Game #10 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) vs. Oakland Raiders (5-4) Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010 1 p.m. (ET) Heinz Field Pittsburgh, Pa. Game #10 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) vs. Oakland Raiders (5-4) Date: Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010 Kickoff: 1 p.m., ET Site: Heinz Field (65,050) Pittsburgh, Pa. Playing Surface: Natural Grass 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) 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: 37-20 (.649)/fourth season Regular-season record at Pittsburgh: 37-20 (.649)/fourth season Playoff Record/Years: 3-1/two years Oakland Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable Overall Regular-Season Record: 14-23 (.378)/third season Regular-Season Record at Oakland: 14-23 (.378)/third 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 2010 Schedule/Results Preseason (3-1) Saturday, Aug. 14 DETROIT W, 23-7 (KDKA) Saturday, Aug. 21 at New York Giants W, 24-17 (KDKA) Sunday, Aug. 29 at Denver L, 17-34 (FOX) Thursday, Sept. 2 CAROLINA W, 19-3 (KDKA) Regular Season (6-3) Sunday, Sept. 12 ATLANTA W, 15-9 (OT) (FOX) Sunday, Sept. 19 at Tennessee W, 19-11 (CBS) Sunday, Sept. 26 at Tampa Bay W, 38-13 (CBS) Sunday, Oct. 3 BALTIMORE L, 14-17 (CBS) Sunday, Oct. 10 BYE Sunday, Oct. 17 CLEVELAND W, 28-10 (CBS) Sunday, Oct. 24 at Miami W, 23-22 (CBS) Sunday, Oct. 31 at New Orleans L, 10-20 (NBC) Monday, Nov. 8 at Cincinnati W, 27-21 (ESPN) Sunday, Nov. 14 NEW ENGLAND L, 26-39 (NBC) Sunday, Nov. 21 OAKLAND 1 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Nov. 28 at Buffalo 1 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Dec. 5 at Baltimore 8:20 p.m. (NBC) Sunday, Dec. 12 CINCINNATI 1 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Dec. 19 NEW YORK JETS 4:15 p.m. (CBS) Thursday, Dec. 23 CAROLINA 8:20 p.m. (NFL Net./KDKA) Sunday, Jan. 2 at Cleveland 1 p.m. (CBS) Times and TV Network may change due to NFL flexible scheduling Postseason Sat.-Sun., Jan. 8-9 Wild Card Weekend (NBC, CBS & FOX) Sat.-Sun., Jan. 15-16 Divisional Playoff Games (CBS & FOX) Sunday, Jan. 23 Conference Championships (CBS & FOX) Sunday, Jan. 30 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl (Hawaii) (FOX) Sunday, Feb. 6 Super Bowl XLV (Dallas, Texas) (FOX) 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 has compiled a 37-20 record in the regular season during his four-year head coaching career. His.649 winning percentage after three-plus seasons is second-best in team history. By leading the Steelers to a 9-7 record in 2009, Tomlin became only the second Steelers head coach to post winning records after each of his first three seasons. The Steelers offense ranked seventh in the NFL (ninth passing, 19 th rushing) and became the first unit in team history to boast a 4,000-yard passer, two 1,000-yard receivers and a 1,000-yard rusher in the same season. Pittsburgh s defense ranked fifth in the NFL (third vs. run, 16 th vs. pass) while leading the AFC and finishing one shy of the NFL lead with 47 quarterback sacks. The Steelers continued to be dominant at Heinz Field under Tomlin in 2009. Pittsburgh finished with a 6-2 home record in 2009 after finishing 7-1 (2007) and 6-2 (2008) at home during Tomlin s first two seasons. Tomlin s 20-5 record and.800 winning percentage at home after three-plus seasons ranks second in Steelers history. 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 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. 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. 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 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. The Oakland Raiders named TOM CABLE head coach on February 3, 2009. The Raiders named Cable interim head coach on September 30, 2008. Cable, who has 22 years of coaching experience, including four as a head coach at the college level, joined the team as the Raiders offensive line coach in 2007. In 2007, Cable coached a Raiders offensive line that contributed to the Silver and Black finishing sixth in the NFL in both rushing and Inside the 20 touchdown percentage. STEELERS COMMUNICATIONS STAFF Dave Lockett, Communications Coordinator... (412) 432-7822 Burt Lauten, Public Relations/Media Manager... (412) 432-7821 Emily Scerba, Communications Admin. Asst.... (412) 432-7820 Ryan Scarpino, Media Relations Intern... (412) 432-7800 Office Fax... (412) 432-7878 STEELERS RADIO COVERAGE For the 12th consecutive year, WDVE-FM (102.5) and WBGG- AM (970) are carrying all Steelers games. Additionally, Steelers games can be heard on a 64-station network spanning Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland. The Steelers are also broadcasted on 17 stations in Mexico, marking the second straight year their games can be heard throughout Mexico. 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 (4) Bellevue-WOHF (92.1) 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 (17) Grupo Imagen 2010 AFC North Standings W L T Pct. Pts. Opp. Pittsburgh 6 3 0.667 200 162 Baltimore 6 3 0.667 196 165 Cleveland 3 6 0.333 172 182 Cincinnati 2 7 0.222 184 213 This Week in the AFC North: Sunday, Nov. 21: Oakland (5-4) at Pittsburgh (6-3), 1 p.m. (CBS) Buffalo (1-8) at Cincinnati (2-7), 1 p.m. (CBS) Cleveland (3-6) at Jacksonville (5-4), 1 p.m. (CBS) Baltimore (6-3) at Carolina (1-8), 1 p.m. (CBS) All times are Eastern.
