Game #9 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) vs. New England Patriots (6-2) Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010 8:20 p.m. (ET) Heinz Field Pittsburgh, Pa. Game #9 Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) vs. New England Patriots (6-2) Date: Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010 Kickoff: 8:20 p.m., ET Site: Heinz Field (65,050) Pittsburgh, Pa. Playing Surface: Natural Grass TV Coverage: NBC (locally WPXI-TV, channel 11) Announcers: Al Michaels (play-by-play) Cris Collinsworth (color analyst) Andrea Kremer (sideline) Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970) Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (color analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline) National Radio: Westwood One Radio Announcers: Dave Sims (play-by-play) James Lofton (color analyst) Scott Kaplan (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: 37-19 (.661)/fourth season Regular-season record at Pittsburgh: 37-19 (.661)/fourth season Playoff Record/Years: 3-1/two years New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick Overall Regular-Season Record: 144-88 (.621)/14th season Regular-Season Record at New England: 122-47 (.722)/10th season Playoff Record/Years: 15-4/seven years For all of the most up-to-date information on the Pittsburgh Steelers, visit the team s official web site at. Updated daily, the web site has the most extensive information on upcoming games and the most comprehensive news on the Steelers. Pittsburgh Steelers 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 (6-2) 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 8:20 p.m. (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 37-19 record in the regular season during his four-year head coaching career. His.661 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. BILL BELICHICK is in his 35th season as an NFL coach and is the only head coach in NFL history to win three Super Bowl championships in a four-year span. In his nine-plus seasons as Patriots head coach, Belichick has won 122 games - which is already more than any other head coach in NFL history through his first 10 seasons with a team. 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 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 2 0.750 174 123 Baltimore 6 2 0.750 175 139 Cleveland 3 5 0.375 152 156 Cincinnati 2 6 0.250 167 190 This Week in the AFC North: Thursday, Nov. 11: Baltimore (6-2) at Atlanta (6-2), 8:20 p.m. (NFL Network) Sunday, Nov. 14: Cincinnati (2-6) at Indianapolis (5-3), 1 p.m. (CBS) New York Jets (6-2) at Cleveland (3-5), 1 p.m. (CBS) New England (6-2) at Pittsburgh (6-2), 8:20 p.m. (NBC) 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 New England Patriots Conference Call: New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick and a Patriots player (TBA) will be available for interviews via conference call on Wednesday, Nov. 10, in the Steelers media workroom. The player will be at 11:15 a.m. and Belichick will be at 11:30 a.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 Pittsburgh 27, Cincinnati 21 Monday, Nov. 8 Cincinnati, Ohio (Paul Brown Stadium) Pittsburgh Team Notes: The Steelers improved to 6-2 on the year for the second straight year. The Steelers improved to 48-32 all-time in the regular season against the Bengals. Pittsburgh improved to 2-1 against AFC North opponents this year. The Steelers improved to 22-18 all-time in the regular season on the road in the series history. The Steelers improved to 4-1 on the road this year. Pittsburgh won its sixth straight game on Monday Night Football and improved to 39-22 in such games. The Steelers are now 16-17 all-time on the road in Monday Night Football games. Pittsburgh improved to 13-4 in primetime regular-season games under Head Coach Mike Tomlin. Tomlin