Game # 10 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011 1:00 p.m. (ET) Paul Brown Stadium Cincinnati, OH Game #10 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) Date: Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011 Kickoff: 1:00 p.m., ET Site: Paul Brown Stadium (65,515) Cincinnati, Ohio Playing Surface: Synthetic TV Coverage: CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2) Announcers: Ian Eagle (play-by-play) Dan Fouts (color analyst) Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970) Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (color analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline) National Radio: Sports USA Announcers: Tom McCarthy (play-by-play) Ross Tucker (color analyst) Tony Graziani (sideline) Spanish Radio: Grupo Imagen - Destrito Federal (Mexico City) XEDA-FM 90.5 A Look at the Coaches: Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin Overall regular-season record: 49-24 (.671)/fifth season Regular-season record at Pittsburgh: 49-24 (.671)/fifth season Playoff Record/Years: 5-2/three years Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis Overall regular-season record: 66-69-1 (.489)/ninth season Regular-season record at Cincinnati: 66-69-1 (.489)/ninth season Playoff Record/Years: 0-2/two years For all of the most up-to-date information on the Pittsburgh Steelers, visit the team s official web site at. Updated daily, the web site has the most extensive information on upcoming games and the most comprehensive news on the Steelers. Pittsburgh Steelers 2011 Schedule/Results Preseason (3-1) Friday, Aug. 12 at Washington L, 7-16 (KDKA) Thursday, Aug. 18 PHILADELPHIA W, 24-14 (FOX) Saturday, Aug. 27 ATLANTA W, 34-16 (KDKA) Thursday, Sept. 1 at Carolina W, 33-17 (KDKA) Regular Season (6-3) Sunday, Sept. 11 at Baltimore L, 7-35 (CBS) Sunday, Sept. 18 SEATTLE W, 24-0 (FOX) Sunday, Sept. 25 at Indianapolis W, 23-20 (NBC) Sunday, Oct. 2 at Houston L, 10-17 (CBS) Sunday, Oct. 9 TENNESSEE W, 38-17 (CBS) Sunday, Oct. 16 JACKSONVILLE W, 17-13 (CBS) Sunday, Oct. 23 at Arizona W, 32-20 (CBS) Sunday, Oct. 30 NEW ENGLAND W, 25-17 (CBS) Sunday, Nov. 6 BALTIMORE L, 20-23 (NBC) Sunday, Nov. 13 at Cincinnati 1 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Nov. 20 BYE Sunday, Nov. 27 at Kansas City 8:20 p.m. (NBC) Sunday, Dec. 4 CINCINNATI 1 p.m. (CBS) Thursday, Dec. 8 CLEVELAND 8:20 p.m. (NFL Net./KDKA) Monday, Dec. 19 at San Francisco 8:30 p.m. (ESPN) Saturday, Dec. 24 ST. LOUIS 1 p.m. (FOX) Sunday, Jan. 1 at Cleveland 1 p.m. (CBS) Times and TV Network may change due to NFL flexible scheduling Postseason Sat.-Sun., Jan. 7-8 Wild Card Weekend (NBC, CBS & FOX) Sat.-Sun., Jan. 14-15 Divisional Playoff Games (CBS & FOX) Sunday, Jan. 22 Conference Championships (CBS & FOX) Sunday, Jan. 29 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl (Hawaii) (NBC) Sunday, Feb. 5 Super Bowl XLVI (Indianapolis) (NBC) NOTE: All times are Eastern. Home games in Bold/CAPS.
THE COACHES MIKE TOMLIN was named the 16th head coach in Pittsburgh Steelers history on Jan. 22, 2007. Hired at the age of 34, Tomlin became only the third head coach hired by the Steelers since 1969. Tomlin became the youngest head coach in NFL history to both coach in and win a Super Bowl when he led the Steelers to a 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. By winning the Super Bowl in only his second season as a head coach, he also became the fastest to win a Super Bowl title in Steelers history. Tomlin is one of only seven coaches in league history to win a Super Bowl within his first two seasons as an NFL head coach. Tomlin compiled a 43-21 record in the regular season during his first four years as head coach. His.672 winning percentage after four seasons tied for first in team history. By leading the Steelers to a 12-4 record in 2010, Tomlin became only the second Steelers head coach to post winning records in each of his first four seasons. The Steelers offense ranked 14 th in the NFL (14 th passing, 11 th rushing) despite playing its first four games without its starting quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh s defense ranked second in the NFL (first vs. run, 12 th vs. pass) while leading the NFL with 48 quarterback sacks. The Steelers set a team record and led the NFL, allowing only 62.8 rushing yards per game. The Steelers continued to be dominant at Heinz Field under Tomlin in 2010. Pittsburgh finished with a 5-3 home record in 2010 after finishing 7-1 (2007), 6-2 (2008) and 6-2 (2009) at home during Tomlin s first three seasons. Tomlin s 24-8 record and.750 winning percentage at home after four seasons ranks second in Steelers history. Tomlin was a three-year starter at wide receiver at William and Mary (1990-94) and finished his career with 101 receptions for 2,046 yards and a school-record 20 TD catches. A first-team All- Yankee Conference selection in 1994, he established a school record with a 20.2 yards-per-catch average. Tomlin was the NFL s second-youngest head coach in 2007, and he became only the second Steelers coach in team history to win at least 10 games during his first year at the helm. The Steelers posted a 7-1 record at home in 2007 and were 5-1 in the AFC North (3-0 at home). Tomlin became only the second Steelers head coach to win his first three games. During 2007, the Steelers became just the fifth team in NFL history to win their first four home games by at least 20 points. The Steelers defense was dominant under Tomlin s guidance in 2008, leading the NFL in total defense (237.2), pass defense (156.9), points per game (13.9), total yards per play (3.9), rushing yards per attempt (3.3), passing yards per attempt (4.7) and third down efficiency (31.4), and finished second in league rushing defense (80.3). Tomlin led the Steelers to a 10-6 record in 2007, and became just the second coach in team history to post a winning record, win a division title and earn a playoff berth in his inaugural season. MARVIN LEWIS is in his ninth season as Bengals head coach the longest tenure in franchise history. Lewis led the Bengals to a 10-6 record and the AFC North Division championship in 2009. He earned the major share of Coach of the Year awards, winning the flagship Associated Press honor (given annually since 1957) while also getting nods from Sports Illustrated and Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association. The Bengals were unbeaten in division play (6-0) for the first time