STEELERS PRONUNCIATIONS Flozell Adams... (FLOW-zell) Arnaz Battle... (ARE-nez) Crezdon Butler... (CREZ-den) Trai Essex... (TRAY) Ramon Foster... (ra-mone) Keyaron Fox... (KEY-aaron) Brett Keisel... (KEE-sull) Chris Kemoeatu... (kay-moy-ah-too) Keenan Lewis... (KEY-nan) Mewelde Moore... (Muh-WELL-dee) Troy Polamalu... (Pole-uh-MAH-lu) Maurkice Pouncey... (Mar-KEESE POUN-see) Matt Spaeth... (SPAYTH) LaMarr Woodley... (la-marr) MEDIA NOTES Oakland Raiders Conference Call: Oakland Head Coach Tom Cable and RB Darren McFadden will be available for interviews via conference call on Wednesday, Nov. 17, in the Steelers media workroom. Cable will be at 1 p.m. and McFadden will be at 2 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. 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 members.steelers.com and register as a new user. 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 New England 39, Pittsburgh 26 Sunday, Nov. 14 Pittsburgh, Pa. (Heinz Field) Pittsburgh Team Notes: The Steelers fell to 6-3 on the year, including 0-2 on Sunday Night football. Pittsburgh dropped to 13-8 all-time against the Patriots in the regular season. The Steelers are now 9-6 at home in the regular season against the Patriots. Pittsburgh fell to 4-2 against AFC opponents on the year. Pittsburgh is 2-2 at Heinz Field this season. The Steelers fell to 14-16 all-time in Sunday Night games. Pittsburgh is now 13-5 in primetime regular-season games under Head Coach Mike Tomlin. New England scored the game s first points as QB Tom Brady found TE Rob Gronkowski for a 19-yard touchdown pass with 9:48 remaining in the first quarter to make it 7-0. K Shayne Graham booted a 31-yard field goal late in the first quarter to up the Patriots lead to 10-0. The Steelers trimmed the lead to 10-3 with just over five minutes remaining in the first half as K Jeff Reed hit a 22-yard field goal. New England opened the second half with a 10-play scoring drive as Brady and Gronkowski connected again, this time a nineyarder, as the Patriots grabbed a 17-3 lead. Brady scored on a three-yard QB sneak late in the third quarter to make it 23-3 (extra point failed). QB Ben Roethlisberger found rookie WR Emmanuel Sanders for a six-yard touchdown with 12:11 remaining in the game to cut the lead to 23-10. It was Sanders first career touchdown. S James Sanders picked off Roethlisberger and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown to make it 29-10 (two-point conversion failed). On the ensuing drive, Roethlisberger connected with WR Mike Wallace for a 15-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. It was Wallace s team-leading sixth receiving touchdown of the year and matched his season total from his rookie year in 2009. Brady and Gronkowski teamed up for their third touchdown of the game late in the fourth quarter with a 25-yarder to make it 36-18. Roethlisberger found Wallace again later in the fourth quarter for a 33-yard touchdown to make it 36-26 (two-point conversion). Graham booted a 36-yard field goal with 1:53 left in the game to make it the final score of 39-26. The Steelers were outgained 453-425 in total offense, including 103-76 on the ground and 350-349 through the air. Pittsburgh finished with 27 first downs while the Patriots had 26 first downs. The Steelers converted 42 percent (5 of 12) of their third-down attempts while limiting the Patriots to just 30 percent (3 of 10). Tuesday, Nov. 16 Noon - Coach Tomlin Press Conference Wednesday, Nov. 17 1:15-3:15 p.m. - Practice Players available for media interviews at 12:30 p.m. and following practice in locker room THIS WEEK S SCHEDULE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) Thursday, Nov. 18 1-3 p.m. - Practice Players available for media interviews at 12:15 p.m. and following practice in locker room Friday, Nov. 19 10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Practice Players available for media interviews following practice in locker room Saturday, Nov. 20 No coaches or players available for media interviews Sunday, Nov. 21 1 p.m. (EST) Home Game vs. Oakland Raiders (Heinz Field) CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2) Monday, Nov. 22 TBA
New England was penalized 10 times for 113 yards while Pittsburgh was flagged six times for 45 yards. Pittsburgh did not record a sack, but Roethlisberger was sacked five times for 38 yards. QB Charlie Batch (3rd QB), RB Jonathan Dwyer, S Will Allen, OT Chris Scott, OG Chris Kemoeatu, WR Antonio Brown, DE Aaron Smith and DE Brett Keisel were inactive for the Steelers. Pittsburgh Individual Notes: QB Ben Roethlisberger Finished 30-of-49 for 387 yards with three touchdowns and one interception (97.9 passer rating). Tossed a six-yard touchdown pass to WR Emmanuel Sanders in the fourth quarter. Had a 15-yard touchdown pass to WR Mike Wallace later in the fourth quarter. Tossed a 33-yard touchdown pass to Wallace later in the fourth quarter. Marked his 14th career 300-yard passing game, including his second this season. Marked his 15th career regular-season game with at least three touchdown passes. Had one rush for 12 yards. RB Rashard Mendenhall Finished with 50 yards rushing on 11 carries (4.5 avg.). Had a 34-yard run midway through the second quarter. RB Mewelde Moore Rushed four times for 14 yards (3.5 avg.) and caught five passes for 79 yards (15.8 avg.). WR Hines Ward Had his streak of 186 consecutive games with at least one reception snapped after leaving in the first half with a concussion. The streak started on Nov. 9, 1998 versus the Green Bay Packers. It is the third-longest streak in NFL history. WR Mike Wallace Finished with career highs of eight receptions for 136 yards and had two touchdowns. Marked