improved to 6-0 on Monday Night Football, joining only Bill Cowher (Steelers), Tom Flores (Raiders), Steve Mariucci (49ers), George Siefert (49ers) and Don Shula (Colts, Dolphins) to win their first six such games. After the Bengals fumbled the opening kickoff, RB Rashard Mendenhall gave Pittsburgh a 7-0 lead with his team-leading seventh rushing touchdown of the season. CB William Gay blocked his first career punt on the Bengals first possession, which led to a 25-yard field goal by K Jeff Reed. Gay s blocked punt was the first by a Steeler since LB Andre Frazier blocked a punt at Washington on Nov. 3, 2008. Following a fumble by WR Hines Ward in the second quarter, Cincinnati trimmed the lead to 10-7 as QB Carson Palmer hit WR Terrell Owens for a 19-yard touchdown with 8:46 remaining in the first half. Ward redeemed himself with an eight-yard touchdown reception from QB Ben Roethlisberger late in the first half to give Pittsburgh a 17-7 lead with 2:07 to go in the second quarter. It was Ward s fourth receiving touchdown of the season. Reed booted a career-high (tied) 53-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in the first half to put the Steelers ahead 20-7. It tied his career high that he previously kicked on Sept. 21, 2008 at Philadelphia. It also marked his second field goal of 50-plus yards on the year, kicking a 52-yard field goal at Heinz Field in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. Reed had two field goals of at least 50 yards in one season one other time in his career, booting two 51-yard field goals in 2004 (9/26 at Miami and 10/17 at Dallas). On the first play of the fourth quarter, WR Antwaan Randle El tossed a 39-yard touchdown pass to WR Mike Wallace to give Pittsburgh a 27-7 advantage. It was Wallace s team-leading fifth receiving touchdown of the year. It was Randle El s fifth career touchdown pass (third with Pittsburgh). Tuesday, Nov. 9 Noon - Coach Tomlin Press Conference Wednesday, Nov. 10 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. 11 1-3 p.m. - Practice Players available for media interviews at 12:15 p.m. and following practice in locker room Friday, Nov. 12 10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Practice Players available for media interviews following practice in locker room Saturday, Nov. 13 No coaches or players available for media interviews Sunday, Nov. 14 8:20 p.m. (EST) Home Game vs. New England Patriots (Heinz Field) NBC (locally WPXI-TV, channel 11) Monday, Nov. 15 TBA
On the Bengals ensuing drive, Palmer again found Owens for a touchdown, this time from 27 yards with 13:12 remaining in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 27-14. Following a Roethlisberger interception on the next drive, RB Cedric Benson scored from one yard out with 9:05 to go in the game to slice the lead to 27-21. On the drive, Pittsburgh was flagged for pass interference at the one-yard line. The Steelers defense came up with a defensive stand late in the game in their own red zone to seal the victory. Pittsburgh finished with 314 yards of total offense (121 rushing, 193 passing) while Cincinnati had 272 yards of offense (54 rushing, 218 passing). The Steelers converted 43 percent (6 of 14) of their third-down attempts. Pittsburgh was penalized seven times for 73 yards while the Bengals were flagged three times for 30 yards. Pittsburgh had four sacks while giving up just one. QB Charlie Batch (3rd QB), CB Keenan Lewis, RB Jonathan Dwyer, CB Crezdon Butler, OT Tony Hills, OG Ramon Foster, WR Antonio Brown and DE Aaron Smith were inactive for the Steelers. Pittsburgh Individual Notes: QB Ben Roethlisberger Finished 17-of-27 for 163 yards with one touchdown and one interception (76.6 passer rating). Rushed five times for 13 yards (2.6 avg.), including a long of 12 yards. Tossed an eight-yard touchdown pass to WR Hines Ward