in franchise history. STEELERS RADIO COVERAGE For the 13th consecutive year, WDVE-FM (102.5) and WBGG- AM (970) are carrying all Steelers games. Additionally, Steelers games can be heard on a 47-station network spanning Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland. For the second straight year, all Steelers games will be broadcast in Spanish on Estadio W (730 AM). For the 17th straight season, Bill Hillgrove serves as the Voice of the Steelers and handles play-by-play duties for the broadcast. Joining Hillgrove for his 13th season as an expert analyst is Tunch Ilkin, the former Steelers All-Pro offensive tackle. Joining the team for his ninth season is former Steeler offensive lineman Craig Wolfley, who provides sideline analysis. Stations on the Steelers Radio Network include: FLAGSHIP STATIONS (2) WDVE-FM (102.5) WBGG-AM (970) PENNSYLVANIA (31) Altoona-WVAM (1430) Altoona-WRKY (104.9) Beaver Falls-WBVP (1230) Beaver Falls-WMBA (1460) Bedford-WAYC (100.9) Bradford-WESB (1490) Butler-WISR (680) Chambersburg-WCHA (800) Clarendon-WKNB (104.3) Clarion-WCCR (92.7) Cooperstown-WUUZ (107.7) DuBois-WOWQ (102.1) Erie-WJET (1440) Gettysburg-WGET (1320) Grove City-WWGY (95.1) Harrisburg-WTPA (93.5) Indiana-WQMU (92.5) Johnstown-WRKW (99.1) Johnstown-WNTW (990) Latrobe-WCNS (1480) Punxsutawney-WPXZ (104.1) Saegertown-WUUZ (94.3) Scottdale-WLSW (103.9) Scranton-WEJL (630/1240) Scranton-WEZX (96.1/106.9) Somerset-WNTJ (850) State College/Pleasant Gap- WRSC (98.7) Uniontown-WMBS (590) Washington-WJPA (1450) Williamsport-WCXR (93.3) Williamsport-WZXR (103.7) OHIO (3) Findlay-WFIN (1330) Westerville-WTDA (103.9) Youngstown-WNIO (1390) MARYLAND (4) Cumberland-WTBO (1450) Frostburg-WFRB (560) Hagerstown-WHAG (1410) Mountain Lake Park-WKHJ (104.5) WEST VIRGINIA (6) Buckhannon-WBRB (101.3) Fairmont-WRLF (94.3) Fairmont-WMMN (920) Morgantown-WKKW (97.9) St. Mary s-wjaw (630) Wheeling-WWVA (1170) MEXICO (1) Mexico City-Imagen DF (90.5 FM) 2011 AFC North Standings W L T Pct. Pts. Opp. Cincinnati 6 2 0.750 195 140 Baltimore 6 2 0.750 208 130 Pittsburgh 6 3 0.667 196 162 Cleveland 3 5 0.375 119 170 This Week in the AFC North: Sunday, Nov. 13: Pittsburgh (6-3) at Cincinnati (6-2), 1:00 p.m. (CBS, KDKA-TV, channel 2) St. Louis (1-7) at Cleveland (3-5), 1:00 p.m. (FOX) Baltimore (6-2) at Seattle (2-6), 4:05 p.m. (CBS) All times are Eastern.
STEELERS PRONUNCIATIONS Arnaz Battle... (ARE-nez) Trai Essex... (TRAY) Ramon Foster... (ra-mone) Brett Keisel... (KEE-sull) Chris Kemoeatu... (kay-moy-ah-too) Keenan Lewis... (KEY-nan) Jamon Meredith... (JUH-mon) Mewelde Moore... (Muh-WELL-dee) Troy Polamalu... (Pole-uh-MAH-lu) Maurkice Pouncey... (Mar-KEESE POUN-see) Ben Roethlisberger... (ROTH-lis-ber-ger) Shaun Suisham... (Swee-zum) LaMarr Woodley... (la-marr) Jason Worilds... (Worlds) MEDIA NOTES Cincinnati Bengals Conference Call: Cincinnati Head Coach Marvin Lewis and QB Andy Dalton will be available for interviews via conference call on Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the Steelers media workroom. Dalton will be available at 11:10 a.m. and Lewis will available at 12:15 p.m. Weekly Press Conference: Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will conduct his weekly press conference every Tuesday at noon in the Steelers media workroom at their UPMC Sports Performance Complex headquarters. The press conference will be broadcast live on ROOT Sports. Official Steelers Website: Media and fans can read about the latest Steelers news on the official Steelers website. The site,, features breaking news, statistics, player biographies and much more. Media-Only Section of The Steelers Media Relations Department offers a Media- Only section on steelers.com. To sign up for this service, go to http:///mediarelations/ and register as a new user below the left hand navigation bar. Then follow the instructions on the Media Relations page and once your registration is approved, you will receive an email and can access all information. If you have any questions or problems, please email steelers_digest@yahoo.com. NFLmedia.com: Journalists worldwide have access to the dedicated media website featuring news from the NFL and its teams. Daily releases, statistics, domestic and international NFL updates and other information about the NFL are available. The site also provides links to other NFL and individual team sites. LAST WEEK S GAME Baltimore 23, Pittsburgh 20 Sunday, Nov. 6 Pittsburgh, Pa. (Heinz Field) Pittsburgh Team Notes: The Steelers are now 328-208 all-time against AFC opponents. The loss ended the Steelers four-game winning streak. Pittsburgh falls to 18-14 during the regular season against Baltimore. The Steelers registered 392 total net yards, marking the sixth time this season Pittsburgh recorded at least 390 total net yards. Pittsburgh held Baltimore to 67 net rushing yards, making the Ravens the sixth opponent to be held under 100 net rushing yards this season by the Steelers and the third straight to be held below 75 net rushing yards. The Ravens are the only team to score over 20 points against Pittsburgh this season (23, 35). Pittsburgh s defense held Baltimore RB Ray Rice to 43 yards on 18 carries, for an average of 2.4 yards per carry which tied for the fifth lowest average of his career and his lowest this season. On the opening drive of the game, Pittsburgh s defense stopped the Ravens on three consecutive plays from the one-yard line to force a field goal. It marked the first time in three games that Pittsburgh s defense allowed points on the opening drive. The Steelers allowed three first quarter points against Baltimore. Over the last eight games Pittsburgh has given up a combined 13 points in the first quarter. Baltimore registered 176 total net yards in the first half, marking the seventh time this season the Steelers held their opponents to under 180 total net yards in the first half. Pittsburgh Individual Notes: QB Ben Roethlisberger Totaled 330 passing yards, his 19 th 300-yard passing game of his career and fourth of 2011 (364 at Ind. 9/25/11, 361 at Ariz. 10/ 23/11, 365 vs. NE 10/30/11). Roethlisberger is the first quarterback in franchise history to throw for over 300 yards in three consecutive games. Surpassed 200 yards against the Ravens, marking a career best 17 th straight regular-season game he has thrown for at least 200 yards. Fell to 9-4 against the Ravens, including the postseason. TE Heath Miller Totaled 73 yards on five receptions, passing Yancey