his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game and the fourth of his career. Hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger in the fourth quarter. Had a 33-yard touchdown reception from Roethlisberger later in the fourth quarter, giving him a team-best seven receiving touchdowns on the year. Marked his second career multi-touchdown game. WR Emmanuel Sanders Caught his first career touchdown pass, a six-yarder from Roethlisberger early in the fourth quarter. Finished with five catches for 41 yards (8.2 avg.) with one touchdown. Added six kickoff returns for 156 yards (26.0 avg.), including a 34-yarder. Had two punt returns for 22 yards (11.0 avg.). WR Antwaan Randle El Posted five catches for 66 yards (13.2 avg.) with a long of 20 yards. TE Heath Miller Finished with five receptions for 60 yards (12.0 avg.) with a long of 18 yards. Now has 3,024 career receiving yards, becoming just the second tight end in team history to reach 3,000 yards for his career. Miller is second on the team s all-time behind Elbie Nickel, who finished his career with 5,133 receiving yards. LB James Harrison Tallied four tackles and one QB hurry. LB James Farrior Finished with a team-high 14 tackles (nine solo). S Ryan Clark Had 12 tackles (four solo). CB Bryant McFadden Finished with 10 tackles (nine solo) and one pass defense. STEELERS-RAIDERS SERIES NOTES Series History: Series began in 1970 Overall: Oakland leads 10-8 At Pittsburgh: Oakland leads 5-4 At Oakland: Oakland leads 5-4 Neutral Sites: n/a Last Regular-Season Meeting: Dec. 6, 2009 (in Pittsburgh) Oakland 27, Pittsburgh 24 Postseason Series: Series tied 3-3 (postseason record not included in overall series record) Pittsburgh owns an 8-10 record all-time against the Oakland Raiders in the regular season, including a 4-5 mark at home and a 4-5 record on the road...the series is tied 3-3 in the postseason...this marks the second straight season the teams will play at Heinz Field with the Raiders winning last year s matchup, 27-24...the Steelers have lost two straight in the series, including a 20-13 setback in 2006 at Oakland...the Steelers have a 5-3 record against the Raiders since the start of the Free Agency Era in 1993. TEAM NOTES If You Build It, They Will Come: The Steelers are averaging 64,466 fans in four home games this year, including a seasonhigh 65,168 in Week 6 versus Cleveland. That mark was the fifthhighest attendance total in Heinz Field history, including the postseason. Last season, the Steelers broke two attendance records at Heinz Field. In their Week 7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, the Steelers broke the single-game record. The attendance of 65,597 surpassed the old mark of 65,350 set January 18, 2009, during the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens. For the 2009 season, Pittsburgh averaged 63,458 fans (507,882 total) at home games, breaking the old mark of 63,429 (507,434) in 2005. Pittsburgh has sold out 297 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 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 257,865 64,466 Team record Heinz Field Advantage: The Steelers own the best home record in the NFL with a 224-87-1 record (.720) since 1970. Pittsburgh is 39-12 (.765) at home over the past seven seasons, including a 2-2 record this year. 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 2-2 Steelers-Raiders Connections: Several Steelers have ties to the Raiders and the Oakland area. QB Dennis Dixon (San Leandro), S Troy Polamalu (Garden Grove) and DT Chris Hoke (Long Beach) are from California. Running backs coach Kirby Wilson is from Los Angeles and attended Pasadena Community College. Raiders with ties to the Steelers or Western Pa. include quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett, who was the head coach at Pitt from 1990-92. QB Bruce Gradkowski attended Seton-LaSalle High in Pittsburgh. LB Bruce Davis was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Swarming Defense: The Steelers have been putting on a defensive showcase in 2010. The team has has 21 takeaways in nine games. The following is a quick look at some of the impressive defensive statistics the Steelers have put up in their eight games combined: Category Statistic Total Points Allowed... 162 Points Allowed/First Half (Total)... 58 Touchdowns Allowed... 16 Total Takeaways... 21 Fumbles Recovered... 10 Interceptions... 11 Total Sacks... 24 Total Rushing Yards Allowed... 569 Rushing Yards Allowed/Game... 63.2 Turning Up the Heat: Since 1994, the Steelers have led the AFC in sacks five times and the entire NFL twice. Since 2004, the Steelers have the most sacks in the NFL with 285. The Steelers have 24 sacks in 2010, including a season-high five in Week 6 versus Cleveland. The 24 sacks rank fourth in the AFC and 10th in the NFL. In 2009, the Steelers finished with 47 sacks, ranking first in the AFC and second in the NFL. 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 Several Steelers and Raiders are products of the same colleges, including the following: STEELERS-RAIDERS COLLEGE CONNECTIONS STEELERS COLLEGE RAIDERS Anthony Madison (CB)... Alabama... Rolando McClain (LB) Crezdon Butler (CB)... Clemson... Jacoby Ford (WR) Nick Eason (DE) Maurkice Pouncey (C)... Florida... Cooper Carlisle (OG) Louis Murphy (WR) Bryant McFadden (CB)... Florida State... Mario Henderson (OT) Lawrence Timmons (LB) Sebastian Janikowski (K) Kamerion Wimbley (LB) Hines Ward (WR)... Georgia... Richard Seymour (DE) William Gay (CB)... Louisville... Michael Bush (RB) Chris Johnson (CB) Larry Foote (LB)... Michigan... Stevie Brown (S) LaMarr Woodley (LB) Flozell Adams (OT)... Michigan State... Jeremy Ware (CB) Ramon Foster (OG)... Tennessee... John Henderson (DT) Chris Scott (OT) Casey Hampton (DT)... Texas... Lamarr Houston (DE) Tony Hills (OT) Michael Huff (S) Jonathan Scott (OT) 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... 