Game #11 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) at Cleveland Browns (2-8) Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012 1 p.m. (ET) Cleveland Browns Stadium Cleveland, Ohio Game #11 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) at Cleveland Browns (2-8) Date: Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012 Kickoff: 1 p.m., ET Site: Cleveland Browns Stadium (73,300) Cleveland, Ohio Playing Surface: Natural Grass TV Coverage: CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2) Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) Solomon Wilcots (analyst) Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970) Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (analyst) Craig Wolfley (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: 61-29 (.678)/sixth season Regular-season record at Pittsburgh: 61-29 (.678)/sixth season Playoff Record/Years: 5-3/four years Cleveland Browns Head Coach Pat Shurmur Overall regular-season record: 6-20 (.231)/second season Regular-season record at Cleveland: 6-20 (.231)/second season Playoff Record/Years: n/a 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 2012 Schedule/Results Preseason (3-1) Thursday, Aug. 9 at Philadelphia L, 23-24 (KDKA) Sunday Aug. 19 INDIANAPOLIS W, 26-24 (NBC) Saturday, Aug. 25 at Buffalo W, 38-7 (KDKA) Thursday, Aug. 30 CAROLINA W, 17-16 (KDKA) Regular Season (6-4) Sunday, Sept. 9 at Denver L, 19-31 (NBC) Sunday, Sept. 16 NEW YORK JETS W, 27-10 (CBS) Sunday, Sept. 23 at Oakland L, 31-34 (CBS) Sunday, Sept. 30 BYE Sunday, Oct. 7 PHILADELPHIA W, 16-14 (FOX) Thursday, Oct. 11 at Tennessee L, 23-26 (NFL Net./WPCW) Sunday, Oct. 21 at Cincinnati W, 24-17 (NBC) Sunday, Oct. 28 WASHINGTON W, 27-12 (FOX) Sunday, Nov. 4 at New York Giants W, 24-20 (CBS) Monday, Nov. 12 KANSAS CITY W, 16-13, OT (ESPN) Sunday, Nov. 18 BALTIMORE L, 10-13 (NBC) Sunday, Nov. 25 at Cleveland 1 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Dec. 2 at Baltimore 4:25 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Dec. 9 SAN DIEGO 1 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Dec. 16 at Dallas 4:25 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Dec. 23 CINCINNATI 1 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Dec. 30 CLEVELAND 1 p.m. (CBS) Times and TV Network may change due to NFL flexible scheduling Postseason Sat.-Sun., Jan. 5-6 Wild Card Weekend (NBC, CBS & FOX) Sat.-Sun., Jan. 12-13 Divisional Playoff Games (CBS & FOX) Sunday, Jan. 20 Conference Championships (CBS & FOX) Sunday, Jan. 27 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl (Hawaii) (NBC) Sunday, Feb. 3 Super Bowl XLVII (New Orleans) (CBS) 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. In Tomlin s first five years as head coach, he guided the Steelers defense to the NFL s top ranking in total defense three times. He has also sent a total of 36 selections to the league s annual Pro Bowl, including five following the 2011 season. Tomlin has reached the playoffs four times in his first five seasons, including two trips to the Super Bowl (winning Super Bowl XLIII). 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 is the only head coach in Steelers history to lead the team to two Super Bowls in his first four seasons at the helm, including an appearance against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. He is one of only two Steelers head coaches to win three division titles in his first four seasons. Tomlin has compiled a 61-29 record in the regular season during his head coaching career. Tomlin reached 60 regularseason wins in 88 games, tying Chuck Knox (88) for the fourthfewest games to reach 60 career victories among coaches who began their career since 1970. In 2011, Tomlin led the Steelers to a 12-4 record, marking the second straight season the team has posted 12 wins, which marks only the second time in team history it has been achieved. The Steelers finished the 2011 season with the top-ranked total defense (271.8 ypg) and scoring defense (14.2 ppg). Pittsburgh posted a 7-1 record at home in 2011, upping his record at Heinz Field in his five seasons as head coach to 31-9. The Steelers finished second in total defense under Tomlin s guidance in 2010, allowing only 276.8 yards per game. Pittsburgh led the NFL and set a team record in rushing defense, yielding only 62.8 yards per game (1,004 yards), the third-best total in NFL history dating back to 1970. The Steelers also established an NFL record in 2010 by not allowing an opponent to rush for more than 75 yards in any of their first eight games during the regular season. In all, the Steelers defense led the NFL in 2010 in rushing yards allowed, points allowed (232), touchdowns (22), quarterback sacks (48), rushing average (3.0), yards per play (4.5) and yards allowed on first down (4.08). Tomlin was a three-year starter at wide receiver at William and Mary (1990-94) and finished his career with 101 receptions for 2,054 yards and 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. PAT SHURMUR was named the 13th full-time head coach in Browns history on January 13, 2011. In 12 seasons as an NFL assistant, Shurmur was a member of teams that have qualified for the playoffs seven times, won five division titles and appeared in one Super Bowl. Shurmur s most recent job was as the St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator from 2009-10, where he helped shape young quarterback Sam Bradford. Prior to that he spent 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2008), the first three coaching tight ends and the last seven as the quarterbacks coach. He also coached collegiately at Michigan (1988-97) and Stanford (1998). STEELERS RADIO COVERAGE For the 14th 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 third straight year, all Steelers games will be broadcast in Spanish on Estadio W (730 AM). For the 19th straight season, Bill Hillgrove serves as the Voice of the Steelers and handles play-by-play duties for the broadcast. Joining Hillgrove for his 15th season as an expert analyst is Tunch Ilkin, the former Steelers All-Pro offensive tackle. Joining the team for his 10th season is former Steelers 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 (33) Allentown-WSAN (1470) Altoona-WVAM (1430) Altoona-WRKY (104.9) Beaver Falls-WBVP (1230) Beaver Falls-WMBA (1460) Bedford-WBVE (107.5) 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-WHGB (1400) Harrisburg-WTPA (95.3) Indiana-WCCS (1160) Johnstown-WRKW (99.1) Johnstown-WNTJ (850) Latrobe-WCNS (1480) Manchester Twp.