Thigpen (3,651) for 11 th place on the Steelers all-time receiving yards list. Miller now has 3,667 career receiving yards, trailing Roy Jefferson (3,671) by four yards for 10 th place. Rk. Player Yards Rec TDs 9. Santonio Holmes 3,835 235 20 10. Roy Jefferson 3,671 199 29 11. Heath Miller 3,667 321 31 Tuesday, Nov. 8 Noon - Coach Tomlin Press Conference (ROOT Sports) No player availability Wednesday, Nov. 9 Open locker room 12:30-1:00 p.m. Practice 1:15-3:15 p.m. Coach Tomlin available upon request after practice Open locker room 3:15-3:45 p.m. THIS WEEK S SCHEDULE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) Thursday, Nov. 10 Open locker room 12:15-12:45 p.m. Practice 1:00-3:00 p.m. Coach Tomlin available upon request after practice Coordinators available on field after practice Open locker room 3:00-3:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11 Practice 10:45 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. Open locker room 12:30-1:00 p.m. Coach Tomlin available upon request after practice Saturday, Nov. 12 No media availability Sunday, Nov. 13 Monday, Nov. 14 1:00 p.m. (ET) TBA Away Game at Cincinnati Bengals (Paul Brown Stadium) CBS (KDKA-TV, locally channel 2)
WR Antonio Brown Registered a game-high 109 yards on five receptions, marking his second 100+ yard receiving game in the last three weeks (7 for 102 at Arizona, 10/23). Recorded a career-long 32-yard reception to the Baltimore 21- yard line to end the first quarter. Drive resulted in a field goal, tying the game at 3-3. Over the last three games Brown has 21 receptions for 278 yards and one touchdown. RB Rashard Mendenhall Averaged 4.0 yards on 13 carries for a total of 50 yards with one touchdown. Registered the 24 th rushing touchdown of his career to tie Willie Parker for the eighth most in franchise history. Including the 2010 regular and postseason, Mendenhall has 12 rushing touchdowns in the last 14 games he has played in, reaching the end zone in 10 of those contests. WR Mike Wallace Hauled in a 25-yard touchdown to give the Steelers a 20-16 lead with just over five minutes to play in the fourth quarter. For the game, Wallace registered four receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown. Has registered one touchdown six of nine games this season. TE David Johnson Tied career long with a 25-yard reception to the Ravens 36-yard line late in the second quarter on a drive that resulted with a field goal to tie the game at 6-6. Previously recorded a 25-yard reception on 12/5/10 at Baltimore. LB James Harrison After missing four games due to injury, returned to record three sacks for a loss of 11 yards including a forced fumble on a sack of Joe Flacco with 7:40 left in the fourth quarter, giving the Steelers the ball at their own 42-yard line. It marked Harrison s fourth regular-season game with at least three sacks and his 12 th regular season game with at least two sacks. Now has 54.0 sacks for his career, passing Greg Lloyd (53.5) for the fourth most by a Steelers player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Rk. Player Sacks 1. Jason Gildon (1994-2003) 77.0 2. Joey Porter (1999-2006) 60.0 3. Keith Willis (1982-91) 59.0 4. James Harrison (2002-Present) 54.0 Including the postseason, Harrison has nine sacks against the Ravens, the most by any Steelers player against Baltimore. LB Jason Worilds Made first career start in place of injured LB LaMarr Woodley. LB LaMarr Woodley Missed the fifth game of his career and the first since 11/9/08 vs. Indianapolis. Including the postseason, Woodley started the previous 45 games. LB James Farrior Due to a calf injury was declared inactive for the second week in a row. It was the first time since 11/20/05, at Baltimore and 11/13/ 05 vs. Cleveland that Farrior missed two games in a row. WHAT TO LOOK FOR PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES The Steelers look to improve to 329-208 all-time against AFC opponents. Pittsburgh looks to earn its seventh victory in the last nine games. Pittsburgh s defense will look to hold their eighth straight opponent to 23 points or less (0, 20, 17, 17, 13, 20, 17, 23). Looking for third consecutive win over the Bengals. PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES Head Coach Mike Tomlin Looks to improve to 7-2 against Cincinnati, including 4-1 at Paul Brown Stadium. Will look to improve to 50-24 overall and 22-15 on the road during the regular season. Looks to become the fourth head coach in Steelers history to reach 50 regular season wins (Chuck Noll-209, Bill Cowher-161, Raymond Parker-51). The Steelers will join the Giants (six), Packers (six), 49ers (four) and Colts (four) as the only franchises with at least four head coaches to win at least 50 regular-season games. QB Ben Roethlisberger Looks to become the first Steelers quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in four consecutive games. Would mark the 20th 300-yard passing performance of Roethlisberger s career. Will look to record his 18th consecutive game with at least 200 yards passing. Looks for fourth 100.0+ rating of the season and 45th of his career. Will look to improve to 76-32 as a starter. Looks to improve to 30-9 versus AFC North opponents. Looks to improve to 7-1 at Paul Brown Stadium and 11-4 overall against the Bengals during the regular season. WR Hines Ward Needs 40 receiving yards to reach 12,000 for his career. He would be 19 th player in NFL history to reach the mark and the first in Steelers history. Ward will become the third player in NFL history to reach 12,000 career receiving yards and win multiple Super Bowls (Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Art Monk). TE Heath Miller Is five yards shy of passing Roy Jefferson (3,671) for 10th place on the Steelers all-time receiving yards list. Needs eight receptions to tie Elbie Nickel (329) for the most receptions by a tight end in Steelers history. WR Antonio Brown Will look to record his third 100+ yard receiving in the past four games and second in a row. Over the last three weeks Brown has totaled 278 receiving yards on 21 receptions with one touchdown. Game Rec. Rec. Yds. TDs at Arizona (10/23) 7 102 0 vs. New England (10/30) 9* 67 1 vs. Baltimore (11/6) 5 109* 0 *career highs RB Rashard Mendenhall Needs one rushing touchdown to tie Dick Hoak (25) for the seventh-most in team history. Is 31 yards away from passing Frenchy Fuqua (2,942) for the 12th most career rushing yards in franchise history.