24 1990... 34 * Team Record Holding Their Ground: Over the past 10 years, Pittsburgh s defense has been among the best at holding its opponents to the fewest rushing yards in the league. The Steelers have allowed just 569 yards rushing on the year, an average of just 63.2 yards per game. That average ranks first in the NFL. In 2009, the Steelers gave up 89.9 yards per game on the ground, which was first in the AFC and third in the NFL. In the past eight seasons, Pittsburgh has allowed an NFL-low nine 100-yard rushers. Baltimore is second with 16. Additionally, since 1994 the Steelers have led the AFC in rushing defense eight times and the entire NFL three times. Following is a look at the number of yards rushing the Steelers have allowed in each of the past 10 seasons: Year Rushing Yds. Allowed Avg./Game AFC/NFL Rank 2001 1,195 74.7 1st/1st 2002 1,375 85.9 1st/1st 2003 1,741 108.8 8th/12th 2004 1,299 81.2 1st/1st 2005 1,376 85.5 3rd/3rd 2006 1,412 88.2 2nd/3rd 2007 1,438 89.9 2nd/3rd 2008 1,284 80.3 1st/2nd 2009 1,438 89.9 1st/3rd 2010 569 63.2 1st/1st Total 13,127 85.8 1st/1st
What To Look For: PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES The Steelers look to improve to 9-10 all-time versus the Oakland Raiders in the regular season. The Steelers look to improve to 5-5 all-time versus the Raiders at home. The Steelers look to improve to 3-2 against the Raiders at Heinz Field. The Steelers look to improve to 3-2 at home this year. The Steelers look to improve to 5-2 against AFC opponents this year. PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES RB Rashard Mendenhall Needs one touchdown to give him eight on the year, which would be a career high. He posted seven last year and also has seven in 2010. Imposing Their Will: The Steelers are averaging 113.1 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks ninth in the AFC and 13th in the NFL. The Steelers have outrushed seven of their nine opponents this year, averaging nearly 50 more yards on the ground than their opponents. Defense! Defense! Defense!: Pittsburgh is allowing 315.4 yards of total offense this year, which ranks fifth in the AFC and ninth in the NFL. The Steelers have allowed just 469 rushing yards (63.2 avg.) on the year. Pittsburgh snapped RB Chris Johnson s 12-game streak of rushing for over 100 yards as it limited him to 34 yards on 16 carries (2.1 avg.) in the Week 2 victory at Tennessee. The Steelers finished with seven takeaways (four fumbles, three interceptions) against the Titans. Pittsburgh gave up 295 yards of total offense in its Week 1 overtime victory against the Atlanta Falcons. The Steelers allowed only 58 yards rushing and 237 yards passing against the Falcons. Additionally, they posted two sacks and had one interception. The Steelers ranked fourth in the AFC and fifth in the NFL in total defense in 2009 by allowing 305.3 yards per game. Run Stuffers: The Steelers rank first in the league by allowing just 63.2 yards per game. They allowed a season-low 30 yards rushing in Week 8 at New Orleans. The Steelers are the first team in NFL history to hold its opponents to 75 or fewer rushing yards in each of their first eight games of a season. Pittsburgh has allowed only one 100-yard rusher in the past 43 games. RB Ray Rice had 141 yards in Week 16 of 2009 to snap a previous streak of 32 straight games without allowing a 100- yard rusher. The following is a look at how opponents have fared in rushing yards this season, comparing what the teams were averaging coming into the game against Pittsburgh and what the Steelers allowed in the contest: Rushing Yards/Game Rushing Yards Team (Week) Entering Game vs. Steelers Atlanta (Week 1) 58 yds. Tennessee (Week 2) 202.0 46 yds. Tampa Bay (Week 3) 119.0 75 yds. Baltimore (Week 4) 89.0 70 yds. Bye Week (Week 5) Cleveland (Week 6) 102.8 70 yds. Miami (Week 7) 115.6 64 yds. New Orleans (Week 8) 92.6 30 yds. Cincinnati (Week 9) 101.0 54 yds. New England (Week 10) 107.1 103 yds. Defensive Dominance: The Steelers have given up 162 points on the year, which ranks second in the AFC and fifth in the NFL. The Steelers have allowed the fewest points in the NFL since the beginning of the 2007 season. Pittsburgh has allowed just 978 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 978 Indianapolis 1,052 Baltimore 1,054 New England 1,082 Gimme The Ball: On the year, the Steelers have tallied 21 takeaways, which rank first in the AFC and second (tied) in the NFL. Pittsburgh posted seven takeaways in its Week 2 victory at the Tennessee Titans. The seven takeaways are the most by the Steelers since they had seven (four interceptions, three fumbles) on Nov. 9, 1997 against Baltimore. Against the Titans, S Troy Polamalu, CB Bryant McFadden and LB LaMarr Woodley each had an interception while the Steelers also recovered four fumbles. The Steelers rank first in the AFC and third in the NFL with a plus-eight (+8) turnover advantage (21 takeaways, 13 giveaways). Picking Your Poison: The Steelers have 11 interceptions on the year, including a team-best two by S Troy Polamalu, CB Ike Taylor and LB Lawrence Timmons. The Steelers posted two interceptions (S Ryan Clark, Timmons) in their Week 6 victory over the Cleveland Browns. In Pittsburgh s Week 3 victory at Tampa Bay, DE Brett Keisel posted his first career interception and returned it 79 yards for a score. It was the first pick six for the Steelers since S Tyrone Carter returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown on Nov. 9, 2009 at Denver. 