't go in a shell," Tomlin promised. "We'll go into attack mode because that's what's required." For more on the Steelers, read the new blog, Ed Bouchette On the Steelers at Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com. Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details. First published on November 30, 2009 at 12:36 am

15 NFL commish to expand concussion rules - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 1 NFL commish to expand concussion rules By The Associated Press Monday, November 30, 2009 NEW YORK NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly will expand restrictions on returning to games for players who sustain head trauma. Fox Sports reported Sunday that Goodell will issue a memo this week to all 32 teams expanding grounds for the removal of a player with a head injury or concussion. Currently, a player can return to the game after being diagnosed with a concussion if he is asymptomatic at rest and under exertion, and is cleared by the team doctor. The lone exception is if the medical staff determines the player lost consciousness, in which case he is ruled out for the remainder of the game. The report said that if a player is "woozy, has general dementia or memory loss," Goodell wants him barred from returning to a game. "We are continuing to review all aspects of our guidelines on concussion management and treatment," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. The league would not comment on the Fox report. The Associated Press this month conducted a survey of 160 NFL players about 10 percent of the league and 30 replied that they have hidden or played down the effects of a concussion. The NFL says its data show an average of one reported concussion every other game about 120 to 130 concussions per regular season. Of the 160 players interviewed by the AP, half said they've had at least one concussion playing football; 61 said they missed playing time because of the injury. The Associated Press can be reached at or. Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

16 Steelers coach Tomlin boosts kick coverage - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 1 Steelers coach Tomlin boosts kick coverage By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 30, 2009 BALTIMORE Steelers coach Mike Tomlin showed Sunday night just how serious he is about shoring up a woeful kickoff coverage unit. James Harrison, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, played on the Steelers' kickoff coverage unit against the Ravens. Harrison had been a special teams standout before becoming one of the top linebackers in the NFL. Linebacker Rocky Boiman and cornerback Corey Ivy each played extensively on special teams, as expected, after signing with the Steelers last week. Both were on the kickoff and punt coverage teams. Boiman was also on the kickoff and punt return teams, while Ivy was on the punt return unit.» The Steelers got some good news on the injury front this weekend. Travis Kirschke started at left defensive end last night against the Ravens after missing the previous three games with a torn muscle in his left calf. Kirschke returned to a lineup that was missing three other starters, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (concussion). Nick Eason had started in Kirschke's absence, but the Steelers deactivated him last night. Rookie Ziggy Hood backed up Kirschke and right defensive end Brett Keisel.» In addition to Roethlisberger, strong safety Troy Polamalu (knee), left guard Chris Kemoeatu (knee) and backup quarterback Charlie Batch (wrist) didn't play last night because of injuries. Joining them on the Steelers' list of inactives were Eason, cornerback Keenan Lewis, guard Kraig Urbik and defensive end Sunny Harris.» Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs did not play last night because of a knee injury. Also inactive for Baltimore were offensive tackle Oniel Cousins, linebacker Antwan Barnes, cornerback Cary Williams, fullback Charles Ali, guard/tackle Tony Moll, nose tackle Kelly Talavou and quarterback John Beck.» Dennis Dixon's first career touchdown pass, a 33-yarder to Santonio Holmes early in the second quarter, ended a scoring drought for the MVP of Super Bowl XLIII. Holmes hadn't scored a touchdown since the season opener Sept. 10.» Hines Ward has caught at least one pass in 173 consecutive regular-season games. Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

17 Harris: Steelers have work cut out for them - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 Harris: Steelers have work cut out for them By John Harris TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 30, 2009 BALTIMORE So much for the Steelers playing wide-open football against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. And so much for the Steelers preventing another loss in overtime at M&T Bank Stadium their third setback in a row. New quarterbacks, old quarterbacks, potential locker room disharmony. Where to begin for the defending Super Bowl champions? End at the beginning, I suppose. Second-year quarterback Dennis Dixon started for Ben Roethlisberger and was 12 of 26 for 145 yards, one touchdown and a costly interception that lead to Baltimore's winning field goal in his first NFL start. Roethlisberger, who didn't play because of doctors' concerns about a concussion he suffered in Kansas City last week, made headlines even while on the sideline courtesy of Hines Ward, his favorite receiver. During a pregame interview on NBC, Ward expressed unhappiness about Roethlisberger not playing because of a head injury. Citing the importance of the game, Ward said after last night's defeat that it was "very shocking" when some players learned on Saturday that Roethlisberger would miss the game. When pressed about his comments, Ward said he wasn't questioning Roethlisberger's willingness to play. "Me calling him out; that wasn't my intention," Ward said. Said coach Mike Tomlin: "I'm not worried about a problem in our locker room." That's because the 6-5 Steelers have bigger problems on the field. Contrary to popular opinion (i.e., offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and Tomlin), the Steelers don't have to throw the ball 40 times a game to be productive. And surprise, surprise their offense didn't fall apart without Roethlisberger.

18 Harris: Steelers have work cut out for them - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 Seventeen points should have been enough to defeat Baltimore it wasn't. Of the Steelers' 64 plays from scrimmage, 38 were runs and 26 were passes. Seven of the Steelers' first eight plays were runs. This from an offense that attempted a total of 84 passes in the previous two games. The Steelers ran to establish the pass, instead of passing to set up the run. Finally turned loose, Dixon completed a 19-yard pass to Ward on first down, followed by a 33-yard laser to Santonio Holmes for a touchdown that tied the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter. Last night, common sense prevailed. With Dixon making his first career start, the offense resembled past Steelers' offenses. Of course, Roethlisberger wasn't playing, a fact that Ward was extremely candid about during his NBC interview. Ward's response to Roethlisberger inactivity was so out of the ordinary that studio analyst Rodney Harrison, recently retired from New England, said Patriots' players would never question quarterback Tom Brady's decision to miss a game, even if he had something as minor as a hangnail. Ironically, the Steelers trailed, 14-7, at halftime because the league's topranked defense permitted two long Baltimore touchdown drives not through any fault of the Dixon-led offense. Dixon was 8 of 10 for 87 yards and a touchdown with a passer rating in the first half. He didn't throw an interception. For a player who didn't receive many first-team reps in practice, Dixon's performance right out of the gate was exceptional for his first pro start. Ultimately, though, it came down to Dixon's inability to engineer the type of game-winning drive that Roethlisberger is famous for. John Harris can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

19 Steelers' Ward backs away from comments - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 2 Steelers' Ward backs away from comments By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 30, 2009 BALTIMORE Hines Ward shrugged off the notion that he started a controversy when he said in an interview taped Saturday that he wanted quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to play against the Ravens and that 50 percent of the players in the Steelers locker room felt the same way. The interview aired on NBC's "Football Night in America," prior to the station's telecast of the Steelers' overtime loss to the Ravens. Ward said he simply picked the wrong words when he used "50-50 toss up" to describe how the Steelers felt about Roethlisberger playing in Baltimore after sustaining a concussion the previous week in Kansas City. "Me calling him out or whatever, that wasn't my intention," the veteran wide receiver said. Roethlisberger practiced all last week and said Thursday that he planned to play against the Ravens, whose game-winning field goal was set up by a Dennis Dixon interception. Roethlisberger, however, started suffering from exercise-induced headaches at the end of the week, coach Mike Tomlin said. Dr. Joseph Maroon, the Steelers' neurosurgeon and a leading authority on concussions, recommended to Tomlin on Saturday that Roethlisberger not play against the Ravens. Roethlisberger suited up as the team's No. 3 quarterback, meaning he would have only been eligible to play had Dixon and backup Tyler Palko gotten hurt. Had that happened, Tomlin said, Roethlisberger would have only gone into the game to hand off to one of the Steelers' running backs. As for what Ward said in the interview with NBC, Tomlin dismissed that it would cause some sort of rift between the Steelers' offensive co-captains. "I'm not worried about a problem in the locker room," Tomlin said after the Steelers lost three games in a row for the first time during his tenure. "In that instance maybe Hines was uninformed. I didn't give him the detailed explanation that went into the decision-making terms of what Dr. Maroon suggested."