LOOKING AHEAD... The Steelers have the bye next week before going back on the road to play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Nov. 27, at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. and will be televised nationally on NBC (locally WPXI-TV, channel 11). Rk. Player Rushing Yards Car. 10. Fran Rogel 3,271 900 11. Merril Hoge 3,115 819 12. Frenchy Fuqua 2,942 699 13. Rashard Mendenhall 2,912 705 WR Mike Wallace With 100 yards receiving will record his 13th 100-yard receiving game of his career and the fifth of this season. If Wallace records at least 100 yards receiving it will be his eighth 100+ yard receiving game in the last 13 regular-season games. Below is the numbers from Wallace s last 12 regular-season games: Game Yards Rec TDs 12/19/10, vs. NYJ 102 7 0 12/23/10, vs. Car 104 4 1 1/2/11, at Cle 105 3 1 9/11/11, at Bal 107 8* 0 9/18/11, vs. Sea 126 8* 1 9/25/11, at Ind 144** 5 1 10/2/11, at Hou 77 4 0 10/9/11, vs. Ten 82 6 1 10/16/11, vs. Jac 78 2 1 10/23/11, at Ariz 118 3 1 10/30/11, vs. NE 70 7 0 11/6/11, vs. Bal 68 4 1 *tied career-high set on 11/14/10 vs. New England **career-high SS Troy Polamalu After returning a fumble 16 yards for the second fumble returned for a touchdown of his career vs. Indianapolis (Week 3), is one away from tying Jason Gildon (3) for the most fumbles returned for touchdowns in franchise history. Needs one touchdown to move into a tie for the second-most defensive touchdowns in Steelers history: Player INT TDs FR TDs Total Def. TDs Rod Woodson 5 1 6 Carnell Lake 3 2 5 Dwayne Woodruff 3 2 5 Jack Butler 4 1 5 Troy Polamalu 2 2 4 Mel Blount 2 2 4 Jim Bradshaw 2 2 4 Donnie Shell 2 2 4 Chad Scott 4 0 4 One interception shy of tying Jack Lambert (28) for the ninth-most in Steelers history. Needs one interception return for a touchdown to tie Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff, Deshea Townsend and Tony Campagno (3) for the third-most in franchise history. Needs 41 yards to surpass Chad Scott (368) for the ninth-most interception return yards in a career in Steelers history. LB James Harrison After registering three sacks last week against Baltimore, looks to become the first Steeler and the 10th player in the NFL to record at least three sacks in back-to-back games since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. The last NFL player to register at least three sacks in consecutive games was Green Bay LB Clay Matthews in 2010. Looks to become the third Pittsburgh Steelers player to register at least three sacks multiple times in one season since 1982 (Chad Brown, 1996, 2; Mike Merriweather, 1984, 3). Looks to record fifth career regular-season game with at least three sacks to tie Joey Porter (5) for the most 3+ sack games during the regular season by a Steelers player since 1982. LB LaMarr Woodley Needs one sack to reach 10.0 on the season, becoming the first Steelers player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982 to record four consecutive years with at least 10.0 sacks (2010-10.0, 2009-13.5, 2008-11.5). K Shaun Suisham Needs 11 points to reach 500 for his career. STEELERS-BENGALS SERIES HISTORY Series History: Series began in 1970 Overall: Pittsburgh leads 48-32 At Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh leads 27-14 At Cincinnati: Pittsburgh leads 21-18 Neutral Sites: n/a Last Regular-Season Meeting: Dec. 12, 2010 (in Pittsburgh) Pittsburgh 23, Cincinnati 7 Postseason Series: Pittsburgh leads 1-0 (postseason record not included in overall series record) Pittsburgh leads the all-time regular-season series 48-32 and swept the season series last year for the sixth time since 2000 and for the third time under Head Coach Mike Tomlin...Since Tomlin was named head coach in 2007 the Steelers are 6-2 against the Bengals...Pittsburgh is 9-2 at against Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium, including a 27-21 victory last season...qb Ben Roethlisberger is 6-1 at Paul Brown Stadium and 10-4 overall against the Bengals, the second most wins by any Steelers quarterback against Cincinnati (Terry Bradshaw, 13-9)...Pittsburgh had won the previous five games in the series...the Steelers had won eight straight games versus the Bengals in Cincinnati prior to their Week 3 loss in 2009...Pittsburgh owns a 25-11 mark against the Bengals since the beginning of the Free Agency Era in 1993. 2011 REGULAR SEASON STATISTICAL COMPARISON Steelers Category Bengals 21.8... Points Scored Per Game... 24.4 18.0... Points Allowed Per Game... 17.5 22.0... First Downs Per Game... 17.8 389.1... Total Yards Per Game...316.3 110.3... Rushing Yards Per Game...104.1 278.8... Passing Yards Per Game...212.1 23... Sacks By... 20 2... Interceptions By... 3 32:35... Avg. Time of Possession...30:50 21... Touchdowns... 21 5... Rushing Touchdowns... 4 15... Passing Touchdowns... 13 1... Touchdowns on Returns... 4 15/20... Field Goals...16/17 43.2... Punting Avg.... 44.6 11.3... Punt Return Avg....12.2 28.1... Kickoff Return Avg.... 24.4
PIT-CIN CONNECTIONS Local Connections Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin was the defensive backs coach at the University of Cincinnati from 1999-2000. Steelers assistant special teams coach Amos Jones was also on the Bearcats staff from 1999-2002. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau worked two stints with the Cincinnati Bengals. LeBeau was on the Bengals staff from 1980-1991 and from 1997-2002. He was the head coach of the Bengals from 2000-2002. Steelers S Will Allen was born in Dayton, Ohio, just an hour north of Cincinnati. Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis was born in McDonald, Pa., thirty minutes southwest of Pittsburgh. Lewis coached for the University of Pittsburgh from 1990-1991. Lewis also served as the Steelers linebackers coach from 1992-1995. Lewis worked under LeBeau for those four seasons, helping create the famous Blitzburgh Defense. Bengals assistant head coach/offensive line coach Paul Alexander coached at Penn State University from 1982-1984. Bengals defensive line coach Jay Hayes and tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes, who are brothers, were born in South Fayette, Pa., just minutes southwest of Pittsburgh. Jonathan coached with the Steelers from 1994-1996 and Jay coached with the Steelers from 1999-2001. Bengals wide receivers coach James Urban coached at local Clarion University from 1997-1998. Bengals QB Bruce Gradkowski was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. He attended local Seton-LaSalle High School, where he set then- WPIAL and PIAA by throwing 30 touchdowns in a single season. Bengals WR Andrew Hawkins was born in Johnstown, Pa. Bengals C/G Mike McGlynn attended the University of Pittsburgh. He started at right tackle for the Panthers from 2004-2007. Pro Connections Steelers defensive assistant Jerry Olsavsky played for the Baltimore Ravens when Bengals special teams coach Darrin Simmons was on the Ravens staff in 1998. Steelers RB Mewelde Moore was a rookie with the Minnesota Vikings in 2004 when Bengals defensive quality control coach David Lippincott was on the Vikings staff. Steelers WR Jerricho Cotchery and Bengals K Mike Nugent were teammates with the New York Jets from 2005-2008. Nugent was also teammates with Steelers CB Bryant McFadden with the Arizona Cardinals in 2009. Bengals S Chris Crocker played for the Cleveland Browns in 2003, when Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians was on the Browns staff. Steelers WR Arnaz Battle and Bengals LB Manny Lawson and CB Nate Clements were teammates with the San Francisco 49ers from 2006-2009. Steelers special teams coordinator Al Everest was on the 49ers staff from 2007-2009. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau was on the Buffalo Bills coaching staff in 2003 when Bengals CB Nate Clements played for the Bills. Steelers S Will Allen and Bengals QB Bruce Gradkowski were teammates with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2006-2007. College Connections Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey and OT Marcus Gilbert were teammates with Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap at the University of Florida from 2007-2009. All played key roles in the Gators 2009 BCS National Championship. Pouncey, Gilbert and Dunlap were also teammates with Bengals WR Andre Caldwell at Florida for one year in 2007. Steelers OT Max Starks was also teammates with Caldwell for one season with the Gators in 2003. Steelers RB Jonathan Dwyer and Bengals DE Michael Johnson were teammates at Georgia Tech from 2007-2008. Steelers CB William Gay and Bengals LB Brandon Johnson were teammates at the University of Louisville from 2004-2006. Steelers LB LaMarr Woodley and Bengals CB Leon Hall were teammates at the University of Michigan from 2003-2006. Both were drafted in the 2007 NFL Draft, with Hall going to the Bengals in the first round (18 th overall) and Woodley going to the Steelers in the second round (46 th overall). Woodley and Hall were also teammates at Michigan with Bengals CB Morgan Trent from 2005-2006. Steelers WR Jerricho Cotchery and Bengals LB Manny Lawson were teammates at North Carolina State University from 2002-2003. Steelers OG Chris Kemoeatu and Bengals DE/DT Jonathan Fanene were teammates at the University of Utah from 2003-2004. Both played key roles in the Utes 2005 Fiesta Bowl victory against the Pittsburgh Panthers. Steelers assistant head coach/defensive line coach John Mitchell and Bengals defensive backs coach Kevin Coyle coached at Arkansas together under Head Coach Lou Holtz in 1980. Several Steelers and Bengals are products of the same colleges, including the following: STEELERS-BENGALS COLLEGE CONNECTIONS STEELERS COLLEGE BENGALS OT Marcus Gilbert... Florida... WR Andre Caldwell C Maurkice Pouncey DE Carlos Dunlap OT Max Starks S Reggie Nelson WR Hines Ward... Georgia... DT Geno Atkins OG Clint Boling DE Robert Geathers WR A.J. Green OT Dennis Roland RB Jonathan Dwyer... Georgia Tech... DE Michael Johnson S Ryan Clark... LSU... OG Nate Livings OT Andrew Whitworth CB William Gay... Louisville... LB Brandon Johnson C Doug Legursky... Marshall... S Chris Crocker LB Larry Foote... Michigan... CB Leon Hall LB LaMarr Woodley CB Morgan Trent LS Greg Warren... North Carolina... WR Brandon Tate WR Jerricho Cotchery North Carolina State... LB Manny Lawson S Will Allen... Ohio State... CB Nate Clements DE Cameron Heyward K Mike Nugent S Troy Polamalu... Southern California... DT Geno Atkins LB Rey Maualuga S Taylor Mays DE Frostee Rucker OG Ramon Foster... Tennessee... S Gibril Wilson OG Chris Kemoeatu... Utah... DE/DT Jonathan Fanene LB Stevenson Sylvester LB James Farrior... Virginia... HB Cedric Peerman TE Heath Miller LB Mortty Ivy... West Virginia... CB Adam Jones S Ryan Mundy S Robert Sands
TEAM NOTES Difficult Stretch: Pittsburgh is in the midst of a five-game stretch where they play four teams that are either tied or in the out-right lead in their division. In Week 8 the Steelers handed New England their second loss of the season. In Week 9 Pittsburgh lost by three in the final seconds to the 6-2 Ravens. This week the Steelers will travel to Cincinnati to face a Bengals team that has won five in a row and then will play them again in Week 13. Prior to a second game against Cincinnati, the Steelers will travel to Arrowhead Stadium to face Kanas City, a team that has won four of their last five games. Things don t get any easier after the five-game stretch, as the Steelers will play divisional foe Cleveland at home before traveling across the country to play 7-1 San Francisco on Monday Night Football. Road Warriors: The Steelers have had great success playing away from Heinz Field over the last decade. Dating back to the start of 2010 season, the Steelers have won nine of their past 12 road games. Since the beginning of the 2000 season, the Steelers own the fourth-best road winning percentage in the NFL. The following is a list of the top road winning percentages since 2000: Team W L T Pct. Philadelphia 59 32 1.647 New England 59 33 0.641 Indianapolis 59 34 0.634 Pittsburgh 55 37 0.598 New York Giants 53 39 0.576 New Orleans 53 40 0.570 Toughest Division?: The AFC North is the only division in the NFL to have three teams at least three games over.500. It is also the only division to have three teams with at least six wins. The AFC North has the most wins (21) and highest winning percentage (.636) of any division in the NFL. Much of the success of teams in the AFC North has to do with defense. The AFC North has given up the fewest points allowed as a division (602), and all four teams are in the top-10 in the NFL in total defense. The AFC North also boasts four top-10 pass defenses (Cleveland 1, Pittsburgh 3, Baltimore 5, Cincinnati 10) and three top-10 rush defenses in the NFL (Cincinnati 2, Baltimore 3, Pittsburgh 6). Team Rank (NFL) Total Yds. Rush Yds. Pass Yds. Baltimore 2 279.4 86.3 192.6 Pittsburgh 3 280.2 95.6 184.7 Cincinnati 4 301.3 84.5 216.8 Cleveland 6 309.3 144.0 165.3 The AFC North is the only division in the AFC that has a winning record against the NFC (6-2). Since 2008, the AFC North has had two teams in the playoffs each year. Turning Up the Heat: Pittsburgh has registered 23 sacks in 2011, which is second in the AFC and seventh in the NFL. The Steelers have registered 19 of the 23 sacks at Heinz Field to lead the NFL for sacks at home. LB James Harrison registered all of Pittsburgh s three sacks against Baltimore in Week 9, his fourth career game with at least three sacks and first since 10/11/09 versus Detroit. In Week 6 versus Jacksonville, Pittsburgh registered four of their five sacks in the first half, marking the 16 th time since 1991 and the first time since 11/3/08 vs. Washington (4) that the Steelers recorded at least four sacks in the first half. The Steelers recorded five