late in the first half to give Pittsburgh a 17-7 lead. Improved to 26-7 as a starter against AFC North teams, including a 12-3 record on the road. Improved to 12-2 in his home state of Ohio (7-1 at Cincinnati, 5-1 at Cleveland). Improved to 63-27 (.700) in his career, tying for the third-best record by a quarterback in his first 90 starts. Only Tom Brady (67-23) and Ken Stabler (66-23-1) had a better record in their first 90 games and he is tied with Jim McMahon, who also had a 63-27 record in his first 90 games. Improved to 8-2 on Monday Night Football. RB Rashard Mendenhall Finished with a game-high 99 yards rushing on 22 carries (4.5 avg.) with one touchdown. Scored his team-best seventh rushing touchdown of the season on a one-yard run in the first quarter. His seventh rushing touchdown ties his career best, set in 2009. Had a 20-yard run in the first quarter, which led to a 25-yard field goal by K Jeff Reed, and a 22-yard run early in the second quarter. Had three receptions for 31 yards (10.3 avg.), including a long of 17 yards. WR Hines Ward Finished with three catches for 10 yards. Caught an eight-yard touchdown from QB Ben Roethlisberger late in the first half, his fourth receiving touchdown of the season. It also marked his 15th career touchdown against the Bengals, the most TDs for Ward against any single opponent. Has now caught a pass in a team-record 186 consecutive games, which is the third-longest streak in NFL history. Hauled in a 39-yard touchdown pass from WR Antwaan Randle El on the first play of the fourth quarter, giving him a team-best five receiving touchdowns on the year. Had a 35-yard reception on third down with less than four minutes remaining in the first half. WR Emmanuel Sanders Forced his first career fumble on the opening kickoff. Finished with four kickoff returns for 88 yards (22.0 avg.), including a long of 30 yards. WR Antwaan Randle El Tossed his fifth career touchdown pass (third with Pittsburgh) as he found WR Mike Wallace on a 39-yard connection on the first play of the fourth quarter. LB James Harrison Had an eight-yard sack in the third quarter, giving him a teambest seven on the year (45.5 for his career). Finished with six tackles, including three tackles for loss, and one sack. LB LaMarr Woodley Posted a six-yard sack in the third quarter. Added a 10-yard sack in the fourth quarter, giving him 5.5 on the year and 34.5 for his career. LB James Farrior Posted a seven-yard sack in the third quarter, his first sack of the year and 28th of his career (22.5 with Pittsburgh). Finished with a game-high 10 tackles (nine solo) and one sack. LB Lawrence Timmons Posted his second interception of the season (third career) midway through the second quarter. LB Jason Worilds Recovered the fumble on the opening kickoff. S Troy Polamalu Finished with six tackles (five solo). CB Bryant McFadden Finished with five tackles (all solo) and one pass defense. CB William Gay Blocked a punt on the Bengals first possession of the game, the first punt blocked by the Steelers since LB Andre Frazier blocked a punt at Washington on Nov. 3, 2008. K Jeff Reed Booted a career-high (tied) 53-yard field goal late in the first half to give Pittsburgh a 20-7 halftime lead. It tied his career high that he previously kicked on Sept. 21, 2008 at Philadelphia. It also marked his second field goal of 50-plus yards on the year, kicking a 52-yard field goal at Heinz Field in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. Reed had two field goals of at least 50 yards in one season one other time in his career, booting two 51-yard field goals in 2004 (9/26 at Miami and 10/17 at Dallas). WR Mike Wallace Had a career-high 110 yards receiving on five receptions (22.0 avg.) with one touchdown. Marked his third career 100-yard receiving game and the second this season (Week 3 at Tampa Bay).