20 Steelers' Ward backs away from comments - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 2 Ward said his comments to NBC were a product of frustration more than anything else. "We needed him out there; we wanted him out there," Ward said of Roethlisberger. "This is the biggest game of the year. We lose and we kind of dug ourselves in a hole. I just wish we would have had all of our weapons out there." Said Roethlisberger, "I want to go out there and play, but the doctors told me it wasn't a good decision. The coaches told me the same thing, so I wasn't playing." Ward said he doesn't think there will be a need to talk with Roethlisberger about the comments he made. "I don't know what I have to say," Ward said. "I'm not going to get into a war or words with my own quarterback. It was just frustrating because we didn't find out that he wasn't starting until (last) Saturday. Finding out your starting quarterback's not playing until Saturday, it was shocking." Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

21 Ravens edge past Steelers for overtime win - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 1 of 3 Ravens edge past Steelers for overtime win By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, November 30, 2009 BALTIMORE A valiant effort Sunday night in Baltimore won't count for anything in the standings. And following a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Ravens in front of an announced crowd of 71,314, the reigning Super Bowl champions find themselves in a fight just to secure a wild-card berth. The shorthanded Steelers gave their archrivals all they could handle, but their vaunted defense again failed to protect a fourth-quarter lead. Dennis Dixon's 24-yard touchdown run with just over six minutes left in the game gave the Steelers a three-point lead at M&T Bank Stadium. But the Steelers allowed the Ravens to tie the game late in the fourth quarter and win it in overtime. Rookie linebacker Paul Kruger intercepted a Dixon pass with just over 10 minutes left in overtime, and returned it to the Steelers' 28-yard line. Four plays later, Billy Cundiff kicked a game-winning 29-yard field goal. "It was a designed blitz," Kruger said of his interception. "I was just in the right place at the right time." "Please don't talk to me about moral victories," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "That would be disrespectful to guys in (the visiting) locker room. We're going to unleash hell." The good news for the Steelers (6-5) is they should have Ben Roethlisberger back Sunday when they try to snap a three-game losing streak against the visiting Oakland Raiders. Roethlisberger didn't play last night as a precaution after sustaining a concussion in the Steelers' overtime loss in Kansas City on Nov. 22. Tomlin said he is hopeful the exercise-induced headaches which Roethlisberger experienced late last week and caused the Steelers to sit the sixth-year veteran won't be an issue this week. The Steelers couldn't have asked for much more from Dixon, who made his first NFL start.

22 Ravens edge past Steelers for overtime win - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 2 of 3 Dixon completed 12 of 26 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. He also had the touchdown run that gave the Steelers their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter. The Steelers were not able to run their winning streak against the Ravens to four games because the defense couldn't make a stand at the end of the game and because Dixon finally made a mistake. "All year we've been allowing teams to put points on the board," outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley said. "That's what teams are beating us, those last drives." It didn't take long for the Ravens to show why the oddsmakers made them touchdown-plus favorites after news of Roethlisberger's status surfaced Saturday. Dixon's first pass of the season nearly got intercepted deep in Steelers territory after defensive end Dwan Edwards batted it into the air. The Ravens then went right down the field following the first punt of the game. Flacco completed passes of 15, 20 and 12 yards. A 19-yard run by Ray Rice set up Willis McGahee's 2-yard touchdown run with more than eight minutes left in the first quarter. Dixon settled down after the Steelers' opening possession and completed six consecutive passes, including a 33-yard touchdown to Santonio Holmes early in the second quarter. The Steelers were driving later in the quarter, and a highlight-worthy catch by Holmes he tipped a pass by Dixon to himself on the left sidelines and then stretched for the first down gave them the ball inside Baltimore's 20-yard line. A holding call on Mewelde Moore negated the play, and the Steelers were forced to punt. Daniel Sepulveda pinned Baltimore on its 11-yard line. Flacco, however, flipped the field when he completed a 54-yard pass to Mark Clayton, who tormented cornerback William Gay in the first half. Flacco capped a six-play, 89-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Mason, and the Ravens took a 14-7 lead into halftime. Baltimore continued to go after Gay in the second half, but the first-year starter caused a much-needed turnover when he stripped Clayton after the latter made his fourth catch of the game. The Steelers recovered the fumble, and later in the quarter they cut the Ravens'

23 Ravens edge past Steelers for overtime win - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Page 3 of 3 lead to four points after a 44-yard field goal by Jeff Reed. The fierce rivals went back and forth the rest of the way, with the Ravens finally prevailing for the third time in four overtime games against the Steelers. "We made some big plays, but not enough of them," defensive end Brett Keisel said. "We've got to win out. There's no other ifs, ands or buts." Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or Images and text copyright 2009 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co. Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from Trib Total Media

24 TimesOnline.com: Bires: The Blind Side Page 1 of 2 Monday November 30, 2009 Bires: The Blind Side By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon reacts after throwing an incomplete pass against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton) BALTIMORE When Hines Ward speaks, people listen. And when the self-proclaimed leader of Steelers wideouts spoke Sunday night on national TV, he put his foot in his mouth and sounded like an idiot. Maybe you heard Ward in a pre-game interview with NBC sportscaster Bob Costas. If you didn t, you re sure to hear about it. Ward basically ripped into Ben Roethlisberger for missing the AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens. Roethlisberger, of course, sat out because he has not fully recovered from a concussion. This game is almost like a playoff game, Ward told Costas. It s almost a must win. So, I can see some players or some teammates kind of questioning like, Well, it s just a concussion. It s mind-boggling that Ward could be so insensitive and so selfish for criticizing and questioning one of the Steelers toughest and most courageous players. Thanks to a gutsy performance by Dennis Dixon who threw for a touchdown and ran for a score in his first start the Steelers played a terrific game against the Ravens before bowing in overtime. But when the Steelers report to team headquarters today, Ward has some explaining to do.

25 TimesOnline.com: Bires: The Blind Side Page 2 of 2 Ward also should offer an apology to Roethlisberger. Beside his it s just a concussion remark, Ward had more to say. I ve played with concussions before. I would go out there and play, he said. So, it s almost like a toss-up in the locker room. You know, Should he play? Shouldn t he play? It s really hard to say. What a foolish thing to say. First, there is no proof that Ward ever played with a concussion. Secondly, Roethlisberger is every bit the competitor Ward is. Ward may be a warrior. But so too is Roethlisberger, Roethlisberger wanted to play against the Ravens. Coach Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger begged to play. But Tomlin, on the advice of team physicians, refused. Re-occurring headaches prevented Rothlisberger from playing. Forcing Roethlisberger to watch was the right call. Hines, maybe you forget, but Roethlisberger was nearly knocked out cold last week in Kansas City when he was kneed in the head by a linebacker. That s the fourth time he s suffered a concussion in the last four years. And again, Hines, Roethlisberger wanted to play. But team physicians wisely and correctly would not allow it. Trust me, the players, they want to go out there because these games, you don t get back, Ward said later in his sit-down with Costas. You re never going to get this Baltimore-Pittsburgh game back. No, Hines. You re wrong. The Steelers play the Ravens in four weeks. And because he didn t play Sunday night and do further damage to his head, Roethlisberger figures to be just fine when these two rivals meet again. Mike Bires can be reached online at mbires@timesonline.com