sacks in Week 2 versus Seattle, tying for the third highest single-game total of the Mike Tomlin era and the most since registering six versus Oakland on 11/21/10. On the road the Steelers have recorded sacks at key times. Against Arizona in Week 7 LB LaMarr Woodley recorded a sack on third-and-seven at the PIT 45-yard line that forced a punt. Woodley also forced Cardinals QB Kevin Kolb into an intentionally grounding penalty in the end zone that resulted in a safety. In Week 3 versus Indianapolis, LB James Harrison forced a fumble on a sack of Curtis Painter that S Troy Polamalu returned 16 yards for a touchdown to give Pittsburgh a 20-13 lead in the fourth quarter. Since 1994, the Steelers have led the AFC in sacks six times and the entire NFL three times, including in 2010. Since 2004, the Steelers have the most sacks in the NFL with 332, 18 more than the second place team (New York Giants, 314). Sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982, however, a record of passers tackled was kept prior to that time. Following are the Steelers single-season sack totals dating back to 1970: Pittsburgh Steelers Team Sack Totals (Since 1970) Year Total Year Total 1970... 26 1991... 38 1971... 33 1992... 36 1972... 40 1993... 42 1973... 33 1994... 55 * 1974... 52 1995... 42 1975... 43 1996... 51 1976... 41 1997... 48 1977... 32 1998... 41 1978... 44 1999... 39 1979... 49 2000... 39 1980... 18 2001... 55 * 1981... 40 2002... 50 1982... 34 2003... 35 1983... 50 2004... 41 1984... 47 2005... 47 1985... 36 2006... 39 1986... 43 2007... 36 1987... 26 2008... 51 1988... 19 2009... 47 1989... 31 2010... 48 1990... 34 2011... 23 * Team Record Safety First: In Weeks 7 and 8 the Steelers defense registered two safeties: in Week 7 LB LaMarr Woodley forced QB Kevin Kolb into an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone and in Week 8 DE Brett Keisel stripped the ball from QB Tom Brady in the closing seconds and it rolled out of the end zone. Dating back to 1960, this was the first time that the Steelers registered safeties in back-to-back weeks. The last team in the NFL to register safeties in back-to-back games was the New York Giants in 2008. It is only the third time since 1960 that Pittsburgh registered two safeties in one season (1962, 1980). Defensive Dominance: The Steelers have given up 18.0 points per game in 2011 to rank fifth in the NFL. Over the past eight weeks, Pittsburgh has given up a total of 127 points (15.9 points per game). In five home games the Steelers have allowed a total of 70 points, giving up 14.0 points per game at home, the third lowest in the NFL Rk Team Points per game at home 1. New York Jets 13.5 2. Houston 13.6 3. Pittsburgh 14.0 4. San Francisco 14.3 5. Detroit Lions 16.0
Since Dick LeBeau has been defensive coordinator (2004- present) the Steelers have allowed an average of 16.0 points per game at Heinz Field, ranking second in the NFL over that time span for points given up at home during the regular season (Baltimore, 14.9). The Steelers have allowed the fewest points in the NFL since the beginning of the 2007 season. Pittsburgh has allowed just 1,210 points during that span (16.6 per game). The following is a list of the top four teams in the NFL who have allowed the fewest points since the start of the 2007 campaign: Team Points Allowed Pittsburgh 1,210 Baltimore 1,289 New England 1,365 Green Bay 1,387 Ground Success: Against New England in Week 8, the Steelers totaled 98 yards on 23 carries (4.3 avg.), helping the offense control the ball for 39:22, the highest T.O.P. by the Steelers in a non-overtime game since 10/4/09 vs. San Diego (40:20). In Week 7 at Arizona the Steelers recorded 91 rushing yards on 28 carries, and controlled the ball for 35:47. Over the past five games Pittsburgh has out rushed their opponent, winning four of those games. In Weeks 5 and 6, the Steelers recorded 174 and 185 rushing yards, marking the first time Pittsburgh reached at least 160 rushing yards in back-to-back games since 2010 (162, 11/21/10 vs. Oak and 206, 11/28/10 at Buf). The Steelers are fifth in the NFL with 581 rushing yards in four home games. At Heinz Field Pittsburgh averages 4.9 yards per carry. In Weeks 9 and 10 RB Rashard Mendenhall c ombined for 122 yards on 26 carries (4.7 avg.), including averaging 5.4 yards on 13 carries (70 yards) against New England. It was the second time this season he averaged over five yards per carry. In Week 6 versus Jacksonville, Mendenhall averaged of 6.3 yards per carry, his highest since averaging 7.0 against Denver on 11/9/09 (22 for 155). Mendenhall went over 100 rushing yards in the first half against the Jaguars for the first time in his career (113), including a career long run of 68 yards. It was the second-most rushing yards by a Steeler in the first half, dating back to 1991. At the end of the game Mendenhall had 146 yards on 23 carries, the fourth most rushing yards of his career (151, 155, 165). The Steelers have achieved success on the ground despite having a number of injuries to the offensive line since the start of the 2010 season. Last season the Steelers started five different combinations on the offensive line and so far in 2011 Pittsburgh has used a different starting offensive line combination in six of nine games. This season Pittsburgh has also had to use a number of running backs due to injuries, three different Steelers have over 110 rushing yards through seven games and two have eclipsed 200 yards (Mendenhall, 421/Redman, 218). Tough In The Air: This season has seen an unprecendented number of 300-yard passing games throughout the NFL. The Steelers third ranked pass defense has held five teams under 175 net passing yards. Pittsburgh is also tied for giving up the fourth fewest pass plays of 25+ yards (11) this season. Against New England in Week 7, the Steelers held the Patriots to 170 net passing yards, 180.5 yards below their season average entering the game. It was the lowest passing output for New England since 12/26/10 against Buffalo (131). In Week 5, the Steelers limited the Jacksonville offense to 76 net passing yards. Pittsburgh only gave up 10 net passing hards in the first two quarters, which is the fifth-fewest net passing yards allowed by Pittsburgh s defense in the first half, dating back to 1991. The Pittsburgh defense has held five of nine opponents under 175 net passing yards. Opp. Net Passing Yards W/L at Bal, 9/11 (Week 1) 215 L vs. Sea, 9/18 (Week 2) 133 W at Ind, 9/25 (Week 3) 144 W at Hou, 10/2 (Week 4) 138 L vs. Ten, 10/9 (Week 5) 240 W vs. Jac, 10/16 (Week 6) 76 W at Ariz, 10/23 (Week 7) 257 W vs. NE, 10/30 (Week 8) 170 W vs. Bal, 11/6 (Week 9) 289 L Under Head Coach Mike Tomlin (2007-present) the Steelers have given up a league-low 190.0 net passing yards per game during the regular season: Team Net Passing Yards/Game (2007-Present) Pittsburgh 190.0 New York Jets 196.4 Tampa Bay 199.9 Oakland 203.6 Indianapolis 