-WGLD (1440) Punxsutawney-WPXZ (104.1) Reading-WIOV (1240) Saegertown-WUUZ (94.3) Selinsgrove-WVSL (1240) Somerset-WNTW (990) State College-WRSC (103.1) Uniontown-WMBS (590) Washington-WJPA (1450) 2012 AFC North Standings W L T Pct. Pts. Opp. Baltimore 8 2 0.800 267 206 Pittsburgh 6 4 0.600 217 190 Cincinnati 5 5 0.500 248 237 Cleveland 2 8 0.200 189 234 This Week in the AFC North: Sunday, Nov. 25: Pittsburgh (6-4) at Cleveland (2-8), 1 p.m. (CBS, locally KDKA-TV, channel 2) Oakland (3-7) at Cincinnati (5-5), 1 p.m. (CBS) Baltimore (8-2) at San Diego (4-6), 4:25 p.m. (CBS) All times are Eastern. Williamsport-WCXR (93.3) Williamsport-WZXR (103.7) OHIO (4) Fremont-WOHF (92.1) Toledo-WCWA (1230) Westerville-WTDA (103.9) Youngstown-WNIO (1390) MARYLAND (4) Cumberland-WTBO (1450) Frostburg-WFRB (560) Hagerstown-WHAG (1410) Ocean City-WQMR (104.3/1590) WEST VIRGINIA (5) Fairmont-WRLF (94.3) Fairmont-WMMN (920) New Martinsville-WXCR (92.3) St. Mary s-wjaw (630) Wheeling-WWVA (1170) MEXICO (15) Mexico City-Imagen (90.5) Bajio-Imagen (105.9) Cancun-Imagen (90.7) Chihuahua-Imagen (97.3) Colima-Imagen (89.3) Guadalajara-Imagen (93.9) Laredo-Imagen (94.1) Mexicali-Imagen (105.5) Monterrey-Imagen (107.7) Puebla-Imagen (105.1) Queretaro-Imagen (94.7) Satillo-Imagen (94.7) San Luis Potosi (1100) Tampico (103.1) Torreon (100.3)
STEELERS PRONUNCIATIONS Willie Colon... (ka-loan) Ramon Foster... (ra-mone) Brett Keisel... (KEE-sull) Keenan Lewis... (KEY-nin) 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 Cleveland Browns Conference Call: Cleveland Browns Head Coach Pat Shurmur and the Browns RB Trent Richardson will be available for interviews via conference call on Wednesday, Nov. 21, in the Steelers media work room. Shurmur will call at 12:05 p.m. and Richardson will call around 2:45-3 p.m. Weekly Press Conference: Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin will conduct a press conference on Tuesday, Nov. 20, at noon in the Steelers media workroom at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex. 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. STEELERS LAST GAME Baltimore 13, Pittsburgh 10 Sunday, Nov. 18 Pittsburgh, Pa. (Heinz Field) Pittsburgh Team Notes: Including the postseason, seven of the last eight games between Pittsburgh and Baltimore have been decided by a touchdown or less, including five decided by a field goal. Pittsburgh accumulated more passing yards than their oppoenent for the 17th straight home game, breaking the NFL record of the 2000 and 2001 St. Louis Rams who registered more passing yards than their opponents in 16 consecutive home games. The Steelers fell to 18-15 against Baltimore during the regular season, including 10-7 at home. Pittsburgh is 76-52 all-time on primetime during the regular season, including 40-13 at home. Steelers Overall Record Steelers Record at Home Thursday Night 8-6 6-1 Saturday Night 10-4 4-1 Sunday Night 18-19 6-6 Monday Night 40-23 24-5 Overall 76-52 40-13 Pittsburgh s defense held Baltimore to one field on two trips inside the 20-yard line. The Steelers controlled the ball for 32:51 compared to 27:09 for the Ravens. Pittsburgh outgained Baltimore 311-to-200 in total net yards. The Steelers defense only allowed the Ravens to score six points, total 200 net yards (47 rushing yards, 153 passing yards), convert 3-of-14 (21%) third downs and forced Baltimore to punt eight times. Pittsburgh held QB Joe Flacco to 20-of-32 passing for 164 yards and passer rating of 75.5. Pittsburgh s defense held the opposing quarterback to a passer rating of 76.0 or less for the sixth straight game and the seventh time this season. The Pittsburgh defense extended its regular-season streak of holding teams under 300 net passing yards to 33 games. The last time the Steelers allowed a team to record at least 300 net passing yards was on 11/14/10 vs. New England (350). For the fifth game in a row and the seventh time this season the Steelers did not allow their opponent to register at least 170 net passing yards. THIS WEEK S SCHEDULE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) Tuesday, Nov. 20 Wednesday, Nov. 21 Thursday, Nov. 22 Friday, Nov. 23 Saturday, Nov. 24 Sunday, Nov. 25 Monday, Nov. 26 Noon - Coach Tomlin Press Conference (ROOT Sports) No Player Availability Open locker room 12:30-1 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. Practice: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Coach Tomlin available upon request after practice Coordinators available on field after practice Open locker room 1-1:30 p.m. Practice: 10:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Open locker room 12:30-1 p.m. No media availability 1 p.m. (ET) Away Game at Cleveland Browns (Cleveland Browns Stadium) CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2) TBA
For the eighth time this season, Pittsburgh s defense held its opponent to less than 100 net yards rushing. Pittsburgh s defense limited Baltimore RB Ray Rice to 13 yards on 10 carries in the first half, marking his lowest rushing total in a first half since 10/24/11 when the Jacksonville Jaguars held Rice to nine yards on four carries. The Steelers defense held the Ravens to consecutive threeand-outs on their first two drives of the game, including holding them to a field goal after Baltimore recovered a Pittsburgh fumble and returned it to the Steelers 14-yard line midway through the first quarter. With a two-play drive that traveled 80 yards and resulted in a touchdown, the Steelers offense has now scored points on their opening drive of the game six times this season. The Steelers defense held the Ravens to first half season low in rushing yards (20). QB Ben Roethlisberger, CB DeMarcus Van Dyke, S Troy Polamalu, LB Stevenson Sylvester, LB Adrian Robinson, T Marcus Gilbert and WR Antonio Brown were inactive for the