26 TimesOnline.com: Steelers insider: Commish gets tough on concussions Page 1 of 2 Monday November 30, 2009 Steelers insider: Commish gets tough on concussions By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times BALTIMORE On the day both of last year s Super Bowl quarterbacks were sidelined with concussion-oriented injuries, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell toughened his stance in regards to players who ve sustained head trauma. Goodell says he ll expand restrictions on when or if players who sustain head trauma can return to games. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn t play Sunday night due to headaches he experienced this week after practice. Roethlisberger sustained his fourth known concussion in a Nov. 22 loss in Kansas City. Arizona QB Kurt Warner missed Sunday s loss to Tennessee because he had symptoms of a concussion. Warner took a blow to the head in the Cardinals Nov. 22 win over St. Louis. We re not in the business of ending careers. We re trying to extend careers, Goodell said. Even though the equipment is improved, sometimes players don t take advantage of that, Goodell added. They want to wear the helmets that they feel more comfortable in. We need to get the players to use the best equipment. The second issue is (players) have to make sure medical personnel know when they have an injury. The players have to raise their hand and say, 'You know what? I got hit, and I don't feel 100 percent.'" ALL IN THE (PALKO) FAMILY Taking in the game at M&T Bank Stadium was West Allegheny High School coach Bob Palko and his son Luke Palko, who s a scout with the Arizona Cardinals. They drove to Baltimore on Sunday to watch their favorite quarterback, Tyler Palko. Tyler, who played on the second, third and fourth of West Allegheny s WPIAL Class AAA championships, had an eventful week with the Steelers. On Wednesday, he was signed to their practice squad. On Saturday, he was promoted to the 53-man roster.

27 TimesOnline.com: Steelers insider: Commish gets tough on concussions Page 2 of 2 With injuries to Ben Roethlisberger (concussion) and Charlie Batch (broken wrist), Tyler Palko was the Steelers back-up QB behind Dennis Dixon. He wore jersey No. 4. Bob Palko coached West Allegheny to its fifth WPIAL with a win over Hopewell on Friday. GAME-DAY INACTIVES The following Steelers were designated as game-day inactives: Batch, guards Chris Kemoeatu and Kraig Urbik, defensive ends Nick Eason and Sunny Harris, cornerback Keenan Lewis and safety Troy Polamalu. Roethlisberger was designated the third-team quarterback and was in uniform. Polamalu missed his second straight game, and sixth overall, with his second sprained knee injury of the season. Kemoeatu suffered a sprained knee in last week s loss in Kansas City. Eason was somewhat of a surprise scratch because he has started the last three games with Travis Kirschke out with a torn calf muscle. But with Kirschke back, Eason wasn t needed. SUGGS OUT FOR BALTIMORE Among the Ravens inactives was outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who s second on the team with 3.5 sacks. Suggs missed his second straight game with a knee injury. ROONEY IN TOWN Even though he s now living in Dublin as the United States ambassador to Ireland, Dan Rooney has been back to see the Steelers play five times this year. The 77-year-old Rooney, who s now listed in the Steelers hierarchy as chairman emeritus, was home to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family. He flew to Baltimore on the team charter and watched the Steelers play the Ravens.

28 TimesOnline.com: Game Rewind: At Ravens Page 1 of 2 Monday November 30, 2009 Game Rewind: At Ravens By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times A HERO Dennis Dixon obviously wasn t a true hero because the Steelers didn t win. But all things considered, even in defeat Dixon played well in his first career start. Considering he hasn t played at all this year, he did as well as could be expected as he went from third-string quarterback to starter. Dixon was forced into action under difficult circumstances. But against the archrival Ravens, Dixon held more than held his own. A second-year pro, Dixon proved he s more than capable of replacing Batch as the backup QB and filling in for Roethlisberger whenever needed. THE GOATS The Steelers defense didn t play winning football. They can t be blamed for the game-winning field goal in overtime. The interception Dixon threw set up Billy Cundiff s 29-yarder. But knowing that the offense was in a predicament with Ben Roethlisberger sitting out, the defense needed a stronger performance. However, on the first series of the game, the Ravens marched right down the field for a nine-play, 73-yards touchdown drive. On four straight plays, the Ravens gouged the Steelers for gains of 15, 20, 12 and 19 yards. Just before halftime, the Steelers allowed an 89-yard TD drive that included a 59-yard pass completion. Then late in the fourth quarter, the Steelers allowed an 84-yard game-tying field goal drive that included a 44-yard pass completion. PLAY OF THE GAME The interception and 26-yard return by Baltimore linebacker Paul Kruger in OT put the Ravens in position to kick the game-winning field goal. But for two honorable mention plays of the game, there was Dixon s 33-yard TD pass to Santonio Holmes in the second quarter and Dixon's 24-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. THE BIG NUMBER 0: That s the number of interceptions through 11 games by Ike Taylor and William Gay, the Steelers first-team cornerbacks. UP NEXT The Steelers desperately need a win, and they should get it this coming Sunday when the Oakland Raiders (3-8) come to Pittsburgh. In all likelihood, the Raiders starting QB will be Bruce Gradkowski, a former Seton-LaSalle High School star. A fourth-year pro, Gradkowski is playing with his third NFL

29 TimesOnline.com: Game Rewind: At Ravens Page 2 of 2 team and 0-2 against the Steelers. As a rookie with Tampa Bay in 2006, Gradkowski threw two interceptions and was sacked three times in a 20-3 loss to the Steelers at Heinz Field. Last year when he played Cleveland, he threw three interceptions and was sacked five times as the Browns lost 31-0 to the Steelers at Heinz Field. THE BOTTOM LINE The Steelers (6-5) have lost three straight for the first time since the 2006 season. That s when they unsuccessfully defended their Super Bowl XL championship by failing to qualify for the playoffs with an 8-8 record. Right now, they re tied for second in the AFC North with the Ravens (6-5) and trail the Bengals (8-3) by two games. On a positive note, the Steelers next two opponents are the Raiders and Browns, who, at 1-10, have the worst record in the AFC. So the Steelers should be 8-5 when they host the Packers on Dec. 20.

30 Dixon's only misstep leads to Ravens' OT win Page 1 of 2 Dixon's only misstep leads to Ravens' OT win 3:30 AM By F. Dale Lolley, Staff writer dlolley@observer-reporter.com BALTIMORE - With quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and strong safety Troy Polamalu sidelined by injuries, the Steelers entered Sunday night's game at M&T Stadium undermanned and distinct underdogs. Nobody counted on the play of second-year quarterback Dennis Dixon making things interesting. Dixon, making his first career start, ran for one touchdown and threw for another. It was his first mistake, however, that did the Steelers in. Dixon was intercepted by rookie Paul Kruger on third-and-five from midfield in overtime and Kruger returned the ball to the Pittsburgh 28 to set up a 29-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff that lifted Baltimore to a victory. For four quarters, Dixon looked like a player who had been playing in the NFL for years. Dixon completed and a touchdown and also ran for a score with 6:32 left in the game to give the Steelers (6-5) their first lead of the game. Dixon's touchdown run came on a designed running play, as he faked a handoff to wide receiver Mike Wallace and took off around right end, picking up a block from running back Mewelde Moore to go untouched on the 24-yard run. But Baltimore (6-5) answered on its next possession, despite being backed up to third-and-22 with just over four minutes remaining. Joe Flacco threw a 17-yard completion on third down, putting the Ravens in a fourth-and-five situation. Head coach John Harbaugh initially was going to punt to the Steelers, but called a timeout and went for the first down. Flacco threw a short pass to running back Ray Rice, who broke a number of tackles, running 44 yards to the Pittsburgh 10. That set up a 24-yard field goal by Cundiff that tied that game, 17-17, with 1:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Steelers were forced to punt after running just three plays and the Ravens used a pass interference penalty against Ike Taylor to put the ball at the Pittsburgh 35 with 54 seconds remaining. But the Steelers defense held and Cundiff's 56-yard field goal attempt as time expired fell short. The Steelers used a strong rushing attack to protect the young quarterback, who came into the game having thrown just one NFL pass. The Steelers ran the ball 38 times for 153 yards, 95 of which were gained by Rashard Mendenhall on 24 carries.