200 Plateau: The Steelers have won 26 straight games in which they have rushed for more than 200 yards. Since the NFL merger in 1970, Pittsburgh is 97-6 (.942) in the regular season when it rushes for more than 200 yards in a game. In Week 3, the Steelers rushed for a season-high 201 yards at Tampa Bay. Pittsburgh is 7-0 all-time in the postseason when rushing for more than 200 yards. 2010 REGULAR SEASON STATISTICAL COMPARISON Steelers Category Raiders 22.2... Points Scored Per Game... 26.1 18.0... Points Allowed Per Game... 20.9 15.9... First Downs Per Game... 19.8 313.6... Total Yards Per Game... 361.0 113.1... Rushing Yards Per Game... 162.2 200.4... Passing Yards Per Game... 198.8 24... Sacks By... 27 11... Interceptions By... 5 30:02... Avg. Time of Possession... 31:47 22... Touchdowns... 24 7... Rushing Touchdowns... 9 13... Passing Touchdowns... 11 2... Touchdowns on Returns... 4 15-22... Field Goals... 22-29 46.0... Punting Avg.... 49.1 7.1... Punt Return Avg.... 7.6 26.8... Kickoff Return Avg.... 22.3
LOOKING AHEAD... The Steelers hit the road for a matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Nov. 28. Kickoff at Ralph Wilson Stadium is set for 1 p.m. and will be televised on CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2). Road Warriors: The Steelers have had great success playing away from Heinz Field over the last decade. The Steelers are 4-1 on the road this season. 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 five road winning percentages since 2000: Team W L T Pct. Indianapolis 57 28 0.671 Philadelphia 55 29 1.655 New England 54 31 0.637 Pittsburgh 50 35 0.588 New Orleans 48 36 0.571 New York Giants 48 36 0.571 Block Party: In the Week 9 victory at Cincinnati, CB William Gay blocked a Bengals punt that led to a Steelers field goal in the first quarter. Gay s blocked punt was the first for the Steelers since LB Andre Fraizer blocked a Washington Redskins punt on Nov. 3, 2008. 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 378 245 2.607 2. Miami Dolphins 377 246 2.605 3. Dallas Cowboys 369 256 0.591 Among The Best: The Steelers have 566 career wins (including postseason), which is the fifth-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 715 2. Green Bay Packers 685 3. New York Giants 652 4. Washington Redskins 568 5. Pittsburgh Steelers 566 Additionally, Pittsburgh owns the second-best record in the NFL since the free-agency era (since 1993) with a 175-105-1 (.625) 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 178 103 0.634 2. Pittsburgh Steelers 175 105 1.625 3. Green Bay Packers 175 106 0.623 Return The Favor: Rookie WR Antonio Brown returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the Steelers Week 2 victory at Tennessee. It marked the first kickoff return for Pittsburgh since Allen Rossum returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 23, 2007. The following is a list of the kickoff returns for touchdowns (4) for Pittsburgh over the last 10 years (start of 2000 season): Date Player Yards Opponent Sept. 19, 2010 Antonio Brown 89 at Tennessee Sept. 23, 2007 Allen Rossum 98 vs. San Francisco Oct. 12, 2002 Antwaan Randle El 99 at Cincinnati Dec. 24, 2000 Will Blackwell 98 at San Diego Regular-Season Success: Pittsburgh owns the third-best (tied) regular-season record in the NFL over the past 10 years. The Steelers have averaged over 10 wins per year and have earned six playoff berths, five division titles and two Super Bowl victories in that time period. The following are the top five teams in regular-season winning percentage from 2000-2010: Team W L T Pct. Playoff Berths Indianapolis 121 48 0.716 9 New England 119 50 0.705 7 Pittsburgh 109 59 1.650 6 Philadelphia 109 59 1.650 8 Green Bay 101 68 0.598 6 Sustaining Success: Pittsburgh has made the playoffs five times and won the AFC North four times since the divisional realignment in 2002. The Steelers won the AFC North Division for the second consecutive year in 2008. The Steelers have won 19 division titles since the NFL merger in 1970, the most in the AFC 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 8 6 New England 6 6 Philadelphia 6 4 San Diego 5 5 Pittsburgh 5 4 Green Bay 5 4 On The Road Again: The Steelers had a stretch of three straight road games earlier this year (Weeks 7-9). Pittsburgh won the first leg of the road trip, defeating the Miami Dolphins 23-22 in Week 7, but fell in Week 8, 20-10, at New Orleans. The Steelers concluded the three-game road trip with a 27-21 victory in Week 9 at Cincinnati on Monday Night Football. The last time Pittsburgh played three straight regular-season road games was in 1994, playing at the New York Giants (W, 10-6), at Arizona (L, 20-17 in OT) and at the Houston Oilers (W, 12-9 in OT). Controlling The NFC: The Steelers have won 22 of their past 27 regular-season games versus teams in the NFC, dating back to 2003. The Steelers are 96-57-1 (.627) all-time against teams from the NFC (including Super Bowls), including a 54-19-1 record at home and a 36-37 mark on the road. Pittsburgh had won eight straight games versus NFC teams at home prior to its 2008 loss to the New York Giants. The Steelers are 6-1 versus the NFC in the Super Bowl. In the Red Zone: The Steelers have converted 24 (11 touchdowns, 13 field goals) of their 27 attempts in the red zone into points in 2010. Following is a look at how the Steelers offense has performed in the red zone in 2010: Opponent Att./Scores TDs FGs Pts Atlanta... 2/2... 0... 2... 6 @ Tennessee... 4/4... 0... 4... 12 @ Tampa Bay... 3/3... 2... 1... 17 Baltimore... 2/2... 2... 0... 14 Cleveland... 4/3... 3... 0... 21 @ Miami... 3/3... 0... 3... 9 @ New Orleans... 1/1... 0... 1... 3 @ Cincinnati... 3/3... 2... 1... 17 New England... 5/3... 2... 1... 17 Total... 27/24... 11... 13... 116