Steelers. Pittsburgh Individual Notes: QB Byron Leftwich On the first drive of the game, registered a career long 31-yard touchdown run. It was Leftwich s 10 th career rushing touchdown. Leftwich recorded his previous long run, 18 yards, as a rookie in 2003. Leftwich s 31-yard touchdown run was Pittsburgh s third longest run of the season. It was the longest run by a Steelers quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger ran 31 yards on 11/21/10 vs. Oakland. Played his seventh regular-season game and made his first start as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Leftwich s last start came on 9/27/09 vs. New York Giants when he was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fell to 24-26 as a starting quarterback during the regular season. RB Rashard Mendenhall Started at running back after missing the past four games due to an Achilles injury. Recorded 33 rushing yards and 17 receiving yards. RB Jonathan Dwyer Finished with a game-high 55 yards rushing on 12 carries (4.6 avg.) and tied for second on the team with three receptions. WR Emmanuel Sanders Recorded a game high and career-high 82 yards receiving on three receptions. On third-and-two at the Pittsburgh 23-yard line, hauled in a careerlong 37-yard reception to the Baltimore 40-yard line on the first possession of the third quarter. It marked Sanders third reception this season of at least 30 yards (31 at Cin, 10/21; 31 vs. KC, 11/ 12). With three receptions for 82 receiving yards against the Ravens, Sanders has recorded at least one reception in a career-best 16 consecutive games played, including the 2011 regular and postseason. WR Mike Wallace On the first offensive play of the game, earned a 42-yard pass interference penalty to put the Steelers at the Ravens 38-yard line. The drive resulted in a touchdown. Registered a team-high four receptions for 26 yards. LB James Harrison Finished with eight tackles (six solo), one sack, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit. On third-and-two with under two minutes left in the game, Harrison sacked QB Joe Flacco for a loss of three yards, forcing a punt. Harrison has 60.0 sacks for his career, tying Joey Porter for the second most by a Steeler since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Rk. Player Sacks 1. Jason Gildon (1994-2003) 77.0 2. James Harrison (2002-Present) 60.0 Joey Porter (1999-2006) 60.0 3. Keith Willis (1982-91) 59.0 LB LaMarr Woodley On third-and-eight, registered an eight-yard sack of QB Joe Flacco on the first play of the fourth quarter, forcing a punt. Including the postseason, Woodley has 10.5 sacks in 12 games versus Baltimore, marking the most sacks he has registered against any team. Woodley now has four sacks on the season and 52.0 for his career, 1.5 behind Greg Lloyd (53.5, 1988-97) for the fifth-most sacks by a Steelers player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. CB Keenan Lewis Led team with a career-high 10 tackles (eight solo) with one tackle for loss and two passes defensed. CB Ike Taylor Led a secondary that held Ravens WR Torrey Smith to one reception for seven yards while being targeted seven times. Played in his 133 rd consecutive game, the longest active streak among NFL cornerbacks. The next closest cornerback is former Pittsburgh corner and current Arizona Cardinal William Gay with 89 consecutive games played. S Ryan Clark Registered his second forced fumble of the season to tie his single-season career high set in 13 games in 2005, when Clark played for Washington. P Drew Butler Registered a career-high eight punts for 357 yards (44.6 avg. and 35.4 net average) with a career-best four landing inside the 20-yard line. 2012 REGULAR SEASON STATISTICAL COMPARISON Steelers Category Browns 21.7... Points Scored Per Game... 18.9 19.0... Points Allowed Per Game... 23.4 20.5... First Downs Per Game... 17.1 349.8... Total Yards Per Game... 311.9 106.8... Rushing Yards Per Game... 92.2 243.0... Passing Yards Per Game... 219.7 18... Sacks By... 26 5... Interceptions By... 10 34:08... Avg. Time of Possession... 26:52 22... Touchdowns... 19 5... Rushing Touchdowns... 6 17... Passing Touchdowns... 11 0... Touchdowns on Returns... 2 21-22... Field Goals... 19-19 42.2... Punting Avg.... 42.9 8.4... Punt Return Avg.... 14.2 27.0... Kickoff Return Avg.... 26.0
CELEBRATING 80 SEASONS This season marks the 80 th in Steelers history and the team is celebrating its tremendous fan base. Below are a few of many events that are occuring to celebrate 80 years of Steelers football. My Pittsburgh Steelers On April 2, the Steelers gave fans a special opportunity to have their image appear on Steelers tickets during the 2012 season during the 80 th season celebration, The Year of the Fan. Starting on April 2 and running through April 20, fans were able to submit a 15- second video to Steelers.com saying their three words about, My Pittsburgh Steelers. On April 28th, 10 lucky fans were chosen to be on the face of Steelers tickets: Chris Pittman, Steve Harrison, Angelo Cammarata, Deb Neil, Benjamin and Brian Neas, Andre L. Brown, Quinn Hoerner, Theodore M. Broadnax, The Dearing Family, Mark and Corey Christofel. Throwback Jerseys As part of the 80th Season celebration the Steelers wore new throwback jerseys against the Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens this season. The Steelers chose the 1934 jersey as the new throwback because it was a unique part of Steelers history, and it was a uniform that had not been worn since that season. Terrible Towel Wall/Steelers Fan Blitz The Terrible Towel Wall was unveiled on April 27 in the Great Hall at Heinz Field. The wall not only celebrates Steelers history but the legacy of the towel itself. 