204.8 Since the start of the 2007 season, Pittburgh s defense has allowed only 82 passing touchdowns, the third fewest in the NFL over that time span (Indianapolis Colts, 81 and New York Jets, 78). Limiting QBs: Pittsburgh has faced nine different quarterbacks in nine games this season, holding six to a passer rating lower than 87.0. The Steelers have also only allowed one quarterback to throw for 300 yards and have held six of nine under 200 yards. The only quarterback to throw for 300 yards on the Steelers this season was Joe Flacco and he attempted 47 passes, completing 28 to get to 300 yards in Week 9. The Steelers limited Tom Brady to 198 passing yards, after he averaged 360.5 thourgh his first six games this season. It was the first time Brady was held under 200 yards in 2011. Pittsburgh has held four quarterbacks to a passer rating less than 73.0. Opp QB Cmp Pct. Yds. Rtg. Joe Flacco (Bal) 58.6 224 117.6 Tavaris Jackson (Sea) 69.0 159 82.4 Kerry Collins (Ind) 44.8 93 52.8 Curtis Painter (Ind) 45.4 60 62.7 Matt Schaub (Hou) 66.7 138 100.9 Matt Hasselbeck (Ten) 59.2 262 72.0 Blaine Gabbert (Jac) 46.2 109 70.8 Kevin Kolb (Ariz) 52.9 272 86.9 Tom Brady (NE) 68.6 198 101.8 Joe Flacco (Bal) 59.6 300 85.4 If You Build It, They Will Come: The Steelers registered three of the top-10 all-time attendance records for a single game during the 2010 season, including the single-game record. In the 2010 AFC Championship victory over the N.Y. Jets, the Steelers broke the single-game record. The attendance of 66,662 surpassed the old mark of 65,597 set October 25, 2009, during a game versus the Minnnesota Vikings. The previous regular-season record was 65,392, which was set on November 16, 2009 versus Cincinnati. Pittsburgh set the team home attendance record in 2009 by averaging 63,458 (507,882 total). Pittsburgh has sold out 305 straight games at home, dating back to Nov. 5, 1972 versus Cincinnati. Following is a look at the team s average attendance in its 10- plus years at Heinz Field:
Year Total Attendance Avg. 2001 499,191 62,399 2002 490,274 61,284 2003 477,584 59,698 2004 507,385 63,423 2005 507,434 63,429 2006 499,461 62,433 2007 496,675 62,084 2008 503,125 62,890 2009 507,882 63,458 2010 504,669 63,084 2011 319,747 63,949 Team record Heinz Field Advantage: The Steelers own the best home record in the NFL with a 231-89-1 record (.721) since 1970. Pittsburgh is 46-15 (.754) at home over the past seven seasons, including a 4-1 record in 2011. This season marked the third time in the past five seasons that the Steelers opened 4-0 at home. Pittsburgh finished the 2004 regular season with an undefeated (8-0) home record for only the third time in team history and for the first time in 25 years. The Steelers finished the 1979 regular season with an undefeated home record (8-0) and eventually won Super Bowl XIV. The Steelers were also undefeated at home (7-0) in 1972. The following is a look at the list of the Steelers records at home since 2004: Year Record 2004 8-0 2005 5-3 2006 5-3 2007 7-1 2008 6-2 2009 6-2 2010 5-3 2011 4-1 Controlling The NFC: After beating Arizona and Seattle in 2011, the Steelers have won 25 of their past 30 regular-season games versus teams in the NFC, dating back to 2003. The Steelers are 99-58-1 all-time against the NFC, including 56-19-1 at home. Pittsburgh has won seven of there last eight games against NFC opponents. The Steelers have reeled off six consecutive home victories versus NFC teams. Pittsburgh last lost to an NFC team at Heinz Field in 2008 (21-14, vs. New York Giants). Prior to losing to the Giants, Pittsburgh had won eight straight games versus NFC teams at home. The Steelers are 6-2 versus the NFC in the Super Bowl. Four Straight: In Week 6, the Steelers played the final game of four consecutive games against the AFC South. With a 17-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Steelers finished the stretch 3-1. Pittsburgh opened up against the division with a 23-20 victory at Indianapolis in Week 3, followed by a 17-10 loss in Houston and a Pittsburgh victory over the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field. Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin improved to 7-4 against the AFC South during the regular season, including 2-1 against the Jaguars. Under Tomlin the Steelers are 4-2 at home against the AFC South during the regular season, including winning the last four. Overall, Pittsburgh is 6-5 at home versus the AFC South. Starting Away From Home: This season the Steelers played three of their first four games on the road for the first time since 2001, and for only the eighth time in team history. In 2001, Pittsburgh went 3-1, including winning two out of three of those road games. This season the Steelers finished 1-2 on the road, losing the final away game in Week 4 at Houston, 17-10. The Steelers have won seven of their last nine regular-season road games. Since 1970, Pittsburgh has opened the season with three of the first four games on the road six times and in five of those occurances, including this season, they finished the four-game set with at least a.500 record. The chart below shows how they finished the first four games and the regular season. Year first four games first three road games end of season 2011 2-2 1-2 - 2001 3-1 2-1 13-3* 1992 3-1 2-1 11-5* 1986 1-3 1-2 6-10 1982 3-1 2-1 6-3* 1972 2-2 1-2 11-3* *made the postseason 1982 was a strike interupted season Defense! Defense! Defense!: Pittsburgh shut out the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, 24-0. It marked the fourth shutout during the Mike Tomlin era and the first since 12/28/08 (31-0, vs. Cleveland). It marked the 28th shutout for the Steelers since 1960, which is the second most in the NFL during that time span: Team Shutouts Chicago 30 Pittsburgh 28 Miami 25 New England 24 San Francisco 24 Continued Success: Since the 1970 merger of the National and American Football Leagues, the Pittsburgh Steelers own the best record in the NFL. The following is a look at the top three regular-season records since the merger in 1970: Team W L T Pct. 1. Pittsburgh Steelers 390 249 2.610 2. Miami Dolphins 380 258 2.595 3. Dallas Cowboys 377 263 0.589 Among The Best: The Steelers have 583 career wins (including postseason), which is the fourth-most in NFL history. The following is a listing of the top five teams in the NFL for career wins (including postseason): Team Wins 1. Chicago Bears 725 2. Green Bay Packers 697 3. New York Giants 662 4. Pittsburgh Steelers 583 5. Washington Redskins 574 Additionally, Pittsburgh owns the third-best record in the NFL since the free-agency era (since 1993) with a 187-109-1 (.631) record. The following is a look at the top three regular-season records in the free agency era (since 1993): Team W L T Pct. 1. New England Patriots 190 106 0.642 2. Green Bay Packers 187 109 0.632 3. Pittsburgh Steelers 187 109 1.631 Regular-Season Success: Pittsburgh owns the third-best regular-season record in the NFL over the past 10-plus seasons. The Steelers have averaged over 10 wins per year and have earned seven playoff berths, six division titles and two Super Bowl victories in that time period. The following are the top five teams in regular-season winning percentage from 2000-2011: Team W L T Pct. Playoff Berths New England 131 53 0.712 8 Indianapolis 125 60 0.676 9 Pittsburgh 121 63 1.657 7 Philadelphia 116 67 1.634 9 Green Bay 113 71 0.614 7