Red Zone Defense: The Steelers defense has allowed 22 scores (11 field goals, 11 touchdowns) in 27 possessions in the red zone in 2010. Following is a look at how the Steelers defense has performed in the red zone in 2010: Opponent Att./Scores TDs FGs Pts Atlanta... 1/1... 0... 1... 3 @ Tennessee... 3/1... 1... 0... 7 @ Tampa Bay... 3/2... 1... 1... 10 Baltimore... 4/3... 2... 1... 17 Cleveland... 1/1... 1... 0... 7 @ Miami... 3/3... 0... 3... 9 @ New Orleans... 4/4... 2... 2... 20 @ Cincinnati... 3/2... 2... 0... 14 New England... 5/5... 3... 2... 27 Total... 27/22... 12... 10... 114 Five & 10: The Steelers rank in the top five in the AFC and/or the top 10 in the NFL in several key team and individual categories in 2010. Following is a list of those rankings: Pittsburgh Steelers 2010 AFC/NFL Rankings Team Offense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Passing Net Yards/Play... 8.1... 3rd/5th Team Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Yards/Game... 315.4... 5th/9th Yards/Play... 5.0... 3rd/7th Rushing Yards/Game... 63.2... 1st/1st Rushing Yards/Attempt... 2.8... 1st/1st Passing/Percent Had Intercepted... 3.2... 3rd/10th Third-Down Efficiency... 35.6... 2nd/9th Sacks (Total)... 24... 4th/10th Points/Game... 18.0... 2nd/5th Takeaways... 21... 1st/T-2nd Turnover Advantage... +8... 1st/3rd First-Down Plays... 4.57... 1st/4th Special Teams Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Kickoff Return Average (Offense)... 26.8... 2nd/5th Gross Punting Average (Offense)... 46.0... 2nd/5th Net Punting Average (Offense)... 39.6... T-3rd/T-6th Kickoff Return Average (Defense)... 21.2... 2nd/8th Gross Punting Average (Defense)... 40.4... 1st/1st Avg. Starting Position (Receiving)... 30.2... 2nd/4th Individual Offense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Roethlisberger (Passer Rating)... 97.1... 5th/6th Roethlisberger (Avg. Gain)... 8.25... 2nd/3rd Roethlisberger (TD Pct.)... 5.7... 5th/7th Roethlisberger (INTs)... 4... T-2nd/T-3rd Roethlisberger (4th-Qtr. Passer Rating).. 107.3... 2nd/3rd Roethlisberger (4th-Qtr. Comp. Pct.).. 74.5... 1st/1st Mendenhall (Rushing Yards)... 752... 5th/9th Wallace (Yards/Reception)... 21.4... T-1st/T-3rd Wallace (Receiving TDs)... 7... T-2nd/T-4th Individual Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Polamalu (Total INTs)... 2... T-5th/T-20th Taylor (Total INTs)... 2... T-5th/T-20th Timmons (Total INTs)... 2... T-5th/T-20th Harrsion (Sacks)... 7.0... T-4th/T-11th Fox (Def. Fumble Recoveries)... 2... T-2nd/T-6th Individual Special Teams Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Reed (Scoring/Kickers)... 64... T-7th/T-10th Sepulveda (Punting Avg.)... 46.0... 3rd/6th Sepulveda (Net Punting Avg.)... 39.6... T-3rd/T-6th Sanders (Kickoff Return Avg.)... 26.0... 5th/10th COACHING NOTES Our House: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 21-7 regularseason record at Heinz Field in his four seasons in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are 2-2 at home this season. Last year, the Steelers finished 6-2 at home. Fast Start: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 37-20 overall record in his four seasons as head coach. That record marks the best total by a Steelers head coach in his first four seasons at the helm. Monday Night Specialist: Head Coach Mike Tomlin improved to 6-0 on Monday Night Football with the Steelers Week 9 victory at Cincinnati. Tomlin joins only Bill Cowher (Steelers), Tom Flores (Raiders), Steve Mariucci (49ers), George Siefert (49ers) and Don Shula (Colts, Dolphins) to win their first six Monday Night Football games. In Control: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 15-6 all-time mark against teams in the AFC North. Tomlin owns an impressive 9-2 record against divisional foes at Heinz Field. Tomlin Versus the NFC: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns an 11-4 regular-season record against NFC teams in his four seasons at the helm of the Steelers. The Steelers are 2-1 this year against NFC teams (Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, Week 3 victory against Tampa Bay, Week 8 defeat at New Orleans). Perfect To Start: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a perfect 4-0 record in season openers. He is the only current coach to have a 4-0 record on Kickoff Weekend. Few And Far Between: Head Coach Mike Tomlin became only the second coach in Steelers history to post winning records in each of his first three seasons. Tomlin is the only coach in team history to win division titles in each of his first two seasons (2007-08). In 2007, Tomlin became just the second head coach in team history to post a winning record in his first season with a mark of 10-6. High Honor Roll: Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August of this year. LeBeau had an outstanding NFL career, finishing with 62 career interceptions (seventh all-time) and 171 consecutive starts (then- NFL record for a cornerback) with the Detroit Lions. LeBeau was also inducted into the Ohio State University Hall of Fame in 2009. He played at Ohio State as a cornerback and halfback and was a member of the 1957 national championship team. INDIVIDUAL OFFENSIVE NOTES Starting In Style: In his first seven seasons, QB Ben Roethlisberger owns a 63-28 (.692) record as a starting quarterback in the regular season. That mark is the second-best record in the NFL among all active quarterbacks. His 63-27 record after his first 90 starts in the NFL ranks third (tied) in league history for the best record in such starts. Only Tom Brady (67-23) and Ken Stabler (66-23-1) had better records in their first 90 starts in the NFL. Roethlisberger s record is tied with Jim McMahon.