80 th Season Celebration Weekend (November 17-18) The Saturday evening before the Steelers played the Baltimore Ravens, Heinz Field hosted the 2012 Taste of the Steelers event, which was dedicated to the 80 th Season Celebration Game. The event featured players from most decades in the 80-year history of the Steelers. The alumni were also honored during halftime of Pittsburgh s Sunday night game against Baltimore. Immaculate Reception Monument In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the most memorable play in NFL history, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Senator John Heinz History Center, in conjunction with Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI), will be unveiling an Immaculate Reception monument near Heinz Field during a special ceremony on Saturday, December 22, the day prior to the 40 th anniversary of the play and the Steelers game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field. The unveiling will take place at the actual site of the Immaculate Reception, which is located between Heinz Field and Stage AE. Also, on Sunday, December 23, which is the actual anniversary of the Immaculate Reception, the Steelers will salute Harris and his teammates at halftime of the game against the Bengals. Additionally, the Steelers and the Heinz History Center will be running a fundraising campaign that will give fans an opportunity to commemorate the play with Immaculate Reception collectibles. For more information, fans are encouraged to visit www.heinzhistorycenter.org to learn how to participate in the campaign. Portions of the proceeds will go to the Heinz History Center. STEELERS AND UPMC SPORTS MEDICINE ANNOUNCE CONCUSSION AWARENESS PROGRAM, DON T HIT THE HEAD, DON T USE THE HEAD On August 29, the Pittsburgh Steelers and UPMC Sports Medicine announced a new program that will raise awareness and promote safe play among high school, middle school and youth football players. Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin as well as Dr. Micky Collins, clinical and executive director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, will serve as spokespersons for the initiative, which was derived from a saying that Tomlin uses with the Steelers Don t hit the head, Don t use the head in regards to safe play. The program will provide a letter from Coach Tomlin and Dr. Collins and a fact sheet about the UPMC concussion program. Additionally, there is a website (/playsmart) for athletes and coaches to access videos about concussion awareness, symptoms and management from UPMC, and a link to information through USA Football s Head s Up Football program with the NFL (http://videos.usafootball.com/ pagesheadsupfootball/) that promotes coaching education, proper equipment fitting as well as a set of recommended standards for parents, coaches and leagues. STEELERS TRAVEL TO LONDON IN 2013 The Pittsburgh Steelers will travel to London to take on the Minnesota Vikings at historic Wembley Stadium on Sunday, September 29, 2013. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET. It will be the first of two regular-season games played at Wembley Stadium next season with the Jacksonville Jaguars hosting the San Francisco 49ers on October 27, 2013. We are thrilled that our players and Steelers fans around the world will be able to enjoy the atmosphere at historic Wembley Stadium, said Steelers President Art Rooney II. The game will mark the first time the Steelers have played in London, as well as the first time they have played a regular season game outside of the United States. The international series of regular-season games to date has contributed to increased NFL fan interest in the UK, with a current fan base of 11 million, including more than two million avid fans, a 32 percent increase in the past two years. The following is a list of the previous games the Steelers have played internationally since 1965, all taking place during the preseason: Date Location Opponent Result August 14, 2008 Toronto Buffalo L, 24-21 August 19, 2000 Mexico City Indianapolis L, 24-23 July 27, 1997 Dublin Chicago W, 30-17 July 27, 1996 Tokyo San Diego L, 20-10 August 1, 1993 Barcelona San Francisco L, 21-14 August 9, 1990 Montreal New England W, 30-14 September 11, 1969 Montreal N.Y. Giants W, 17-13
STEELERS-BROWNS SERIES HISTORY Series History: Series began in 1950 Overall: Steelers lead 62-56 At Pittsburgh: Steelers lead 38-21 At Cleveland: Browns lead 35-24 Neutral Sites: n/a Last Regular-Season Meeting: Jan. 1, 2012 (in Cleveland) Pittsburgh 13, Cleveland 9 Postseason Series: Pittsburgh leads 2-0 Last Postseason Meeting: Jan. 5, 2002 (in Pittsburgh) Pittsburgh 36, Cleveland 33 (AFC Wildcard Playoff) (postseason record not included in overall series record) Aside from 1996-1998 (when the Browns were not in existence), Pittsburgh and Cleveland have played each other at least twice every season since the onset of the rivalry in 1950 the Steelers have swept the past two season series with Cleveland and have won 16 of the last 17 meetings dating back to the second game of the 2003 series...since the turn of the century, Cleveland has mustered only three wins in the series (one in 2000, 2003 and 2009) the three Steelers quarterbacks (Ben Roethlisberger, Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch) have a combined 21-2 record against Cleveland in their careers with a win, Pittsburgh would own at least a five-game winning streak for the sixth different time in the series Cleveland has not swept Pittsburgh in the season series since 1988, while Pittsburgh claims 11 season sweeps since 1988 of the three losses Pittsburgh has suffered since 2000, two of them have taken place at Cleveland Browns Stadium. STEELERS-BROWNS CONNECTIONS Local Connections Steelers quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner was born in Cleveland. Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler was on the Browns staff from 1999-2002. Steelers defensive line coach John Mitchell was on the Browns staff from 1991-1993. Steelers LB James Harrison was born in Akron, Ohio, less than an hour south of Cleveland. Harrison attended Coventry High School in Akron, and then attended Kent State University. Browns linebackers coach Bill Davis was born in nearby Youngstown, Ohio. Davis was on the Steelers staff from 1992-1994. Browns quarterbacks coach Mark Whipple was on the Steelers staff from 2004-2006. Browns DE Jabaal Sheard played collegiately at University of Pittsburgh. Sheard earned first-team All-America honors in 2010. Sheard was drafted by the Browns in the second round (37th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. Browns S Ray Ventrone was born in Pittsburgh and attended Chartiers Valley High School. He originally signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2005 after finishing his collegiate career at Villanova University. Pro Connections Pittsburgh Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Browns offensive coordinator Brad Childress were both on the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff in 2006. Tomlin was in his only season as the Vikings defensive coordinator before taking the head job in Pittsburgh in 2007 and Childress was in his first year as Minnesota s head coach. Tomlin was in his final season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive backs coach in 2005 when Browns TE/FB Alex Smith was in his rookie season in the NFL. Also, Steelers S Will Allen and Smith were teammates with the Bucs from 2005-2008. Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley and Browns defensive assistant Chuck Bullough worked together on the Chicago Bears coaching staff from 2001 to 2003. During those years, Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron was the Bears head coach. While Haley was the wide receiver coach/offensive assistant with the New York Jets from 1997-2000, Browns assistant strength and conditioning coach Rick Lyle was a defensive lineman for the Jets. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau was on the Cincinnati Bengals coaching staff in 1980, when Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron played for the Bengals. Jauron was on the Detroit Lions staff from 2004-2005 with Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler. Jauron and Kugler also were on the Buffalo Bills staff together from 2007-2009 when Jauron was the head coach. Steelers tight ends coach James Daniel and Browns linebackers coach Bill Davis were on the Atlanta Falcons staff together from 2001-2003. Steelers WR Jerricho Cotchery and Browns P Reggie Hodges played together for the New York Jets in 2008. Cotchery was also with the Jets when Browns assistant strength and conditioning coach Rick Lyle was on the Jets coaching staff from 2006-2008. Steelers LB Brandon Johnson and Browns DE Frostee Rucker were teammates with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2008-2011. Johnson was a rookie with the Arizona Cardinals in 2006 when Browns wide receivers coach Mike Wilson was in his final season as the Cardinals receivers coach. Steelers wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery played for the Denver Broncos from 2001-2002 when Browns senior assistant-defense coach Ray Rhodes was on the Broncos staff. College Connections Steelers S Troy Polamalu played with Browns DE Frostee Rucker at the University of Southern California during the 2002 season. During the 1999 season, Polamalu s first with the Trojans, Browns wide receivers coach Mike Wilson was on the USC coaching staff. Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey, OT Marcus Gilbert and RB Chris Rainey were teammates with Browns CB Joe Haden at the University of Florida from 2007-2009, and all four men played key roles in the Gators 2009 BCS National Championship. Steelers LB James Harrison and Browns WR Joshua Cribbs were teammates at Kent State University in 2001. Steelers OG Ramon Foster and Browns RB Montario Hardesty were teammates at the University of Tennessee from 2005-2008. Browns OL Jarrod Shaw was also a member of the Vols with Foster and Hardesty from 2006-2008. Steelers CB Curtis Brown and Browns QB Colt McCoy and RB Chris Ogbonnaya were teammates at the University of Texas from 2007-2009. Steelers NT Casey Hampton and Browns K Phil Dawson from played together at Texas from 1996-1997. Steelers P Drew Butler and Browns WR Mohamed Massaquoi were teammates at the University of Georgia from 2007-2008. Steelers TE David Paulson and Browns SS T.J. Ward played together at the University of Oregon from 2007-2009. Steelers TE Leonard Pope was a University of Georgia Bulldog with Browns TE Benjamin Watson in 2003. Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake was on the UCLA Bruins staff in 2009 when Browns LS Christian Yount played for the Bruins. Browns defensive assistant Chuck Bullough was also on the Bruins staff in 2009.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES If Pittsburgh wins, it will be 63-56 against the Browns during the regular season, including 36-24 in Cleveland. The Steelers are looking for their fifth consecutive win over Cleveland. If it happens it would be the sixth different time that Pittsburgh has won at least five straight games against the Browns. Pittsburgh is hoping to register its 17th win in the last 18 games against the Browns. The Steelers are looking to improve to 12-2 at Cleveland since 1999. Pittsburgh is hoping to hold its eighth opponent this season (sixth straight) to 20 points or less. The Steelers are looking to improve to 23-4 against Cleveland during the regular season since the Browns returned to the NFL in 1999. Pittsburgh has registered the most wins in the NFL against Cleveland over that time period (second is Baltimore 21-7). Pittsburgh is looking to improve to 403-254-2 during the regular season since 1970. If Pittsburgh wins it will mark the Steelers third consecutive road victory (Cincinnati, New York Giants). The Steelers defense is looking to keep its ninth opponent to under 100 yards rushing this season. If Pittsburgh holds Cleveland to less than 170 net passing yards it will mark the sixth game in a row and the eighth time this season the Steelers did not allow their opponent to register at least 170 net passing yards. The Pittsburgh defense is looking to extend its regular-season streak of holding teams under 300 net passing yards to 34 games. The last time the Steelers allowed a team to record at least 300 net passing yards was on 11/14/10 vs. New England (350). The Steelers offense is looking to score points on their opening drive of the game for the seventh time this season and also on the opening drive of the second half for the seventh time this season. Pittsburgh s defense will try and hold the opposing quarterback to a passer rating of 76.0 or