STEELERS-PATRIOTS SERIES NOTES Series History: Series began in 1972 Overall: Pittsburgh leads 13-7 At Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh leads 9-5 At New England: Pittsburgh leads 4-2 Neutral Sites: n/a Last Regular-Season Meeting: Nov. 30, 2008 (in New England) Pittsburgh 33, New England 10 Postseason Series: New England leads 3-1 (postseason record not included in overall series record) Pittsburgh owns a 13-7 all-time record against the New England Patriots in the regular season and a 1-3 mark in the postseason...the Steelers are 9-5 at home and 4-2 in New England in the regular season...pittsburgh is 1-1 against the Patriots at Heinz Field in the regular season...pittsburgh is 0-2 all-time at Gillette Stadium...Pittsburgh has not won at home in the regular season against the Patriots since a 34-20 victory in 2004...the Steelers snapped the Patriots NFL-record 18-game regular-season winning streak with that victory in 2004...New England has won six of the past eight games in the series (including postseason), including victories in the 2001 and 2004 AFC Championship games, both in Pittsburgh...Pittsburgh and New England have met four times in the postseason and the Steelers are 1-3 in those games, including a 1-2 record at home...the Steelers defeated the Patriots, 7-6, on Jan. 3, 1998, in the AFC Divisional Playoffs...however, Pittsburgh lost, 24-17, to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game Jan. 27, 2002, and 41-27 in the 2004 AFC Championship Game. TEAM NOTES If You Build It, They Will Come: The Steelers are averaging 64,502 fans in three 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 296 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 193,506 64,502 Team record Heinz Field Advantage: The Steelers own the best home record in the NFL with a 224-86-1 record (.722) since 1970. Pittsburgh is 39-12 (.765) at home over the past seven seasons, including a 2-1 record this year. Several Steelers and Patriots are products of the same colleges, including the following: STEELERS-PATRIOTS COLLEGE CONNECTIONS STEELERS COLLEGE PATRIOTS Anthony Madison (CB)... Alabama... Brandon Deaderick (DE) Maurkice Pouncey (C)... Florida... Jermaine Cunningham (LB) Max Starks (OT) Aaron Hernandez (TE) Brandon Spikes (LB) Fred Taylor (RB) Gerard Warren (DE) Hines Ward (WR)... Georgia... Kade Weston (DT) Jonathan Dwyer (RB)... Georgia Tech... Gary Guyton (LB) Keyaron Fox (LB) Darryl Richard (DT) James Harrison (LB)... Kent State... Julian Edelman (WR) William Gay (CB)... Louisville... Deion Branch (WR) Ryan Clark (S)... LSU... Kevin Faulk (RB) Larry Foote (LB)... Michigan... Tom Brady (QB) LaMarr Woodley (LB) Shawn Crable (LB) Zoltan Mesko (P) Flozell Adams (OT)... Michigan State... Brian Hoyer (QB) Mike Wallace (WR)... Mississippi... BenJarvus Green-Ellis (RB) Jeff Reed (K)... North Carolina... Alge Crumpler (TE) Greg Warren (LS) Brandon Tate (WR) Arnaz Battle (WR)... Notre Dame... Sergio Brown (S) Mark LeVoir (OT) Ramon Foster (OG)... Tennessee... Jerod Mayo (LB) 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 2-1 Sunday Night Showdown: The Steelers own a 14-15 all-time record in Sunday Night games and this marks the second of two scheduled Sunday Night Football games this season. The Steelers dropped a 20-10 decision in New Orleans on Halloween night. In The Spotlight: The Steelers are 13-4 in primetime regularseason games under fourth-year head coach Mike Tomlin. The Steelers had won 12 straight games in primetime under Tomlin prior to their Week 12 setback to the Baltimore Ravens in 2009. Pittsburgh is scheduled to play five primetime games this year. The Steelers played in primetime in Week 8 (at New Orleans) and in Week 9 (at Cincinnati), as well as Week 10 (vs. New England), Week 13 (at Baltimore) and Week 16 (vs. Carolina). Imposing Their Will: The Steelers are averaging 117.8 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks eighth in the AFC and 12th in the NFL. The Steelers have outrushed seven of their eight opponents this year, averaging nearly 60 more yards on the ground than their opponents. Steelers-Patriots Connections: Several Steelers have ties to the Patriots and the New England area. Steelers assistant head coach/defensive line John Mitchell coached with the Cleveland Browns (1991-93) under Patriots