31 Dixon's only misstep leads to Ravens' OT win Page 2 of 2 But Flacco's experience over Dixon was obvious. Flacco completed 23 of 35 passes for 317 yards and a touchdown despite being sacked five times. The Ravens scored on their opening possession after holding the Steelers to a three-and-out. Flacco completed all five of his passes and Willis McGahee finished the drive with a two-yard TD run to put Baltimore ahead, 7-0. The Steelers answered, however, early in the second quarter as Dixon threw his first career touchdown pass, a 33-yarder to Santonio Holmes off of a play-action fake to tie the game at 7-7. After completing the fake to Willie Parker, Dixon rolled to his right and threw a perfect pass over the middle to Holmes, who outraced cornerback Dominique Foxworth the final 15 yards to the end zone. But Baltimore took a 14-7 lead late in the first half, as Flacco completed a 59-yard bomb to Mark Clayton, then tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Derrick Mason on a fade over Ike Taylor with 1:45 remaining in the second quarter. The Steelers used good field position to trim the lead to with 9:09 remaining in the third quarter on a 44-yard Jeff Reed field goal. A sack by Travis Kirschke pinned the Ravens back deep in their own territory and Stefan Logan returned a Sam Koch punt to the 50. Rashard Mendenhall picked up 20 yards on a short pass from Dixon to put the Steelers in field goal range. A 34-yard punt return early in the fourth quarter by Chris Carr gave the Ravens the ball at the Pittsburgh 41. But two plays later, linebacker Lawrence Timmons sacked Flacco and stripped the ball loose. Defensive end Brett Keisel recovered the loose ball at the Pittsburgh 46, giving the Steelers excellent field position. Odds and end zones Kirschke, who had missed the past three games with a calf injury, started for the Steelers. Nick Eason, who had replaced Kirschke at defensive end in the starting lineup, was inactive.... Mason's second quarter TD reception was the first of his 13-year career against the Steelers.... Steelers safety Tyrone Carter recovered a fumble to end Baltimore's opening possession of the second half.... The Steelers had five sacks, two by Timmons and one each by Kirschke, LaMarr Woodley and James Farrior.... Sunday marked the fourth overtime game between the Steelers and Ravens. Baltimore had won two of the previous three. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.

32 Page 1 of 1 Dixon's interception in overtime costs Steelers in loss to rival Ravens By: HERALD STANDARD STAFF Herald Standard BALTIMORE (AP) - Third-string quarterback Dennis Dixon was doing a fine job for the Pittsburgh Steelers in his first NFL start - until he was forced to work overtime. An interception by rookie Paul Kruger set up a 29-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff with 6:42 left in the extra session, giving the Baltimore Ravens a victory Sunday night. Dixon started because Ben Roethlisberger was sidelined with a concussion and backup Charlie Batch had a broken left wrist. Dixon had thrown only one pass in two seasons before getting the nod against the Ravens. For much of the game, Dixon did his best impersonation of Roethlisberger. He threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes, and even added a personal touch, running for a 24-yard touchdown to put Pittsburgh up in the fourth quarter. But in overtime, his lone turnover provided the Ravens (6-5) a much-needed win and sent the Steelers (6-5) to their third straight defeat - their longest skid since a three-game run in The game was a rematch of last season's AFC championship, when Pittsburgh completed a three-game sweep of the Ravens with a victory. November 30, 2009

33 Oakland Raiders' Darren McFadden isn't as advertised - Inside Bay Area Page 1 of 2 Oakland Raiders' Darren McFadden isn't as advertised By Steve Corkran Oakland Tribune Posted: 11/28/ :53:28 PM PST Updated: 11/28/ :41:25 PM PST Run, pass, catch. Darren McFadden did it all at Arkansas. Heck, he even returned kicks. And he did everything well. So impressed were the Raiders that they made him the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft. Twenty-seven games into McFadden's NFL career, the Raiders still are searching for the best way to use him. It remains to be seen if McFadden will ever become the game-changing player many projected him to be when he ruled the college landscape. The Raiders paid him $26 million guaranteed to be a cornerstone of their offense. So far, his career has followed an arc similar to the one of New Orleans Saints all-purpose back Reggie Bush. Bush, too, was regarded as a can't-miss prospect entering the 2006 NFL draft based upon his dominance at Southern Cal. The New Orleans Saints selected Bush at No. 2 and soon discovered that he wasn't an every-down back. The Saints toyed with ways to get the most out of Bush before deciding to capitalize on his versatility. Bush receives a handful of carries each game, but he makes his biggest impact as a receiver and punt returner. On Thursday, McFadden spent most of his time lined up wide as a receiver against the Dallas Cowboys. He caught four passes for 43 yards and rushed six times for 23 yards. It was McFadden's most productive game since the season opener, when he rushed for 68 yards and caught two passes for 25 yards as the starting running back against the San Diego Chargers. It's the latest attempt by Raiders coach Tom Cable to make the best use of McFadden's skills. "He's feeling better and that's what we're more comfortable with, is being able to use him multiple ways," Cable said. McFadden has remained patient through the injuries, spotty playing time and inconsistent workload. He missed four games this season because of a knee injury he suffered against the Houston Texans on Oct. 4 that required surgery. Upon his return, he played behind Michael Bush and Justin Fargas. "It's a process you have to go through," McFadden said. "You don't go to the bottom and jump right back to the top. You've got to go out there and work for it. Right now I'm just working myself back in." McFadden was the first of 22 running backs selected in 2008, but he's been far from the most productive. The Tennessee Titans drafted Chris Johnson 20 spots after the Raiders nabbed McFadden. Johnson leads the NFL with 1,242 yards rushing this season. Advertisement

34 Oakland Raiders' Darren McFadden isn't as advertised - Inside Bay Area Page 2 of 2 He also rushed for 1,228 yards last season, one of three rookies who topped the 1,000-yard mark. McFadden has 704 yards during the same period, 205 coming this season. What's more, Johnson has averaged 5.5 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons. McFadden has averaged only 4 yards a carry and scored five touchdowns. Entering today's games, McFadden ranks 62nd in rushing this season. Michael Bush (385) and Fargas (399) have far more rushing yards than McFadden, validating Cable's decision to keep three backs the past two seasons rather than make McFadden the every-down back. In fairness, McFadden has had to deal with four injuries during his brief NFL career turf-toe on each foot and a shoulder problem in 2008, causing him to miss three games, and torn knee cartilage this season. The shoulder and knee injuries required surgery. To date, the Raiders have no indication that McFadden can withstand the rigors of a full workload the way he did when he averaged 262 carries in three seasons in college. The Raiders also have used McFadden as a quarterback out of their so-called Wild Hog formation the past two seasons. Not even that has yielded the desired results. The Raiders' Darren McFadden was the first of 22 running backs selected in the 2008 NFL draft. Here is a look at how those running backs have fared this season: Overall Avg. Player, Team selection 2009 yards per carry TDs Darren McFadden, Raiders Jonathan Stewart, Panthers Felix Jones, Cowboys R. Mendenhall, Steelers Chris Johnson, Titans 24 1, Matt Forte, Bears Ray Rice, Ravens Kevin Smith, Lions Jamaal Charles, Chiefs Steve Slaton, Texans Tashard Choice, Cowboys Ryan Torain, Broncos Tim Hightower, Cardinals Thomas Brown, Falcons Jalen Parmele, Dolphins Xavier Omon, Bills Mike Hart, Colts Lex Hilliard, Dolphins Chauncey Washington, Jaguars Justin Forsett, Seahawks Cory Boyd, Buccaneers Allen Patrick, Ravens "My feeling is Darren brings a lot to the table," Cable said. "I feel like we've got to keep moving forward, trying to figure out what is going to help him be at his best." charting McFADDEN Advertisement