less for the seventh straight game and the eighth time this season. The Steelers defense is looking to register at least one takeaway for the ninth game this season. Pittsburgh is looking to record its fourth individual 100-yard rushing performance of the season for the first time since Willie Parker (4) and Mewelde Moore (1) combined for five 100+ yard rushing games in 2008. PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES Head Coach Mike Tomlin If Pittsburgh wins, will improve to 62-29 during the regular season. Looking to improve to 10-1 against the Browns, including 5-1 in Cleveland. QB Ben Roethlisberger If Roethlisberger registers at least 134 passing yards, he will become the 25th quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 29,000 yards and run for at least 1,000 yards during the regular season. Looking to record a passer rating of 120.0+ for the fourth time this season, which would tie for the second most times he has registered a passer rating of at least 120.0 in the same regular season (four in 2004 / five in 2009). Is looking to throw for at least 360 yards for the third time this season, which would tie 2011 (3) for the second most times he has thrown for at least 360 yards in one season (2009, 4). RB Jonathan Dwyer Looking to eclipse 100 yards rushing for the third time this season. It would mark the most 100-yard rushing games by a Steelers player during one regular season since Rashard Mendenhall registered three 100+ yard rushing games in 2010. RB Rashard Mendenhall Is one rushing touchdown shy of becoming the fifth player in franchise history with 30 career rushing touchdowns. TE Heath Miller Needs one receiving touchdown to pass Elbie Nickel (37) for the most receiving touchdowns by a Steelers tight end. Is two receiving touchdowns away from tying Louis Lipps (39) for the fifth most in franchise history. Is one receiving touchdown shy of tying his single-season career high of seven, set in 16 games in 2007. WR Mike Wallace If he records at least 100 yards receiving, it will mark the 14th 100- yard game of his career. With 3,771 receiving yards, Wallace needs 65 yards to pass Santonio Holmes (3,835 yards, 2006-09) for the 10th-most in franchise history. WR Emmanuel Sanders Looking to record at least one reception in a career-best 17 consecutive games played, including the 2011 regular and postseason. LB James Harrison Needs half a sack to pass Joey Porter (60.0) for second place on the Steelers sacks list, dating back to 1982 when sacks became an official statistic. LB LaMarr Woodley Needs 1.5 sacks to tie Greg Lloyd (53.5, 1988-97) for the fifth most sacks by a Steelers player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Looking to tie his single-season career high (2010) with his second interception of the season. LB Jason Worilds Needs one sack to pass his single-season career high of three, set in 12 games last season. CB Ike Taylor Looking to extend his consecutive games played streak to 134 games. S Troy Polamalu Needs one interception to become the ninth Steelers player to record 30 career interceptions. With one fumble return for a touchdown, will tie Jason Gildon (3) for the most fumbles returned for touchdowns in franchise history. Is one defensive touchdown shy of tieing Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff and Jack Butler (5) for the second-most defensive touchdowns in Steelers history (Rod Woodson, 6). Needs one interception return for a touchdown to tie Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff, Deshea Townsend and Tony Campagno (3) for the fourth-most in franchise history.
TEAM NOTES Turning It Around With Defense: After starting 2-3, the Steelers have won four of their last five to improve to 6-4. Much of Pittsburgh s success over the last five weeks has been fueled by defense. In the last five games the Steelers have not allowed an opponent to score more than 20 points. Pittsburgh has held three of the last five teams to 200 or less total net yards (Cincinnati, 185 / New York Giants, 182 / Baltimore Ravens, 200). Below is the Steelers stats in the first five games compared to the last five games: Games 1-5 Games 6-10 Record 2-3 4-1 Total Net Yards Allowed 1,479 (295.8) 1,112 (222.4) Net Rushing Yards Allowed 475 (95.0) 423 (84.6) Net Passing Yards Allowed 1,004 (200.8) 689 (137.8) Points Allowed 115 (23.0) 75 (15.0) Points Allowed - 4th Quarter 47 (9.4) 6 (1.2) The Steelers defense has been especially tough on opposing quarterbacks, allowing only two passing touchdowns compared to three interceptions in the last five games. Pittsburgh has not allowed a quarterback to register a passer rating of at least 76.0 since 10/7/12. The last five quarterbacks the Steelers have faced (Andy Dalton, Robert Griffin III, Eli Manning, Matt Cassel and Joe Flacco) have combined to go 71-of-144 for 725 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions for a passer rating of 60.1. Each of the five quarterbacks has been limited to less than 180 passing yards. Following is a look at how quarterbacks have fared against the Steeler defense in the last five games: Player Cmp. Pct. Yds. TD Int Rtg. A. Dalton 50.0 105 1 1 56.4 R. Griffin III 47.1 177 1 0 72.8 E. Manning 41.6 125 0 1 41.1 M. Cassel 42.3 154 0 1 46.0 J. Flacco 62.5 164 0 0 75.5 Road Warriors: After starting slow on the road this season, Pittsburgh has won its last two games away from Heinz Field with victories over Cincinnati and the New York Giants. The Steelers victory at New York came after the team traveled on the same day it played, something it had not done before for a regular-season game. Dating back to the start of 2007 season, the Steelers are 26-19 on the road. Pittsburgh s 26 road wins are tied for the third most (Green Bay, Indianapolis, New Orleans) in the NFL over that time span. 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. New England 66 35 0.653 Philadelphia 63 37 1.629 Indianapolis 61 40 0.604 Pittsburgh 60 41 0.594 New Orleans 58 43 0.574 New York Giants 58 43 0.574 Limiting What Counts Most: In six of the past seven games Pittsburgh has held its opponent to 20 points or less. The Steelers are 6-1 this season when holding teams to 20 points or fewer. Pittsburgh has allowed the fifth fewest points per game this season (19.0) in the NFL. Pittsburgh has allowed the fewest points in the NFL since the beginning of the 2007 season. Pittsburgh has allowed just 1,465 points during that span. 