What To Look For: PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES The Steelers look to improve to 14-7 all-time against the Patriots in the regular season. The Steelers look for their first win at home in the regular season against the Patriots since a 34-20 victory in 2004. The Steelers are looking for their second straight victory over the Patriots and look to improve to 10-5 at home in the series in the regular season. The Steelers look to improve to 5-1 against AFC opponents this year. PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES TE Heath Miller Needs 36 receiving yards to become just the second tight end in team history to reach 3,000 yards for his career. Miller currently has 2,964 career receiving yards and trails only Elbie Nickel (5,133) on the all-time list for tight ends. 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. head coach Bill Belichick, who was Cleveland s head coach (1991-95) at the time. Patriots with connections to the Steelers and Western Pennsylvania include TE Rob Gronkowski, who was born in Pittsburgh and attended Woodland Hills High School. CB Leigh Bodden played at Duquesne while OG Rich Ohrnberger played at Penn State. Special teams coach Scott O Brien coached at Pitt from 1987-90. Swarming Defense: The Steelers have been putting on a defensive showcase in each of their first eight games of 2010. The team has given up just 11 touchdowns in eight games. Additionally, the Steelers have 21 takeaways in seven 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... 123 Points Allowed/First Half (Total)... 48 Touchdowns Allowed... 11 Total Takeaways... 21 Fumbles Recovered... 10 Interceptions... 11 Total Sacks... 24 Total Rushing Yards Allowed... 466 Rushing Yards Allowed/Game... 58.3 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 fifth (tied) 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 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 466 yards rushing on the year, an average of just 58.3 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 466 58.3 1st/1st Total 13,024 85.9 1st/1st Defense! Defense! Defense!: Pittsburgh is allowing 298.3 yards of total offense this year, which ranks second in the AFC and fourth in the NFL. The Steelers have allowed just 412 rushing yards (63.7 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 2010 REGULAR SEASON STATISTICAL COMPARISON Steelers Category Patriots 21.8... Points Scored Per Game... 27.4 15.4... Points Allowed Per Game... 23.5 14.5... First Downs Per Game... 19.9 299.6... Total Yards Per Game... 324.4 117.8... Rushing Yards Per Game... 107.1 181.9... Passing Yards Per Game... 217.3 24... Sacks By... 13 11... Interceptions By... 9 30:14... Avg. Time of Possession... 26:51 19... Touchdowns... 27 7... Rushing Touchdowns... 8 10... Passing Touchdowns... 14 2... Touchdowns on Returns... 5 14-20... Field Goals... 10-13 46.1... Punting Avg.... 43.5 6.6... Punt Return Avg.... 9.5 27.3... Kickoff Return Avg.... 23.6
LOOKING AHEAD... The Steelers host the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, Nov. 21. Kickoff at Heinz Field is set for 1 p.m. and will be televised on CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2). 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 58.3 yards per game. They allowed a season-low 30 yards rushing in Week 8 at New Orleans. Pittsburgh has allowed only one 100-yard rusher in the past 42 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. Defensive Dominance: The Steelers have given up just 123 points on the year, which ranks first in the NFL. The Steelers have allowed the fewest points in the NFL since the beginning of the 2007 season. Pittsburgh has allowed just 939 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 939 Baltimore 1,028 Indianapolis 1,035 New England 1,056 Total Defensive Package: Pittsburgh has allowed the fewest total yards in the NFL since the beginning of the 2006 season. The Steelers have given up 20,134 yards of total offense (6,039 rushing, 14,095 passing) since the beginning of 2006. The total yards allowed ranks first in the NFL during that span, while the rushing yards and passing yards each rank third in the league. Gimme The Ball: On the year, the Steelers have tallied 21 takeaways, which rank first in the AFC and 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 (tied) in the NFL with a plus-nine (+9) turnover advantage (21 takeaways, 12 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. 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 54 29 1.651 New England 53 31 0.631 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 378 244 2.608 2. Miami Dolphins 376 246 2.603 3. Dallas Cowboys 368 256 0.589 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 714 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 175-104-1 (.627) 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 177 103 0.632 2. Pittsburgh Steelers 175 104 1.627 3. Green Bay Packers 175 105 0.625