35 As Signs of Concern Spread, N.F.L. Revisits Concussions - NYTimes.com Page 1 of 3 This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears next to any article. Visit for samples and additional information. Order a reprint of this article now. November 30, 2009 As Signs of Concern Spread, N.F.L. Revisits Concussions By GREG BISHOP BALTIMORE In this crucial division contest, in a game full of playoff implications, it was whom the Pittsburgh Steelers did not start that highlighted the increased awareness of concussions across the N.F.L. On the sideline, in an emergency third-quarterback role, stood Ben Roethlisberger. His Steelers needed a victory Sunday night to remain a game behind Cincinnati in the American Football Conference North. Instead, they fell into the muddled middle of playoff hopefuls. As recently as Thursday, Roethlisberger practiced as the starter and said he was cleared to play. Then came the headaches, the likely result of the hit Roethlisberger took last weekend, when a linebacker s knee hit his head against Kansas City. By Saturday, Roethlisberger had been removed from the lineup, replaced by Dennis Dixon, who had thrown a grand total of one N.F.L. pass. Although Dixon threw for a touchdown and ran for another Sunday night, his interception in overtime set up a 29-yard field goal by the Ravens Billy Cundiff that beat the Steelers, Afterward, Coach Mike Tomlin said Dr. Joseph Maroon, the team neurosurgeon, told the Steelers that Roethlisberger should not play. Tomlin said the Steelers made Roethlisberger the emergency quarterback because they did not have time to train another one and that if Roethlisberger played in emergency duty, the Steelers would have absolutely handed off every play. We didn t feel comfortable allowing him to play, Tomlin said. Roethlisberger was joined by several other high-profile players who missed games Sunday because of head injuries. That list included Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner, Roethlisberger s counterpart in February s Super Bowl, along with running backs Brian Westbrook of Philadelphia and Clinton Portis of Washington. Of those teams whose star players sat out, only the Eagles won, and their standout receiver, DeSean Jackson, sustained a concussion in the process. Warner also expected to play Sunday against Tennessee, but because his eyes were still not adjusting properly and because he felt stiffness in his neck, he missed the Cardinals last-second loss to the Titans. Afterward, Warner estimated his latest concussion, sustained last week against St. Louis, was his fifth. We erred on the side of caution, Warner told reporters in Nashville. Not everyone agreed with the cautious approach taken by the Steelers and the Cardinals. On NBC s game

36 As Signs of Concern Spread, N.F.L. Revisits Concussions - NYTimes.com Page 2 of 3 telecast Sunday night, Hines Ward said the Steelers players were split on whether Roethlisberger should have played. Ward said he had lied to doctors and played with concussions, adding that, these games, you don t get back. Ward did not back down from those comments in the locker room. He said it was not his intention to call out Roethlisberger, or question his toughness. He said it was shocking the team found out on Saturday. I understand what the league is doing, he said. I don t judge another man. But Ward continued to repeat that he and other Steelers had played previously with concussions. Tomlin, when relayed his receiver s comments, called Ward uninformed, and said he did not have a problem in his locker room. This came after the N.F.L. and Commissioner Roger Goodell were scolded last month by the House Judiciary Committee for their handling of brain injuries. The league has since introduced initiatives, including the addition of medical evaluations by independent doctors before players are allowed to return to play after sustaining a concussion. Fox reported that this week Goodell would send all teams a memo expanding on when to remove a player with a head injury or a concussion. Under current rules, players can return to a game if they are without symptoms and cleared by the team doctor. Goodell addressed the issue of player safety Sunday in a roundtable discussion on the NFL Network. He said that players needed to take advantage of the best equipment and alert doctors when they were injured. He also said the league needed to limit off-season training and lauded the approach of one unnamed team, which requires players to take time off based on how many plays they participated in during the previous season. We re not in the business of ending careers, Goodell said. We re trying to extend careers. Roethlisberger s latest concussion was his fourth documented head injury since the Steelers drafted him before the 2004 season. He had two concussions in 2006 one after a motorcycle crash and another in the final regular-season game last year. On Thursday, Roethlisberger said he took a thousand tests and passed each of them with flying colors. He spoke about the violent, physical nature of football, about the bruises that cover bodies. Even Sunday, Roethlisberger said he had wanted to play. That line of thinking, critics reasoned, was exactly why players need to be protected from themselves. Research indicates there is a cumulative negative effect on the brain after multiple concussions. Even that did not send Roethlisberger to the bench. Concussions are something you don t want to fool with, Dixon said. But, of course, we wanted Ben to play. Instead, it was Dixon, the former Oregon standout, under center Sunday night. Last week, he was the

37 As Signs of Concern Spread, N.F.L. Revisits Concussions - NYTimes.com Page 3 of 3 Steelers third-stringer, but injuries to Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch (broken left wrist) changed his role drastically. The Steelers also activated Tyler Palko, who was signed to the practice squad on Wednesday, to serve as Dixon s backup. Dixon gave the Steelers (6-5) a lead in the fourth quarter, sprinting 24 yards for a score on a designed quarterback run. A smiling Roethlisberger wrapped Dixon in a bear hug. His biggest mistake came at the worst time, when linebacker Paul Kruger intercepted a pass in overtime and returned it to the Steelers 28. Cundiff kicked the decisive field goal with 6 minutes 42 seconds left in overtime. The last time these teams met, a berth in the Super Bowl was on the line. Back then, Roethlisberger had three career concussions, not four, and he wore a helmet instead of the black baseball cap he turned backward Sunday night. His absence, like those of Warner, Westbrook and Portis, also indicated a heightened awareness for head injuries. Even as the playoff chase unfolded. Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company Privacy Policy Terms of Service Search Corrections RSS First Look Help Contact Us Work for Us Site Map

38 For Saints Drew Brees, Stature Doesn t Dictate Success - NYTimes.com Page 1 of 3 This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears next to any article. Visit for samples and additional information. Order a reprint of this article now. November 30, 2009 Saints Brees Debunks Notions of the Quarterback Prototype By JUDY BATTISTA Drew Brees stepped onto the scale at the N.F.L. s scouting combine in 2001 and was quickly reminded of his biggest and smallest problem. The first time he had heard that he was not as tall as the men with clipboards preferred was when he was coming out of high school. Despite leading his team to the Texas state championship with a perfect season, he was not heavily recruited. After finishing third in the Heisman Trophy race while at Purdue, Brees again faced perhaps his biggest obstacle, this time in a room filled with talent evaluators. They had him at 6 feet and one-eighth or twoeighths inches, his Purdue Coach, Joe Tiller, said. Drew said No, I m 6-1. Measure me again. He said, That can t be true. I know I m 6-1. Not quite. Brees is listed at 6 feet flat and is the shortest starting quarterback in a league in which 21 of 32 starting quarterbacks are 6-3 or taller. But as a favorite to win the league s Most Valuable Player award, Brees is making a mockery of the league s carefully honed quarterbacking prototype. When he takes the field for the 10-0 New Orleans Saints on Monday night, Brees will come face to face, or maybe face to chin, with the current embodiment of the ideal, the New England Patriots 6-4 Tom Brady. Statistically speaking, at least, Brady may come up short. To me, it s not that big a deal, Brees said in a telephone interview. I don t know what it s like to be 6-5; I don t know what those guys see. I do know what I have to do in order to prepare myself, how I need to move and slide, to find lanes and see my receivers. It s like if you were to take a sense away, if you couldn t see or hear, then it accentuates your other senses because you rely on those things more. The greatest concern for shorter quarterbacks is whether they can adequately see the field over offensive linemen who may be half a foot taller, and whether they can get a pass over the outstretched hands of a looming defensive lineman. When the Dallas Cowboys pioneered the use of computer analysis in scouting several decades ago, they determined that the breaking point for quarterbacks having passes blocked at the line of scrimmage was 6-1. Any player shorter than that, even one with first-round ability, should not be drafted above the sixth or seventh round, the Cowboys figured. Brees was the first pick in the second round. Since then, he has debunked the idea that the taller quarterback is better.