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 1,465 Baltimore 1,631 New England 1,748 San Francisco 1,728 Steady and Ready: Despite missing 2012 first round pick, guard David DeCastro, and 2011 second round pick, tackle Marcus Gilbert for most of this season the Steelers offensive line has done a nice job clearing the way for Steelers runners. Over the past five weeks the Steelers have rushed for 694 yards on 147 carries (4.7 avg.), including having an individual 100-yard rusher in games 6-8. It marked the first time since since 2007 that the Steelers had an individual 100-yard rusher in three straight games. (Willie Parker, 21-124 at NE, 12/9/07 14-100 vs. Jac 12/ 16/07 Najeh Davenport, 24-123, 1 TD at StL 12/20/07). Player Game Att. Yds. Avg. TDs Jonathan Dwyer 10/21/12 at Cin 17 122 7.2 0 Jonathan Dwyer 10/28/12 vs. Was 17 107 6.3 0 Isaac Redman 11/4/12 at NYG 26 147 5.7 1 The Steelers have registered at least 130 rushing yards and a 4.4 yards per carry in four of their six wins this season. The following is the Steelers rushing totals in wins: Date Opponent Att Yards Avg. 9/16/12 N.Y. JETS 28 66 2.4 10/7/12 PHILADELPHIA 31 136 4.4 10/21/12 at Cincinnati 29 167 5.8 10/28/12 WASHINGTON 27 140 5.2 11/4/12 at N.Y. Giants 35 158 4.5 11/12/12 KANSAS CITY 29 95 3.3 TOTALS 179 762 4.3 Tough In The Air: Week-in and week-out, NFL quarterbacks are continuing to put up monster numbers, except against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers defense boasts the numberone pass defense in the NFL, giving up a total of 169.3 net yards passing per game. The Steelers pass defense also has given up the fewest passing first downs (92) in the league. Pittsburgh s pass defense has allowed the second-fewest completions (169) and the sixth-fewest passes of 25+ yards (13) in the NFL this season. The Steelers have held seven of their 10 opponents to less than 170 net passing yards, six of those coming in their past seven games. Last season marked the first time that Pittsburgh limited at least two teams to under 80 net passing yards during the regular season since 1992 (four teams). Dating back to 1970, it was the ninth time the Steelers defense held opponents under 80 net passing yards multiple times in one regular season (1992-4; 1979-3; 1978-2; 1977-4; 1976-4; 1975-3; 1974-7; 1973-6; 1972-2). Under Head Coach Mike Tomlin (2007-present) the Steelers have given up a league-low 185.0 net passing yards per game during the regular season: Team Net Passing Yards/Game (2007-Present) Pittsburgh 185.0 New York Jets 197.7 Indianapolis 207.2 Philadelphia 210.1 Baltimore 211.0
Since the start of the 2007 season, Pittsburgh s defense has allowed only 97 passing touchdowns, which is the fewest in the NFL over that time span. Primetime Team: Pittsburgh played the final of its orginally scheduled five primetime games this past Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers were one of two teams to appear in five primetime games in the first 11 weeks of the season (Chicago). The Steelers played three of the five primetime games on the road and finished 2-3. Under Head Coach Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh is 20-10 in primetime games, including 7-1 on Monday Night Football. The Steelers 16-13 overtime win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10 was Pittsburgh s 15th consecutive win at home on Monday Night Football, the longest streak in MNF history. The Steelers are one of only two teams in the NFL this season (New York Giants) to have played or have scheduled primetime games in back-to-back weeks twice (Weeks 6-7 and 10-11), and both times the Steelers finished 1-1 in the set of games.the Giants have played in primetime in consecutive weeks once already this season and went 1-1. New York has one more set of primetime games to go in Weeks 12-13. Pittsburgh is one of 11 teams to already play in primtime in back-to-back weeks and out of those 11 teams only two managed to sweep the two-week stint on primetime (Baltimore and San Francisco). The Steelers also played on primetime in back-to-back weeks in 2011 when Pittsburgh beat Cleveland on Thursday night in Week 14 and then lost at San Francisco on Monday night in Week 15. Heinz Field Advantage: The Steelers own the best home record in the NFL with a 238-90-1 record (.725) since 1970. Pittsburgh, currently 4-1 at home, started 4-0 at Heinz Field this season for the fourth time under Head Coach Mike Tomlin (2007, 09, 11). Since the start of the 2011 regular season the Steelers are 11-2 at home during the regular season. Pittsburgh is 69-23-1 (.747) at home since Heinz Field opened in 2001. The Steelers.747 winning percentage in regular-season games at Heinz Field is the third-highest winning percentage of any team at a stadium since 1970 (min. 25 games). Team Stadium Record Win Pct. New England Patriots Gillete Stadium* 71-14-0.835 Miami Dolphins Orange Bowl 101-22-1.819 Pittsburgh Steelers Heinz Field* 69-23-1.747 Minnesota Vikings Metropolitan Stadium 64-23-1.733 L.A. Rams LA Memorial Coliseum 53-20-2.726 *current NFL stadium Note: Ties prior to 1972 do not count in winning percentage The 2011 season marked the first time Pittsburgh finished with a 7-1 record at home since 2007. It was the 12th time since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 that the Steelers won at least seven regular-season games at home, including the fourth time at Heinz Field (2001, 04, 07). In the first five seasons under Head Coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers won at least five games at home each season. The last time Pittsburgh did not win at least five home games in a season was 2003. Since 2004, Pittsburgh and New England are the only teams in the league to register at least five wins at home during each regular season. 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 7-1 2012 4-1 Defense Feels At Home: The Steelers have yielded only 62 points in five home games this season. Pittsburgh s 12.4 points per game allowed at home leads the NFL this season. Team Home GP Points Per Game Allowed at Home Pittsburgh 5 12.4 Chicago 5 13.8 Seattle 5 13.8 San Francisco 5 15.6 In eight home games in 2011, the Steelers allowed a total of 80 points, giving up 10.0 points per game, the lowest in the NFL. It was also the sixth lowest in Steelers history: Year Points Per Game Allowed at Home 1936 8.2 1946 9.0 1974 9.4 2001 9.8 1976 9.9 2011 10.0 Since Dick LeBeau has been defensive coordinator (2004- present), the Steelers have allowed an average of 15.2 points per game at Heinz Field, which is first in the NFL over that time span for points given up at home during the regular season. If You Build It, They Will Come: The Steelers have averaged 62,542 fans in five home games this season. If Pittsburgh holds that average for the rest of the season, it will mark the ninth straight regular season they averaged over 62,000 fans per game. In 2011, Pittsburgh registered a total attendance of 504,279, marking the fourth consecutive season that over 503,000 fans attended games at Heinz Field. Since Heinz Field opened in 2001, Pittsburgh has recorded over 503,000 fans six times. 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 309 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 504,279 63,035 2012 312,709 62,542 Team record
LOOKING AHEAD... The Steelers travel to play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Dec. 2, at M&T Bank Stadium. Kickoff is set for 4:25 p.m. ET and will be televised on CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2). Continued Success: With a victory over the Washington Redskins in Week 8, the Steelers became the first team to reach 400 wins since the 1970 merger of the National and American Football Leagues. 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 402 254 2.612 2. Miami Dolphins 389 267 2.593 3. Dallas Cowboys 386 272 0.587 Controlling The NFC: The Steelers have won 29 of their past 35 regular-season games versus teams in the NFC, dating back to 2003, including a 3-0 record this season. The Steelers are 102-60-1 all-time against the NFC, including 59-19-1 at home. Pittsburgh has won 11 of its last 13 games against NFC opponents. The Steelers have nine 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. Sustaining Success: Pittsburgh has made the playoffs seven times, including in 2011, and won the AFC North five times since the divisional realignment in 2002. The Steelers won the AFC North Division three times in last four years. Although the Steelers finished with an identical 12-4 record in 2011, the Baltimore Ravens won the division and got a first round bye in the playoffs because the Ravens beat the Steelers twice. 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** 8 8 Philadelphia 7 6 Pittsburgh* 7 5 Green Bay** 7 5 San Diego 5 5 *Made the playoffs in 2011 **Won division in 2011 Regular-Season Success: Pittsburgh owns the second-best regular-season record in the NFL since 2000. 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-Present: Team W L T Pct. Playoff Berths New England 146 56 0.723 9 Pittsburgh 133 68 1.661 8 Indianapolis 133 69 0.658 9 Green Bay 127 75 0.629 8 Philadelphia 124 77 1.614 9 Among The Best: The Steelers have 597 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 735 2. Green Bay Packers 715 3. New York Giants 675 4. Pittsburgh Steelers 597* 5. Washington Redskins 579 *Total includes 1943 season when Pittsburgh joined Philadelphia Additionally, Pittsburgh owns the third-best record in the NFL since the free-agency era (since 1993) with a 199-114-1 (.633) record. The Steelers are one of three teams (New England, 205 / Green Bay, 201) to recorded over 180 wins since 1993. 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 205 109 0.653 2. Green Bay Packers 201 113 0.640 3. Pittsburgh Steelers 199 114 1.637 In the Red Zone: The Steelers have converted 32-of-35 red zone opportunities into points this season. The only three times they did not score points in the red zone was when they ended the game by taking a knee, had a 15 point lead with 29 seconds left in the game and decided to run the ball on 4th-and-8 and when the they failed to convert a fake field goal. Following is a look at how the Steelers offense performed in the red zone so far this season: Opponent Att./Scores TDs FGs Pts @ Denver... 4/4... 2... 2... 19 New York Jets... 3/3... 2... 1... 17 @ Oakland... 4/4... 3... 1... 24 Philadelphia... 4/4... 1... 3... 16 @ Tennessee... 3/3... 1... 2... 13 @ Cincinnati... 3/2... 2... 0... 14 Washington... 5/4... 3... 1... 24 @ New York Giants... 4/3... 2... 1... 17 Kansas City... 4/4... 1... 3... 16 Baltimore... 1/1... 0... 1... 3 Total... 35/32... 17... 15... 163 Red Zone Defense: Over the past five games the Steelers defense has only allowed opponents to enter the red zone 12 times and has yielded only five touchdowns. In Week 11 Pittsburgh held Baltimore to one field goal on two trips inside the 20-yard line. Following is a look at how the Steelers defense performed in the red zone so far this season: Opponent Att./Scores TDs FGs Pts @ Denver... 4/3... 2... 1... 17 New York Jets... 2/2... 1... 1... 10 @ Oakland... 4/4... 3... 1... 24 Philadelphia... 3/2... 2... 0... 14 @ Tennessee... 4/4... 2... 2... 20 @ Cincinnati... 2/2... 2... 0... 14 Washington... 3/2... 1... 1... 9 @ New York Giants... 2/2... 1... 1... 10 Kansas City... 3/2... 1... 1... 10 Baltimore... 2/1... 0... 1... 3 Total... 29/24... 15... 9... 131 Five & 10: The Steelers ranked in the top five in the AFC and/or the top 10 in the NFL in several team and individual categories this season. Following is a list of those rankings: Pittsburgh Steelers - 2012 AFC/NFL Rankings Team Offense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Third-Down Efficiency... 47.3... 2nd/2nd Time of Possession... 34:08... 2nd/2nd First Downs Per Game... 20.5... 5th/14th Interceptions Thrown... 5... 2nd/T-2nd Passing Touchdowns... 17... T-5th/T-9th Passer Rating... 93.3... 5th/11th Completions... 234...5th/10th Team Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Points Per Game... 19.0... 2nd/5th