The following is a look at the starting records of the top five active quarterbacks in the NFL (min. 25 starts): Name W L T Pct. 1. Tom Brady, Patriots 104 32 0.765 2. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers 63 28 0.692 3. Philip Rivers, Chargers 50 23 0.685 4. Peyton Manning, Colts 137 64 0.682 5. Tony Romo, Cowboys 39 22 0.639 Home Cooking: QB Ben Roethlisberger owns a 35-11 (.761) mark in the regular season in his career at Heinz Field, including winning his first eight starts. At Heinz Field, Roethlisberger has completed 63.0 percent of his passes for 10,701 with 67 touchdowns and 42 interceptions for a passer rating of 92.5. He has thrown for more than 300 yards eight times and has 21 multi-touchdown games at home (16-5 record in such games). Roethlisberger has twice posted a perfect passer rating at home, including most recently in Week 9 of 2007 against Baltimore. He also had a perfect passer rating (158.3) against Tennessee in the 2005 season opener and has posted at least a 125.0 passer rating seven times. The Steelers have scored at least 20 points in 38 of the 46 games at home with Roethlisberger as the starter. Controlling The North: QB Ben Roethlisberger owns a 26-7 (.788) record as a starter against AFC North opponents during his career with the Steelers. Roethlisberger had won 12 straight games against divisional foes as the starter prior to the Week 3 setback at Cincinnati in 2009, which was the longest streak in the NFL and the longest since Peyton Manning won 12 straight from 2004-06. In his 33 career games versus division opponents, Roethlisberger has posted a perfect passer rating once (11/5/07 vs. Baltimore) and has recorded a passer rating of over 100.0 a total of 13 times. The following is a look at his statistics against the AFC North in his 33 games as a starter: 33 games vs. Statistic AFC North (as a starter) Record... 26-7 Completion Pct. (Comp.-Att.)... 61.0 (563-923) Passing Yards... 7,129 Passing Touchdowns... 47 Interceptions... 31 Passer Rating... 88.1 Also, the following is a look at Roethlisberger s career statistics against AFC North opponents as a starter at home compared to the road: Statistic Home vs. AFC North Away vs. AFC North Record... 14-4... 12-3 Completion Pct. (Comp.-Att.)... 60.7 (311-512)... 62.0 (252-411) Passing Yards... 4,100... 3,029 Passing Touchdowns... 28... 19 Interceptions... 20... 11 Passer Rating... 88.0... 88.1 300-Yard Plateau: QB Ben Roethlisberger has thrown for over 300 yards 14 times in his career, including twice this year (Week 7 at Miami (302 yards) and Week 10 versus New England (387). The 14 career 300-yard passing games are a team record. Roethlisberger threw for over 300 yards five times in 2009, which broke the team record of four previously held by Tommy Maddox (2003) and Neil O Donnell (1995). Comeback Kid: QB Ben Roethlisberger has one fourth quarter/ overtime game-winning drive this year after posting three in 2009. He now has 21 in his career in the regular season. Roethlisberger led the Steelers from a 22-20 deficit late in the fourth quarter to a 23-22 victory in Week 7 at Miami this year. A listing of all of Roethlisberger s fourth quarter and overtime game-winning drives entering this season are available on page 255 of the Steelers media guide. Title Man: QB Ben Roethlisberger has led the Steelers to the AFC Championship Game three times in his first six seasons. He is one of only two active NFL quarterbacks to win multiple Super Bowl titles (Tom Brady). Roethlisberger joined Roger Staubach, Bernie Kosar, Tom Brady and Donovan McNabb as the only quarterbacks to lead their teams to the conference title game at least three times in their first five seasons as the starting quarterback. Facing The NFC: With a career record of 63-28 as a starter, QB Ben Roethlisberger has posted gaudy numbers no matter the opposition. During his first six seasons, Roethlisberger has feasted on competition from the NFC. In 24 career regular-season games against NFC opponents, Roethlisberger has posted an 18-6 record while completing 362-of-597 passes (60.6 pct.) for 4,921 yards with 32 touchdowns and 17 interceptions for a passer rating of 93.0. Roethlisberger s statistics against the NFC are more impressive in games at Heinz Field. In 12 career games against NFC opponents at home, Roethlisberger has an 11-1 mark while completing 173-of-303 passes (57.1 pct.) for 2,521 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions for a passer rating of 90.9. Roethlisberger won his first seven starts against NFC teams. Passing Perfection: QB Ben Roethlisberger has achieved a number of outstanding single-season accomplishments in his six-year career, including achieving a feat three times that is rarely done in the NFL. Roethlisberger, who set the team s single-season mark for passer rating (104.1) in 2007, has had a perfect passer rating (158.3) three times in his career, tying him with QB Peyton Manning for the most in NFL history (minimum 10 attempts). Roethlisberger s 38 career 100-plus passer rating games in the regular season rank first in team history, surpassing Terry Bradshaw, who had 31 such games since the passer rating rule was implemented in 1973. Steelers Highest Single-Season Passer-Ratings Leaders (Among Qualifiers) Player Rating 1. Ben Roethlisberger (2007) 104.1 2. Ben Roethlisberger (2009) 100.5 3. Ben Roethlisberger (2005) 98.6 4. Ben Roethlisberger (2004) 98.1 5. Terry Bradshaw (1975) 87.8 Steelers Top Single-Season Completion Percentage Leaders (Minimum 250 Attempts) Player Att. Comp. Pct. 1. Ben Roethlisberger (2009) 506 337 66.6 2. Ben Roethlisberger (2004) 295 196 66.4 3. Ben Roethlisberger (2007) 404 264 65.3 4. Ben Roethlisberger (2005) 268 168 62.7 5. Tommy Maddox (2002) 377 234 62.1 Seasoned Veteran: QB Byron Leftwich owns a 24-25 all-time record as a starting QB, having started 44 games for the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003-06), two for the Atlanta Falcons (2007) and three for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009). Leftwich played in five games for the Steelers in 2008, but did not start any of those contests. In those five games for Pittsburgh, he was 21-for-36 for 303 passing yards with two touchdowns and