39 For Saints Drew Brees, Stature Doesn t Dictate Success - NYTimes.com Page 2 of 3 He has completed 68.1 percent of his passes this season, and through Week 10, Brees had 10 of his 291 pass attempts hit at the line of scrimmage, according to Stats Inc., second most in the league behind Kurt Warner. Warner, who is 6-2, had 12 of his 353 attempts hit at the line. Just behind them was the 6-6 Derek Anderson, who had 9 of 154 attempts batted. Last year, Football Outsiders, the Web site that offers statistical analysis of the N.F.L., had Brees with 18 of his 635 passes tipped at the line, tied for second in the league with Jason Campbell (6-5) and Jake Delhomme (6-2), neither of whom threw as many passes as Brees. If you can visualize a salt shaker and a water tumbler, said Gil Brandt, a former vice president of player personnel for the Cowboys who helped develop the computer models. A short quarterback is the salt shaker that has to throw over the water tumbler, to a receiver on the other side that is probably just a little taller than the salt shaker. Brees is a 1-in-100 guy. If you look around, the quarterbacks that are playing the best, they re all at least 6-3. To compensate for not being as tall as Peyton Manning or Ben Roethlisberger, each 6-5, Brees has an instinctive ability to slide a few feet in the pocket to better see his throwing lanes. He is no Steve Young, the barely 6-1 Hall of Fame quarterback whose superb scrambling ability helped make up for his size, but Brees shares Young s conviction that vision is not a problem. Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck, who endured Brees s four-touchdown day last month, said he guessed that Brees takes a deeper drop before he passes to give him a better view over his offensive line. Nope, Brees said. But Tuck does know one thing from experience. His release is so quick, it makes it so tough to judge when he s letting the ball go, so you don t know when to jump, Tuck said. Brees calls his quick release one of his survival skills. He has concentrated on releasing the ball with his hand high in the air, not down near his shoulder. I ve seen plenty of tall guys where the ball is coming out at a height equivalent to their shoulder, Brees said. Compare a 6-5 guy who throws the ball sidearm to a 6-0 guy who has a high release point, and whose ball is coming out higher? At Purdue, Tiller noticed that Brees has exceptionally long thumbs, and bigger hands than most people 6 foot. That, Tiller said, allows Brees a better grip on the ball. That may be why Brees is also so adept at throwing the ball from a number of release points, the better to get the ball around and over the linemen. Over the top, sidearm, three-quarter he can alter his throwing motion, said the former coach Jon Gruden, now an analyst for ESPN. In the end, what has made Brees great, though, may have more to do with what he has in common with Brady and Manning: extraordinary preparation. Brees has mastered the Saints offense, and Coach Sean Payton has given him the freedom to change plays, just as Brady and Manning do. Because Brees knows where everybody is going, which allows him to release the ball before his receiver even makes his break, he can throw off the timing of the leaping linemen. Height only matters when you re not mastering it, Young, also an ESPN analyst, said. Maybe the degree of

40 For Saints Drew Brees, Stature Doesn t Dictate Success - NYTimes.com Page 3 of 3 difficulty is a little higher, but it s still not a gating issue to success. Still, even Young said that although he never wished he was 6-6, he was always thankful he was not is the Maginot line, he said. Brees just made it. You re standing next to these N.F.L. quarterbacks, and you re the shortest one, Brees said. You get these looks like, You play quarterback? Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company Privacy Policy Terms of Service Search Corrections RSS First Look Help Contact Us Work for Us Site Map

41 Ravens outlast Steelers in OT as Dixon's INT dooms champs - USATODAY.com Page 1 of 2 Powered by Ravens outlast Steelers in OT as Dixon's INT dooms champs By Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY BALTIMORE The Baltimore Ravens, three-time losers to Pittsburgh last season, had to go to overtime to finally beat the Steelers, winning Sunday night on a 29-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff with 8:18 elapsed in the extra period. With Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sidelined by a concussion, the winning kick was set up by the first big mistake of the night by his previously untested backup Dennis Dixon. BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Teammates split '50-50' on whether he should have played THE HUDDLE: Flacco says Michael Oher's mother grilled him on technique Pittsburgh faced third-and-five at the 50-yard line on its second series of overtime when Dixon's pass was intercepted by Ravens rookie linebacker Paul Kruger and returned 26 yards to the Pittsburgh 28. The Ravens drove to the Pittsburgh 11 before Cundiff's kick. BOX SCORE: Ravens 20, Steelers 17 (OT) "To be a part of that victory is huge for me," said Kruger. "I just happened to be in the right place at the right time." A season ago, the Ravens and Steelers battled it out for the AFC North title. This game left Pittsburgh and Baltimore tied for second in the division at 6-5. "It's what we needed for the playoff run," said Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. "And a win against these guys is even bigger." The Cincinnati Bengals lead the AFC North at 8-3. They already have swept their two games series with both Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Dixon completed 12 of 26 passes for 145 yards, with one touchdown pass and the critical interception. Flacco hit 23 of 35 passes for 289 yards for one touchdown with no interceptions.the Ravens tied the game at with 1:51 left in regulation on a 24-yard field goal by Cundiff. In the closing seconds of regulation, the Ravens drove to the Pittsburgh 34. But after Flacco was sacked, a 56-yard field goal try by Cundiff fell short as the final quarter ended. Dixon ran 24 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown that gave Pittsburgh a lead with 6:24 left. Dixon rolled right on a bootleg and was untouched en route to the end zone. Flacco led touchdown drives of 73 and 89 yards that helped the Ravens to a 14-7 halftime lead. On the Ravens' second scoring drive just before the half, Flacco hit wide receiver Mark Clayton with a 54-yard pass to set up his 15-yard touchdown toss to wide receiver Derrick Mason with 1:45 left in the second quarter. Dixon's first NFL touchdown pass was a 33-yarder to wide receiver Santonio Holmes two plays into the second quarter. Dixon was a fifth-round draft pick out of Oregon last year. His only prior NFL game action had come in the final game of last season when he threw one pass for three yards against the Cleveland Browns. Ravens running back Ray Rice rushed for 88 yards and caught five passes for 67 yards. "This is the one you want. It was a grind it out, gut it out game," Rice said. "A win against the Steelers is always special." Roethlisberger sustained a concussion late in the previous week's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He was in uniform on the sideline as the Steelers' third quarterback. In an interview with NBC's Bob Costas aired before the game, Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward questioned whether Roethlisberger should have played. "This game is almost like a playoff game. It's almost a must win," said Ward. "So I can see some players or some teammates kind of questioning like, 'well, it's just a concussion. I've played with concussions before. I would go out there and play.' So it's almost like a tossup in the locker room. Should he play? Shouldn't he play? It's really hard to say." After the game, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he followed the guidance of Dr. Joseph Maroon, a member of the team's medical staff. "Dr. Maroon on Saturday morning suggested that we don't play him," said Tomlin. " We respect his expert medical opinion." Tomlin said Roethlisberger passed neurological tests during the week but that he developed headaches with exertion during practice.