Sustaining Success: Pittsburgh has made the playoffs six times and won the AFC North five times since the divisional realignment in 2002. The Steelers won the AFC North Division for the third time in four years in 2010. The Steelers have won 20 division titles since the NFL merger in 1970, the most in the NFL during that time. The following is a list of teams that have won the most division titles and qualified for the playoffs since 2002: Team Playoffs Division Titles Indianapolis 9 7 New England 7 7 Philadelphia 7 6 Pittsburgh 6 5 San Diego 5 5 Green Bay 6 4 In the Red Zone: Over the past four weeks the Steelers are 18-19 in the red zone, coming away with 10 touchdowns and eight field goals. Pittsburgh was 5-for-5 in both Week 8 versus New England and in Week 5 against Tennessee. The performance against the Titans marked only the second time since the start of the 2010 regular season that the Steelers recorded four touchdowns in the red zone (4 TDs, at Cleveland, 1/2/11). Following is a look at how the Steelers offense has performed in the red zone this season: Opponent Att./Scores TDs FGs Pts @ Baltimore... 2/1... 1... 0... 7 vs. Seattle... 4/3... 2... 1... 17 @ Indianapolis... 2/1... 0... 1... 3 @ Houston... 3/2... 1... 1... 10 vs. Tennessee... 5/5... 4... 1... 31 vs. Jacksonville... 2/2... 1... 1... 10 @ Arizona... 3/3... 2... 1... 17 vs. New England... 5/5... 2... 3... 23 vs. Baltimore... 4/3... 1... 2... 13 Total... 30/25... 14... 11... 131 Red Zone Defense: Over the past four weeks the Steelers have allowed their opponents to enter the red zone a total of just seven times. In a Week 2 shutout of Seattle, the Steelers defense didn t allow the Seahawks offense to reach the red zone and only one Seattle possession ended across mid-field. Following is a look at how the Steelers defense has performed in the red zone in 2011: Opponent Att./Scores TDs FGs Pts @ Baltimore... 6/5... 3... 2... 27 vs. Seattle... 0/0... 0... 0... 0 @ Indianapolis... 3/3... 1... 2... 13 @ Houston... 2/2... 1... 1... 10 vs. Tennessee... 3/3... 2... 1... 17 vs. Jacksonville... 1/1... 1... 0... 7 @ Arizona... 2/2... 2... 0... 14 vs. New England... 2/2... 2... 0... 14 vs. Baltimore... 2/2... 1... 1... 10 Total... 21/20... 13... 7... 122 Five & 10: The Steelers rank in the top five in the AFC and/or the top 10 in the NFL in several team and individual categories in 2011. Following is a list of those rankings: Pittsburgh Steelers - 2011 AFC/NFL Rankings Team Offense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Total Yards/Game... 389.1... 4th/9th Yards Per Play... 6.0... 3rd/8th Passing Net Yards/Game... 278.8... 3rd/8th Passing Net Yards/Play... 7.2... 4th/9th First Downs Per Game... 22.0... 3rd/6th Third Down Efficiency... 51.7%... 2nd/3rd Team Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Total Yards/Game... 280.2... 3rd/3rd Yards Per Play... 4.7... 2nd/2nd Rushing Yards/Game... 95.6... 4th/6th Passing Net Yards/Game... 184.7... 3rd/3rd Passing Net Yards/Play... 4.9... 1st/2nd Points Per Game... 18.0... 4th/5th Net Yards Per Game Differential... 108.9... 2nd/2nd Yards Allowed On First Downs... 4.43... 1st/1st Special Teams Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Punt Return Average (offense)... 11.3... 5th/9th Kickoff Return Average (offense)... 28.1... 2nd/4th Punt Return Average (defense)... 4.4... 1st/2nd Individual Offense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Roethlisberger (Passer Rating)... 94.1... 2nd/7th Roethlisberger (Attempts)... 321... T-1st/T-2nd Roethlisberger (Completions)... 203... 2nd/3rd Roethlisberger (Completion Percentage)... 63.2... 4th/7th Roethlisberger (Passing Yards)... 2,632... 2nd/3rd Roethlisberger (Average Gain)... 8.2... 2nd/5th Roethlisberger (Passing TDs)... 15... T-2nd/T-5th Roethlisberger (3rd Down Passer Rating). 111.2... 1st/3rd Roethlisberger (3rd Down Passing Yards).. 858... 1st/1st Wallace (Receptions)... 47... 2nd/T-5th Wallace (Receiving Yards)... 868... 2nd/3rd Wallace (Receiving Touchdowns)... 6... T-1st/T-2nd A. Brown (3rd Down Receptions)... 16... 1st/T-2nd Redman (3rd Down And One Rushing) 100.0 (5/5)... T-1st/T-1st Individual Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Woodley (Sacks)... 9.0... 1st/T-4th Individual Special Teams Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) A. Brown (Punt Return Average)... 11.9... 4th/8th A. Brown (Kickoff Return Average)... 28.7... 4th/6th COACHING NOTES Strong Out Of The Gate: The Steelers started 6-2 for the fifth consecutive season under Tomlin. He became the only coach in Steelers history and in the NFL (since 1978) to open each of his first five seasons with at least six wins through the first eight games. This season marked the 14th time since 1978 that Pittsburgh has opened the season with at least six wins in their first eight games. In 13 of those cases the Steelers went on to make the playoffs. Pittsburgh won their first four home games for the third time in five seasons under Tomlin. In Week 2, Pittsburgh won its fifth straight home opener under Head Coach Mike Tomlin. He is the only Steelers head coach to win his first five home openers. Under Tomlin the Steelers are 14-5 (.737) in the month of October, the third best winning percentage in the NFL in October since 2007 (New England,.857; New York Giants,.800). Primetime Specialist: Head Coach Mike Tomlin is 16-6 overall in primetime games, including an 8-3 record on the road, with the Week Three win at Indianapolis. He is 6-0 on Monday Night Football, 6-5 on Sunday Night Football and 4-1 on Thursday Night Football. Tomlin joined only Bill Cowher (Steelers), Tom Flores (Raiders), Steve Mariucci (49ers), George Siefert (49ers) and Don Shula (Colts, Dolphins) as coaches to win their first six Monday Night Football games. Our House: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 28-9 regularseason record at Heinz Field in his five seasons in Pittsburgh. For the third time in Tomlin s five seasons, the Steelers started 4-0 at home this season. In Control: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns an 18-8 all-time mark against teams in the AFC North. Tomlin owns an impressive 10-3 record against divisional foes at Heinz Field. Tomlin Versus the NFC: Following Week 7 s victory over the Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Mike Tomlin improved his regularseason record to 13-5 against NFC teams in his fifth season at the helm of the Steelers.