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 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 120 48 0.714 9 New England 118 50 0.702 7 Pittsburgh 109 58 1.652 6 Philadelphia 108 59 1.646 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 21 (nine touchdowns, 12 field goals) of their 22 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 Total... 22/21... 9... 12... 99 Red Zone Defense: The Steelers defense has allowed 17 scores (eight field goals, nine touchdowns) in 22 possessions in the red zone in 2010. The 40.9 touchdown percentage on defense ranks fourth in the AFC and seventh in the NFL. 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 Total... 22/17... 9... 8... 87 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... 8.2... 3rd/4th Team Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Yards/Game... 298.3... 2nd/4th Yards/Play... 4.8... 2nd/4th Rushing Yards/Game... 58.3... 1st/1st Rushing Yards/Attempt... 2.6... 1st/1st Passing/Percent Had Intercepted... 3.6... 3rd/8th First Downs/Game... 17.6... 4th/8th Third-Down Efficiency... 36.1...4th/11th Sacks (Total)... 24... 4th/T-5th Points/Game... 15.4... 1st/1st Points/Game Differential... 6.4... 3rd/5th Field Goal Pct.... 78.9... 5th/T-12th Takeaways... 21... 1st/1st Turnover Advantage... +9... 1st/T-1st Red-Zone Efficiency (TD pct.)... 40.9... 4th/7th First-Down Plays... 4.52... 1st/3rd Special Teams Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Kickoff Return Average (Offense)... 27.3... 2nd/4th Gross Punting Average (Offense)... 46.1... 2nd/5th Net Punting Average (Offense)... 39.7... 4th/6th Kickoff Return Average (Defense)... 21.5... 3rd/7th Gross Punting Average (Defense)... 40.4... 1st/1st Avg. Starting Position (Receiving)... 30.1... 2nd/4th Individual Offense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Mendenhall (Rushing Yards)... 702... 5th/7th Mendenhall (Scoring)... 42... T-7th/T-10th Mendenhall (Rushing Touchdowns)... 7... T-3rd/T-3rd Wallace (Yards/Reception)... 23.0... 1st/1st Individual Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Polamalu (Total INTs)... 2... T-5th/T-17th Taylor (Total INTs)... 2... T-5th/T-17th Timmons (Total INTs)... 2... T-5th/T-17th Harrsion (Sacks)... 7.0... T-3rd/T-6th Fox (Def. Fumble Recoveries)... 2... T-2nd/T-4th Individual Special Teams Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Sepulveda (Punting Avg.)... 46.1... 3rd/7th Sepulveda (Net Punting Avg.)... 39.7... 4th/6th Sanders (Kickoff Return Avg.)... 26.1...4th/11th
COACHING NOTES 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. Our House: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 21-6 regularseason record at Heinz Field in his four seasons in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are 2-1 at home this season. Last year, the Steelers finished 6-2 at home. 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. Fast Start: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 37-19 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. 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 63-27 (.700) 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 103 32 0.763 2. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers 63 27 0.700 3. Philip Rivers, Chargers 50 23 0.685 4. Peyton Manning, Colts 136 64 0.680 5. Tony Romo, Cowboys 39 22 0.639 Home Cooking: QB Ben Roethlisberger owns a 35-10 (.778) mark in the regular season in his career at Heinz Field, including winning his first eight starts. At Heinz Field, Roethlisberger is 790-of-1,253 (63.0 pct.) for 10,314 yards with 64 touchdowns and 41 interceptions for a passer rating of 92.3. He has thrown for more than 300 yards seven times and has 20 multi-touchdown games at home (16-4 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 37 of the 45 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 13 times in his career, including in Week 7 (302 yards) at Miami of this season. The 13 career 300-yard passing games are a team record. Roethlisberger threw for over 300 yards in 2009 against Tennessee (363) in Week 1, San Diego (333) in Week 4, Cleveland (417) in Week 6, Kansas City (398) in Week 11 and Green Bay (503) in Week 15. Roethlisberger s five 300-yard passing games in 2009 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 63-27 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 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 1,061 Randy Moss 948 Hines Ward 925 Catching Consistency: WR Hines Ward has caught at least one pass in a Steelers record 186 consecutive games. 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 two active players in the NFL with at least one reception in consecutive regular-season games: Player (Team) Consecutive Games Hines Ward (Steelers) 186 Tony Gonzalez (Falcons) 155 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).