42 Ravens outlast Steelers in OT as Dixon's INT dooms champs - USATODAY.com Page 2 of 2 Tomlin said he wasn't worried about Ward's opinion that the locker room was divided on the matter: "I'm not worried about a problem in the locker room," Tomlin said. "Maybe Hines was uninformed. I didn't give him the detailed explanation that went down into the decision making." Ward changed his tune a bit after the game: "You really don't want to mess around with a concussion," he said. "Guys have concussions and still play. But you have to look at the whole big picture." He added that he didn't mean his NBC comments in a "negative way" towards Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger said he wanted to play, but "the doctors told me it wasn't a good decision. Then the coaches told me the same thing. So I wasn't playing." Find this article at: Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article. Copyright 2009 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

43 ESPN.com - Defending champs' season on the brink Page 1 of 3 ESPN.com: AFC North [Print without images] Monday, November 30, 2009 Defending champs' season on the brink By James Walker ESPN.com BALTIMORE -- Clearly peeved, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin promised to "unleash hell" on the rest of the NFL in the month of December. It's the only option the reigning champs have left after dropping their third straight game in November, a overtime loss to the rival Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. Week 12 Coverage Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon (2) had his moments in his first career start, but he threw a costly interception in overtime. If the season ended today, the Steelers would miss the playoffs. Walker: Steelers' season on the brink Williamson: L.T. still contributing Seifert: Watershed moment for Favre Pasquarelli: Colts rally, clinch division Clayton: Last Call MNF: '09 Saints vs. '07 Pats MN HQ NFL Nation: Reactions Wraps Live This season isn't as bad as 2006, when the Steelers finished 8-8 a year after winning Super Bowl XL, but the ending may very well be the same for Pittsburgh (6-5). Several weeks from now, the Steelers could find themselves sitting at home instead of defending their title when the playoffs get under way. If the season ended today, the Denver Broncos (7-4) and Jacksonville Jaguars (6-5) would hold the two wild cards in the AFC. The mere thought of that made for an angry Steelers locker room and head coach

44 ESPN.com - Defending champs' season on the brink Page 2 of 3 Sunday night. "Anybody that sees us coming, they better bring their best, because that s what we re bringing to the table," Steelers offensive tackle Willie Colon said. "And I back Coach [Tomlin] on that 100 percent. I work too hard in the offseason, and we worked our tails off to come out and defend our throne. "Obviously, things haven t turned out like we planned. The next thing is to start knocking over people's houses until we get what we want." Based on these comments, it's clear Pittsburgh's season is officially on the brink. Interesting subplots are also starting to develop within the locker room as frustrations mount. For instance, veteran receiver Hines Ward, the heart and soul of the Steelers, did not hide the fact that he was very disappointed starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (concussion) didn't play Sunday night. Roethlisberger practiced all week but a decision was made not to play at the last minute, putting the Steelers in a tough spot with former third-stringer Dennis Dixon, who played well but threw a crucial interception in overtime that led to the winning score. "This is the biggest game of the year," Ward said bluntly. "Me being a competitor, I just wished we had all our weapons out there." Roethlisberger, who had exercise-induced headaches, said after the game that he wanted to play but doctors and coaches said it wouldn t be a good decision. Tomlin, in an effort to douse the fires, plans to talk to Ward and the rest of the team to clearly explain why Roethlisberger was pulled from the starting lineup a day before the game. "I m not worried about a problem in the locker room," Tomlin said. "Of course, in that instance maybe Hines was uninformed." Things like this happen when teams underperform. The term "pressure busts pipes" can even apply to a veteran team like the Steelers, especially if things continue to go south. In Pittsburgh's case, not making the playoffs would make for one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory. "You come off a Super Bowl year, you got the same nucleus as a team, and to lose three in a row is frustrating," Ward said. "It s frustrating as a player, a team and as an organization. We just got to get back on the right track." Pittsburgh will be jousting with several teams, including the equally desperate Ravens (6-5), for one of the final playoffs slots in the AFC. Pittsburgh and Baltimore will meet again in Week 16, and most likely the Steelers will have to win four of their last five to continue playing deep into January. That is why Tomlin is creating the must-win mindset. "We ll go into attack mode, because that s what's required," Tomlin said. The reigning champs have reached a fork in the road. The choice is up to the Steelers whether to straighten up and take the proper path to the postseason or

45 ESPN.com - Defending champs' season on the brink Page 3 of 3 continue their downward spiral. "We can't let the outsiders divide us, and we can t listen to the B.S. that's starting to float around now," Colon said. "We got to fight." ESPN.com: Help PR Media Kit Sales Media Kit Report a Bug Corrections Contact Us Site Map Mobile ESPN Shop Jobs at ESPN Supplier Information 2009 ESPN Internet Ventures. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information/Your California Privacy Rights are applicable to you. All rights reserved.

46 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens - Recap - November 29, ESPN Page 6 of 9 Associated Press BALTIMORE -- In a fierce rivalry that has featured several of the most notable NFL players over the past 10 years, a couple of backups made their mark in memorable fashion. Add third-string quarterback Dennis Dixon to a list of notable Pittsburgh Steelers that includes Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Plaxico Burress and Troy Polamalu. Running Over Rival Ray Rice had his third game of the season with more than 150 total yards to rally Baltimore past Pittsburgh in OT. Most yards from scrimmage by Raven vs. Steelers Player Year Yards Result Qadry W, Ismail 24 Derrick W, Alexander 17 W, 20- Ray Rice Priest W, Holmes 0 Paul Kruger, welcome to a club that includes Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Tony Siragusa and Shannon Sharpe. Kruger intercepted a Dixon pass to set up a 29-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff with 6:42 left in overtime, and the Baltimore Ravens outlasted the Steelers on Sunday night. Dixon started because Roethlisberger was sidelined with a concussion and backup Charlie Batch had a broken left wrist. Dixon had thrown only one pass in two seasons before getting the nod against the Ravens. For much of the game, Dixon did his best impersonation of Roethlisberger. He threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes, and even added a personal touch, running for a 24-yard touchdown to put Pittsburgh up in the fourth quarter. Walker: Season on brink Clearly peeved, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin promised to "unleash hell" on the rest of the NFL in the month of December. Blog "I like his demeanor throughout it all. He made some plays," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "I thought he represented himself relatively well." But in overtime, Dixon's lone turnover propelled the Ravens (6-5) to a much-needed win. "This is a confidence booster. Not only against a great team with a great legacy, but a division opponent," said Ravens running back Ray Rice, who rallied Baltimore in overtime. "It sets us up for a five-game season right now." Fast Facts Billy Cundiff's 29-yard field goal with 6:42 left in overtime ended the Steelers' streak of 12 straight wins in night games. Cundiff missed a 56-yarder that would have won the game in regulation.