no interceptions (104.3 passer rating). Leftwich also had one of his nine career rushing touchdowns as a backup with the Steelers. For his career, Leftwich has 10,218 career passing yards with 58 touchdowns and 41 interceptions (79.6 passer rating). Best of the Batch: QB Charlie Batch started two games this year for the Steelers (Weeks 3-4) and went 1-1 in those two starts. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3, Batch finished 12-of-17 for 186 yards passing with three touchdowns and two interceptions (106.5 passer rating). He tied a career high with his three touchdown passes. Batch now has a 23-29 record as a starting quarterback, including a 4-2 record in his nine seasons with Pittsburgh. In his six career starts with the Steelers, Batch is 77-of-129 (59.7 pct.) for 969 yards with eight touchdowns and six interceptions (84.4 passer rating). Batch did not start the Week 2 game at Tennessee earlier this year, but he came on in the second quarter and finished the game following a knee injury to starter Dennis Dixon. Batch finished 5- for-11 for 25 yards against the Titans. Ward Still Has It: WR Hines Ward surpassed 11,000 receiving yards for his career in the 2010 season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. Ward finished with 108 yards receiving on six catches and became the first receiver in team history to post 900 career receptions. Ward had a season-high 131 yards receiving on seven receptions in the Week 7 victory at Miami. He also added his 81st career receiving touchdown against the Dolphins. Ward has two 100-yard receiving games this year, giving him a club-record 27 in his career. He had five 100-yard receiving games in 2009 and also posted his club-record sixth 1,000-yard receiving season of his career. Ward, who is in his 13th year in the league, proved he is still one of the elite wide receivers in the game by closing out the 2009 campaign ranking eighth in the NFL in receptions (95) and ninth (tied) in receiving yards (1,167). Ward currently ranks third among active wide receivers (12th overall in NFL history) with 925 career receptions. The following is a list the top three active wide receivers with the most career receptions: Active Player Career Receptions Terrell Owens 1,065 Randy Moss 949 Hines Ward 925 Catching Consistency: WR Hines Ward had caught at least one pass in a Steelers record 186 consecutive games before the streak was snapped in Week 10 versus the New England Patriots. Ward left the game in the first quarter with a concussion and did not return. The streak began on Nov. 9, 1998 versus Green Bay. That streak ranks first among active players for consecutive games with at least one reception and third in NFL history. Jerry Rice (274) owns the top all-time record for consecutive games with a reception. The following is a look at the top five all-time players in the NFL with the most consecutive regular-season games with at least one reception: Player Consecutive Games Jerry Rice 274 Marvin Harrison 190 Hines Ward 186 Terrell Owens 185 Art Monk 183 Top Dawg: WR Hines Ward leads the Steelers in at least 14 different career receiving categories. Ward is the team s all-time leader in receiving yards (11,322), receptions (925) and receiving touchdowns (82). Ward is the only wide receiver in Steelers history to be voted to four Pro Bowls. Ward s 1,167 receiving yards in 2009 made him the first Steelers receiver to reach 1,000 yards six times during his career with the team. No other Steeler has more than three. Additionally, Ward has 26 career 100-yard receiving games, which is first on the team s all-time list. In 2002, Ward became the first receiver in Steelers history to catch 100 passes (112) in a season. He also became the first Steelers receiver with three consecutive games with at least 100 yards receiving. His 12 touchdown receptions in 2002 tied him with Louis Lipps (1985) and Buddy Dial (1961) for the highest single-season total in team history. Ward was selected to the 2002-05 AFC Pro Bowl squads. The following is where Ward ranks in Steelers history in several key receiving categories: Ward s Rankings Among Steelers Receivers (All-Time) Category Statistic Rank Receptions... 925... 1 st Receiving Yards... 11,322... 1 st Receiving TDs... 82... 1 st Consecutive Games w/ Catch... 186... 1 st 1,000-Yd. Seasons (2001-04, 2008-09)... 6... 1 st Consecutive 1,000-Yd. Seasons (2001-04)... 4... 1 st 90-plus Catch Seasons (2001-03, 2009)... 4... 1 st Consecutive 90-plus Catch Seasons (2001-03)... 3... 1 st Receptions in a Season (2002)... 112... 1 st Career 100-Yard Games... 27... 1 st Consecutive 100-Yard Games (2002)... 3... 1 st Rushing Yards by a Receiver... 428... 1 st Consecutive Pro Bowls by Receiver (2002-05)... 4... 1 st TD Receptions in a Season (2002)... 12... T-1 st Receptions in a Single Game (11/30/03)... 13... 2 nd Receiving Yards in a Season (2002)... 1,329... 3 rd 100-Yard Games in a Season (2002, 2005, 2008, 2009)... 5... T-3 rd Receiving Yards in a Game (10/22/06)... 171... 11 th Chart Topper: WR Hines Ward is the leading receiver in Steelers history in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdown catches. He has more receptions than Hall of Fame receivers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann combined. Following are the Steelers career receiving leaders: Steelers All-Time Leading Receivers Rank Player No. Yds. Avg. TDs 1. Hines Ward (1998-present)... 925... 11,322... 12.3... 82 2. John Stallworth (1974-87)... 537... 8,723... 16.2... 63 3. Louis Lipps (1984-91)... 358... 6,018... 16.8... 39 4. Lynn Swann (1974-82)... 336... 5,462... 16.3... 51 5. Elbie Nickel (1947-57)... 329... 5,133... 15.6... 37 6. Franco Harris (1972-83)... 306... 2,284... 7.5... 9 7. Plaxico Burress (2000-2004)... 261... 4,164... 16.0... 22 8. Charles Johnson (1994-98)... 250... 3,400... 13.6... 15 9. Merril Hoge (1987-93)... 241... 2,054... 8.5... 13 10. Ray Mathews (1951-59)... 230... 3,919... 16.1... 34 Steelers All-Time Receiving Yardage Leaders Rank Player Rec. Yds. Avg. TDs 1. Hines Ward (1998-present)... 925... 11,322... 12.3... 82 2. John Stallworth (1974-87)... 537... 8,723... 16.2... 63 3. Louis Lipps (1984-91)... 358... 6,018... 16.8... 39 4. Lynn Swann (1974-82)... 336... 5,462... 16.3... 51 5. Elbie Nickel (1947-57)... 329... 5,133... 15.6... 37 6. Buddy Dial (1959-63)... 229... 4,723... 20.6... 42 7. Plaxico Burress (2000-04)... 261... 4,164... 16.0... 22 8. Ray Mathews (1951-59)... 230... 3,919... 16.1... 34 9. Roy Jefferson (1965-69)... 199... 3,671... 18.4... 29 10. Yancey Thigpen (1992-97)... 222... 3,641... 16.4... 21