47 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens - Recap - November 29, ESPN Page 7 of 9 Paul Kruger's first career interception set up the game-winning score. In his first NFL start, Dennis Dixon finished 12 for 26 with 145 yards, one TD, a rushing TD and one interception. Dixon had thrown just one pass in his NFL career coming into the game. Joe Flacco finished 23 for 35 with 289 yards and one TD. The Steelers have lost three straight for the first time since Four of their five losses this season were when they had leads in the fourth quarter and their last two losses came in overtime on the road. Bloggers' reactions -- ESPN Stats & Information The Steelers (6-5) have lost three straight, their longest skid since a three-game run in "We will not go gently," Tomlin said. "We won't go in a shell. We're going to go into attack mode, because that's what's required." Playing in place of injured linebacker Terrell Suggs, Kruger picked off the pass and returned it 26 yards to the Pittsburgh 28, and six plays later Cundiff delivered the game-winner in Baltimore's first overtime win since November 2005 (against the Steelers). "To be a part of that victory is huge for me," said Kruger, a rookie playing in only his fourth game. "It was a designed blitz. I was the dropper. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time." Dixon said, "It was a situation where they were disguising the blitz throughout the whole game. We saw it. I basically tried to trust my instincts. The guy made a good play." Pittsburgh's past two defeats have come in overtime. Dixon went 12 for 26 for 145 yards, and Rashard Mendenhall gained 95 yards on 24 carries. "Please don't talk to me about moral victories and things of that nature," Tomlin said. Joe Flacco completed 23 of 35 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown to keep Baltimore in the thick of the playoff hunt. "You have to be ready to play 60 minutes. Today we played more than that," Flacco said. "It feels good. It's what we needed. Against these guys, it's even bigger." The game was a rematch of last season's AFC championship, when the Steelers completed a three-game sweep of the Ravens with a victory. With Roethlisberger in full uniform looking on from the sideline as the third quarterback, Dixon ran around the right end for a touchdown on a third-and-5 from the Baltimore 24 to give the Steelers their first lead, 17-14, with 6:24 left. But the Ravens came back. Facing a fourth-and-5 from his own 46, Flacco completed a 44-yard pass to Rice to set up a 24-yard field goal by Cundiff with 1:51 to go. Cundiff came up short on a 56-yard try on the final play of regulation. Pittsburgh closed to in the third quarter when Jeff Reed kicked a 44-yard field goal to end a 24-yard drive that featured a 20-yard pass from Dixon to Mendenhall. The Ravens went up 14-7 with an 89-yard drive late in the second quarter. Flacco completed passes of 11 and 54 yards to Mark Clayton before connecting with Derrick Mason for a 10-yard score. Baltimore nearly picked off Dixon's first pass and forced a punt on Pittsburgh's first possession. Willis McGahee then capped a 73-yard drive with a 2-yard run, the Ravens' first touchdown on offense before halftime since Oct. 4. On Pittsburgh's second drive, Dixon had an impromptu 31-yard run wiped out by holding. But there were no flaws the next time he got the ball: Dixon was 3 for 3 for 60 yards, including a touchdown pass to Holmes. Game notes Baltimore has won six of seven over Pittsburgh in Baltimore.... Ravens LB Prescott Burgess (hamstring) and RB Le'Ron McClain (abdominal muscle) left the game and did not return.... Dixon's TD run was the third by a Steelers QB this year.

48 Steelers vs. Ravens - Recap - November 29, NFL - Football - SI.com Page 1 of 2 Navigate SI.com NFL GAME FLASH BALTIMORE(AP) In a fierce rivalry that has featured several of the most notable NFL players over the past 10 years, a couple of backups made their mark in memorable fashion. Add third-string quarterback Dennis Dixon to a list of notable Pittsburgh Steelers that includes Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisberger, Plaxico Burress and Troy Polamalu. Paul Kruger, welcome to a club that includes Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Tony Siragusa and Shannon Sharpe. Kruger intercepted a Dixon pass to set up a 29-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff with 6:42 left in overtime, and the Baltimore Ravens outlasted the Steelers on Sunday night. Dixon started because Roethlisberger was sidelined with a concussion and backup Charlie Batch had a broken left wrist. Dixon had thrown only one pass in two seasons before getting the nod against the Ravens. For much of the game, Dixon did his best impersonation of Roethlisberger. He threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes, and even added a personal touch, running for a 24-yard touchdown to put Pittsburgh up in the fourth quarter. ''I like his demeanor throughout it all. He made some plays,'' Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. ''I thought he represented himself relatively well.'' But in overtime, Dixon's lone turnover propelled the Ravens (6-5) to a much-needed win. ''This is a confidence booster. Not only against a great team with a great legacy, but a division opponent,'' said Ravens running back Ray Rice, who rallied Baltimore in overtime. ''It sets us up for a five-game season right now.'' The Steelers (6-5) have lost three straight, their longest skid since a three-game run in ''We will not go gently,'' Tomlin said. ''We won't go in a shell. We're going to go into attack mode, because that's what's required.'' Playing in place of injured linebacker Terrell Suggs, Kruger picked off the pass and returned it 26 yards to the Pittsburgh 28, and six plays later Cundiff delivered the game-winner in Baltimore's first overtime win since November 2005 (against the Steelers). ''To be a part of that victory is huge for me,'' said Kruger, a rookie playing in only his fourth game. ''It was a designed blitz. I was the dropper. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time.'' Dixon said, ''It was a situation where they were disguising the blitz throughout the whole game. We saw it. I basically tried to trust my instincts. The guy made a good play.'' Pittsburgh's past two defeats have come in overtime. Dixon went 12 for 26 for 145 yards, and Rashard Mendenhall gained 95 yards on 24 carries. ''Please don't talk to me about moral victories and things of that nature,'' Tomlin said. Joe Flacco completed 23 of 35 passes for 289 yards and a touchdown to keep Baltimore in the thick of the playoff hunt. ''You have to be ready to play 60 minutes. Today we played more than that,'' Flacco said. ''It feels good. It's what we needed. Against these guys, it's even bigger.'' The game was a rematch of last season's AFC championship, when the Steelers completed a three-game sweep of the Ravens with a victory. With Roethlisberger in full uniform looking on from the sideline as the third quarterback, Dixon ran around the right end for a touchdown on a third-and-5 from the Baltimore 24 to give the Steelers their first lead, 17-14, with 6:24 left. But the Ravens came back. Facing a fourth-and-5 from his own 46, Flacco completed a 44-yard pass to Rice to set up a 24-yard field goal by Cundiff with 1:51 to go. Cundiff came up short on a 56-yard try on the final play of regulation. Pittsburgh closed to in the third quarter when Jeff Reed kicked a 44-yard field goal to end a 24-yard drive that featured a 20-yard pass from Dixon to Mendenhall. The Ravens went up 14-7 with an 89-yard drive late in the second quarter. Flacco completed passes of 11 and 54 yards to Mark Clayton before connecting with Derrick Mason for a 10-yard score. Baltimore nearly picked off Dixon's first pass and forced a punt on Pittsburgh's first possession. Willis McGahee then capped a 73-yard drive with a 2-yard run, the Ravens' first touchdown on offense before halftime since Oct. 4. On Pittsburgh's second drive, Dixon had an impromptu 31-yard run wiped out by holding. But there were no flaws the next time he got the ball: Dixon was 3 for 3 for 60 yards, including a touchdown pass to Holmes.

49 Steelers vs. Ravens - Recap - November 29, NFL - Football - SI.com Page 2 of 2 Notes: Baltimore has won six of seven over Pittsburgh in Baltimore.... Ravens LB Prescott Burgess (hamstring) and RB Le'Ron McClain (abdominal muscle) left the game and did not return.... Dixon's TD run was the third by a Steelers QB this year. Sponsored Links 2009 STATS LLC Steelers Fans: Make $87/Hr (Online) Unemployed Fan Makes $8,643/Month Part-Time! Read this Special Report to... Consumer-Weekly.com Premium Steelers Tickets Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens Tix. 40 yard line: $275 each. Avg. Steelers IQ = 83 Are you smarter than a Steelers player? Take the IQ test to find out! Learn About AmbienCR (zolpidem tartrate extended release) CIV. Try a Free 4-Day Offer Buy a link here HOT TOPICS: Tiger Woods NFL Week 12 Notre Dame My Sportsman 2009 SUBSCRIBE TO SI SI PICTURE SALES SI MOBILE ABOUT US SI MEDIA KITS GIVE THE GIFT OF SI SI CUSTOMER SERVICE ASSIGNMENT DETROIT CONTACT US ADD RSS HEADLINE SI COVER COLLECTION SI BOOKS SI CHINA SITE MAP Copyright 2009 Time Inc. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines.