Game #11 Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) at Buffalo Bills (2-8) Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010 1 p.m. (ET) Ralph Wilson Stadium Orchard Park, N.Y. Game #11 Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) at Buffalo Bills (2-8) Date: Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010 Kickoff: 1 p.m., ET Site: Ralph Wilson Stadium (73,967) Orchard Park, N.Y. Playing Surface: AstroPlay TV Coverage: CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2) Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) Solomon Wilcots (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: 38-20 (.655)/fourth season Regular-season record at Pittsburgh: 38-20 (.655)/fourth season Playoff Record/Years: 3-1/two years Buffalo Bills Head Coach Chan Gailey Overall Regular-Season Record: 20-22 (.476)/third season Regular-Season Record at Buffalo: 2-8 (.200)/first season Playoff Record/Years: 0-2/two years For all of the most up-to-date information on the Pittsburgh Steelers, visit the team s official web site at. Updated daily, the web site has the most extensive information on upcoming games and the most comprehensive news on the Steelers. Pittsburgh Steelers 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 (7-3) 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 W, 35-3 (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 38-20 record in the regular season during his four-year head coaching career. His.655 winning percentage in his first four 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. CHAN GAILEY was named the 15 th Head Coach in franchise history on January 19 of this year. Now in his 16 th season in the NFL coaching ranks, Gailey is recognized league-wide for his successful offenses, though he has coached all three phases of the game during his vast coaching career. Gailey has over three decades of coaching experience, including head coaching experience in college, World League and the NFL. Gailey served as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 1998-99. Gailey also has four stints as offensive coordinator in the NFL with Denver (1989-90), Pittsburgh (1996-97), Miami (2000-01) and Kansas City (2008). 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 7 3 0.700 235 165 Baltimore 7 3 0.700 233 178 Cleveland 3 7 0.300 192 206 Cincinnati 2 8 0.200 215 262 This Week in the AFC North: Thursday, Nov. 25: Cincinnati (2-8) at New York Jets (8-2), 8:20 p.m. (NFL Network) Sunday, Nov. 28: Pittsburgh (7-3) at Buffalo (2-8), 1 p.m. (CBS) Carolina (1-9) at Cleveland (3-7), 1 p.m. (FOX) Tampa Bay (7-3) at Baltimore (7-3), 4:15 p.m. (FOX) 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) Shaun Suisham... (SWEE-zum) LaMarr Woodley... (la-marr) MEDIA NOTES Buffalo Bills Conference Call: Buffalo Head Coach Chan Gailey and LB Paul Posluszny will be available for interviews via conference call on Wednesday, Nov. 24, in the Steelers media workroom. Posluszny will be at 11:50 a.m Gailey will be at 12:20 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 Pittsburgh 35, Oakland 3 Sunday, Nov. 21 Pittsburgh, Pa. (Heinz Field) Pittsburgh Team Notes: The Steelers improved to 7-3 on the year for the first time since 2008. The 32-point victory was the largest in the series history by either team. Pittsburgh improved to 9-10 all-time versus the Oakland Raiders in the regular season. The Steelers improved to 5-5 all-time versus the Raiders at home, including a 3-2 mark at Heinz Field. The Steelers improved to 3-2 at home this year. Pittsburgh improved to 5-2 against AFC opponents on the year. Pittsburgh snapped a two-game losing streak against AFC West opponents with the victory over the Raiders. Pittsburgh is now 16-6 under Head Coach Mike Tomlin at Heinz Field versus AFC opponents. The Steelers are 22-7 at home in the regular season under Tomlin. Oakland jumped out to a 3-0 lead on its first drive of the game as K Sebastian Janikowski booted a 41-yard field goal with 9:50 remaining in the first quarter. Pittsburgh grabbed a 7-3 lead with a five-yard rushing touchdown by RB Rashard Mendenhall early in the second quarter. It marked Mendenhall s career-best eighth rushing touchdown of the year. QB Ben Roethlisberger gave Pittsburgh a 14-3 lead with 4:01 remaining in the first half with a 16-yard touchdown run, his first of the season and 11th of his career in the regular season. It was the first rushing touchdown this season for the Steelers scored by anyone other than Mendenhall. Roethlisberger connected with WR Emmanuel Sanders for a 22-yard touchdown late in the first half to give Pittsburgh a 21-3 lead with less than two minutes to go. It marked Sanders second straight game with a receiving touchdown. The Steelers were penalized seven times for 93 yards in the first half alone, while the Raiders were flagged three times for 20 yards in the first 30 minutes. Pittsburgh outgained the Raiders 228-52 in total offense in the first half, including 77-11 on the ground. Roethlisberger hit WR Mike Wallace for a 52-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to give Pittsburgh a 28-3 advantage. It was the third straight game Wallace has posted a touchdown reception. RB Isaac Redman capped the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown strike from Roethlisberger with 1:12 to play to make it a 35-3 final. It was Redman s first career touchdown. The Steelers finished with 431 yards of total offense, including 162 rushing and 269 passing. Pittsburgh limited Oakland to 182 yards of total offense (65 rushing, 121 passing). Tuesday, Nov. 23 Noon - Coach Tomlin Press Conference Wednesday, Nov. 24 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. 25 11 a.m.-1 p.m. - Practice Players available for media interviews following practice in locker room Friday, Nov. 26 10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Practice Players available for media interviews following practice in locker room Saturday, Nov. 27 No coaches or players available for media interviews Team travels to Buffalo, N.Y. Sunday, Nov. 28 1 p.m. (EST) Away Game at Buffalo Bills (Ralph Wilson Stadium) CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2) Monday, Nov. 29 TBA
Pittsburgh limited Oakland to 65 rushing yards after the Raiders entered the game averaging 162.2 yards per game. The Steelers finished with 14 penalties for 163 yards. The 163 yards penalized were the most in team history, surpassing the previous record of 154 yards at Cincinnati on Sept. 17, 1989. Oakland was flagged seven times for 55 yards. The Steelers had six sacks, including two by LB James Harrison. Pittsburgh had three takeaways (two interceptions, one fumble recovery). QB Charlie Batch (3rd QB), RB Jonathan Dwyer, S Will Allen, CB Crezdon Butler, OT Tony Hills, OG Chris Scott, DE Aaron Smith and DE Brett Keisel were inactive for the Steelers. Pittsburgh Individual Notes: QB Ben Roethlisberger Finished 18-of-29 for 275 yards with three passing touchdowns and no interceptions (127.8 passer rating). Scored on a 16-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, his first rushing touchdown of the season and 11th of his career in the regular season. Tossed a 22-yard touchdown pass to WR Emmanuel Sanders in the second quarter. Added a 52-yard touchdown pass to WR Mike Wallace on the first play of the fourth quarter. Found RB Isaac Redman for a 16-yard touchdown with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Marked his 16th career regular-season game with at least three touchdowns. Marked his 39th career game that he has posted a passer rating of at least 100. Had a 27-yard run in the fourth quarter and finished with a careerhigh 55 yards rushing. His previous career high was 49 yards rushing on 11/11/07 versus Cleveland. RB Rashard Mendenhall Finished with 59 yards rushing on 23 carries (2.6 avg.) with one touchdown. Scored a five-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter, his career-best eighth rushing touchdown of the season. RB Isaac Redman Scored his first career touchdown with a 16-yard reception in the fourth quarter. WR Hines Ward Finished with three receptions for 28 yards (9.3 avg.). WR Mike Wallace Finished with a game-high 116 yards receiving on three catches (38.7 avg.) with one touchdown. Posted his third straight 100-yard receiving game and the fourth this season (fifth of his career). Hauled in a 52-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger on the first play of the fourth quarter, marking his third straight game with at least one touchdown. The last Steelers wide receiver to catch at least one touchdown in three consecutive games was Hines Ward during a three-game stretch (Weeks 12-14) in 2005. Marked his fourth reception of at least 50 yards with his 52-yard touchdown. Has a career-best eight receiving touchdowns on the year. WR Emmanuel Sanders Hauled in a 22-yard touchdown pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger in the second quarter, marking his second straight game with a touchdown reception. Finished with two catches for 35 yards (17.5 avg.) with one touchdown. WR Antonio Brown Had seven punt returns for 66 yards (9.4 avg.), including a long of 20 yards. LB Lawrence Timmons Recovered his second fumble of the season in the second quarter on a forced fumble by CB Ike Taylor. Finished with four tackles (two solo). LB James Harrison Posted his second interception of the season (fifth of his career). Forced his fifth fumble of the year on a seven-yard sack in the second quarter. Posted a 12-yard sack on the Raiders first drive of the second half, giving him nine on the year. Marked his 11th career game with at least two sacks and third this season. Team improved to 11-0 when he has tallied at least two sacks (3-0 this season). Finished with three tackles (all solo). LB James Farrior Posted an eight-yard sack in the second quarter, giving him two for the year and 29 for his career (23.5 with Pittsburgh). Finished with 12 tackles (eight solo). LB LaMarr Woodley Posted a five-yard sack (6.5 for the season) and forced his third fumble of the season late in the first half. LB Jason Worilds Posted his second career sack in the fourth quarter. CB Bryant McFadden Tallied his second sack of the season with a nine-yarder in the fourth quarter. Finished with five tackles (all solo). CB Ike Taylor Forced his first fumble of the season in the second quarter. S Troy Polamalu Posted his team-leading third interception of the season (23rd of his career) and returned it 38 yards. Team improved to 19-3 when he tallies an interception. Finished with eight tackles (six solo). P Daniel Sepulveda Averaged 45.0 yards per punt on seven punts, including a long of 54 yards. STEELERS-BILLS SERIES NOTES Series History: Series began in 1970 Overall: Pittsburgh leads 11-8 At Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh leads 7-1 At Buffalo: Buffalo leads 7-4 Neutral Sites: n/a Last Meeting: Sept. 16, 2007 (in Pittsburgh) Pittsburgh 26, Buffalo 3 Postseason Series: Pittsburgh leads 2-1 (postseason record not included in overall series record) Pittsburgh is 11-8 all-time versus the Bills, not including a 2-1 record in the postseason...the Steelers 11-8 record in the regular season against the Bills includes a 7-1 mark at home and a 4-7 record on the road...pittsburgh has won three straight over the Bills overall and six of the past seven regular-season meetings...the Steelers have won two straight games in Buffalo in the series, including a 29-24 victory in the 2004 season finale.
TEAM NOTES 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 road winning percentages since 2000: Team W L T Pct. Indianapolis 57 29 0.663 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 37 0.565 Steelers-Bills Connections: Several Steelers have ties to the Bills and the Buffalo area. Steelers with direct ties to the Bills and the surrounding Buffalo area include defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, who was the Bills assistant head coach in 2003. Offensive line coach Sean Kugler, who was born in Lockport, N.Y. (30 miles north of Buffalo), held the same position with the Bills from 2007-09. OT Jonathan Scott played for Buffalo in 2008-09. Bills with Steelers/Western Pennsylvania connections include LB Paul Posluszny, who went to Hopewell High School and attended Penn State. Head Coach Chan Gailey was the Steelers offensive coordinator in 1996-97 and was the wide receivers coach in 1994-95. Offensive line coach Joe D Alessandris was born in Aliquippa and coached at Pitt in 1996. Operation Shutdown: The Steelers had one of their top defensive efforts in recent memory in their Week 11 victory over the Oakland Raiders at Heinz Field. The Steelers limited the Raiders to just 182 yards of total offense and posted six sacks on Oakland s quarterbacks. Pittsburgh picked off two passes and also recovered a Raider fumble. Pittsburgh held Oakland to just 61 yards rushing, over 100 yards lower (162.2 avg.) than what the Raiders were averaging entering the matchup. Also, the Raiders converted just 21 percent (3 of 14) of their third-down attempts. Swarming Defense: The Steelers have been putting on a defensive showcase in 2010. The team has has 24 takeaways in 10 games. The following is a quick look at some of the impressive defensive statistics the Steelers have put up in their 10 games combined: Category Statistic Total Points Allowed... 165 Points Allowed/First Half (Total)... 61 Touchdowns Allowed... 16 Total Takeaways... 24 Fumbles Recovered... 11 Interceptions... 13 Total Sacks... 30 Total Rushing Yards Allowed... 630 Rushing Yards Allowed/Game... 63.0 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 291. The Steelers have 30 sacks in 2010, including a season-high six in Week 11 versus Oakland. The 30 sacks rank second (tied) in the AFC and second (tied) in the NFL. In 2009, the Steelers finished with 47 sacks, ranking first in the AFC and second in the NFL. Several Steelers and Bills are products of the same colleges, including the following: STEELERS-BILLS COLLEGE CONNECTIONS STEELERS COLLEGE BILLS Crezdon Butler (CB)... Clemson... C.J. Spiller (RB) Nick Eason (DE) Maurkice Pouncey (C)... Florida... David Nelson (WR) Bryant McFadden (CB)... Florida State... Garrison Sanborn (LS) Lawrence Timmons (LB) Hines Ward (WR)... Georgia... Marcus Stroud (DE) Jonathan Dwyer (RB)... Georgia Tech... Cordaro Howard (OL) Keyaron Fox (LB) Mansfield Wrotto (OL William Gay (CB)... Louisville... Brian Brohm (QB) Eric Wood (OL) Ryan Clark (S)... LSU... Kyle Williams (NT) Flozell Adams (OT)... Michigan State... Jehuu Caulcrick (RB) Will Allen (S)... Ohio State... Donte Whitner (S) Ashton Youboty (CB) Keenan Lewis (CB)... Oregon State... Dwan Edwards (DE) Keith Ellison (LB) Andy Levitre (OL) Ramon Foster (OG)... Tennessee... David Martin (TE) Chris Scott (OT) Chris Kemoeatu (OG)... Utah... Quinton Ganther (RB) Stevenson Sylvester (LB) James Farrior (LB)... Virginia... Jonathan Stupar (TE) Heath Miller (TE) Jason Worilds (LB)... Virginia Tech... Ed Wang (OL) Ryan Mundy (S)... West Virginia... Corey McIntyre (FB) 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... 30 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 630 yards rushing on the year, an average of just 63.0 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.
What To Look For: PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES The Steelers look to improve to 12-8 all-time versus the Buffalo Bills in the regular season. The Steelers look to improve to 5-7 all-time versus the Bills on the road. The Steelers look for their fourth straight win in the series and their third straight win at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Steelers look to improve to 5-1 on the road this year. The Steelers look to improve to 6-2 against AFC opponents this year. PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES RB Rashard Mendenhall Needs 189 yards rushing to post his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season. He currently has 811 yards rushing on the season and totaled a career-best 1,108 rushing yards in 2009. WR Mike Wallace Needs at least 100 yards receiving to break the team s record for consecutive 100-yard receiving games. He currently is tied with WR Hines Ward for the most consecutive in team history with three. Needs 241 yards receiving to post his first career 1,000-yard season. He already surpassed last season s total of 756 receiving yards as he now has 759 yards in 2010. Needs five receiving touchdowns to break the team s single-season record, which is 12 held by Hines Ward (2002), Louis Lipps (1985) and Buddy Dial (1961). 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 630 63.0 1st/1st Total 13,188 85.6 1st/1st Imposing Their Will: The Steelers are averaging 118.0 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks seventh in the AFC and 11th in the NFL. The Steelers have outrushed eight of their 10 opponents this year, averaging over 55 more yards on the ground than their opponents. Pittsburgh has achieved this success despite having a number of injuries to the offensive line. On the year, the Steelers have started five different combinations on the offensive line. Defense! Defense! Defense!: Pittsburgh is allowing 302.1 yards of total offense this year, which ranks second in the AFC and fifth in the NFL. The Steelers have allowed just 630 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 63.0 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 44 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. Oakland (Week 11) 162.2 61 yds. Defensive Dominance: The Steelers have given up 165 points on the year, which ranks first in the AFC and third in the NFL. The Steelers have allowed the fewest points in the NFL since the beginning of the 2007 season. Pittsburgh has allowed just 981 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 981 Baltimore 1,067 Indianapolis 1,083 New England 1,110 Gimme The Ball: On the year, the Steelers have tallied 24 takeaways, which rank first in the AFC and third 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. 2010 REGULAR SEASON STATISTICAL COMPARISON Steelers Category Bills 23.5... Points Scored Per Game... 21.3 16.5... Points Allowed Per Game... 27.6 16.1... First Downs Per Game... 17.8 325.3... Total Yards Per Game... 317.4 118.0... Rushing Yards Per Game... 113.7 207.3... Passing Yards Per Game... 203.7 30... Sacks By... 15 13... Interceptions By... 4 30:19... Avg. Time of Possession... 27:51 27... Touchdowns... 27 9... Rushing Touchdowns... 6 16... Passing Touchdowns... 19 2... Touchdowns on Returns... 2 15-22... Field Goals... 9-14 45.8... Punting Avg.... 43.0 7.8... Punt Return Avg.... 9.8 26.4... Kickoff Return Avg.... 23.7
LOOKING AHEAD... The Steelers travel to Baltimore to take on their AFC Northrival, the Baltimore Ravens, on Sunday, Dec. 5. Kickoff at M&T Bank Stadium is set for 8:20 p.m. and will be nationally televised on NBC (locally WPXI-TV, channel 11). The Steelers rank first in the AFC and second (tied) in the NFL with a plus-10 (+10) turnover advantage (24 takeaways, 14 giveaways). Picking Your Poison: The Steelers have 13 interceptions on the year, including a team-best three by S Troy Polamalu. The Steelers posted two interceptions (LB James Harrison, Polamalu) in their Week 11 victory over the Oakland Raiders. 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. Covering The Field: The Steelers rank 12th in the league with an average starting position of 25.0 of their opponents. It is a drastic improvement from 2009 when Pittsburgh finished last in the NFL by allowing its opponents to start at an average of the 31.3 yard line. CB Anthony Madison and rookie LB Jason Worilds lead the team with 12 special teams tackles each. 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. 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 379 245 2.608 2. Miami Dolphins 377 247 2.603 3. Dallas Cowboys 370 256 0.592 Among The Best: The Steelers have 567 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 716 2. Green Bay Packers 686 3. New York Giants 652 4. Washington Redskins 569 5. Pittsburgh Steelers 567 Additionally, Pittsburgh owns the second-best record in the NFL since the free-agency era (since 1993) with a 176-105-1 (.626) 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 179 103 0.635 2. Pittsburgh Steelers 176 105 1.626 3. Green Bay Packers 176 106 0.624 If You Build It, They Will Come: The Steelers are averaging 64,570 fans in five 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 298 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 322,852 64,570 Team record Heinz Field Advantage: The Steelers own the best home record in the NFL with a 225-87-1 record (.720) since 1970. Pittsburgh is 40-12 (.769) at home over the past seven seasons, including a 3-2 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 3-2 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 49 0.712 9 New England 120 50 0.706 7 Pittsburgh 110 59 1.650 6 Philadelphia 110 59 1.650 8 Green Bay 102 68 0.600 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 27 (14 touchdowns, 13 field goals) of their 30 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 Oakland... 3/3... 3... 0... 21 Total... 30/27... 14... 13... 137 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 Oakland... 0/0... 0... 0... 0 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) Yards/Play... 5.6... 3rd/8th Passing Net Yards/Play... 8.3... 2nd/2nd Team Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Yards/Game... 320.1... 2nd/5th Yards/Play... 4.8... 2nd/3rd Rushing Yards/Game... 63.0... 1st/1st Rushing Yards/Attempt... 2.9... 1st/1st Passing Net Yards/Play... 6.7... 2nd/6th Passing/Percent Had Intercepted... 3.4... 4th/10th Third-Down Efficiency... 34.1... 3rd/5th Sacks (Total)... 30... T-2nd/T-2nd Points/Game... 16.5... 1st/3rd Points/Game Differential... 7.0... 1st/2nd Net Yards/Game Differential... 23.2... 5th/10th Takeaways... 24... 1st/3rd Turnover Advantage... +10... 1st/T-2nd Red-Zone Efficiency... 44.4... 4th/9th First-Down Plays... 4.56... 1st/3rd Special Teams Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Kickoff Return Average (Offense)... 26.4... 1st/3rd Gross Punting Average (Offense)... 45.8... 2nd/4th Net Punting Average (Offense)... 39.6... 3rd/6th Kickoff Return Average (Defense)... 20.7... 3rd/7th Gross Punting Average (Defense)... 41.7... 5th/7th Avg. Starting Position (Receiving)... 30.2... 1st/3rd Individual Offense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Roethlisberger (Passer Rating)... 101.9... 2nd/3rd Roethlisberger (Avg. Gain)... 8.44... 2nd/2nd Roethlisberger (TD Pct.)... 6.4... 3rd/3rd Roethlisberger (INTs)... 4... T-2nd/T-3rd Roethlisberger (4th-Qtr. Passer Rating).. 125.6... 2nd/2nd Roethlisberger (4th-Qtr. Comp. Pct.).. 74.5... 1st/1st Roethlisberger (4th-Qtr. TDs)... 6... T-4th/T-4th Roethlisberger (4th-Qtr. TD pct.)... 11.8... 2nd/2nd Roethlisberger (3rd-Down Passer Rating).. 119.6... 1st/1st Mendenhall (Rushing Yards)... 811... 5th/T-8th Wallace (Receiving Yards)... 759... 5th/7th Wallace (Yards/Reception)... 23.0... 1st/1st Wallace (Receiving TDs)... 8... T-4th/T-6th Individual Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Polamalu (Total INTs)... 3... T-4th/T-13th Harrsion (Sacks)... 9.0... T-2nd/T-3rd Fox (Def. Fumble Recoveries)... 2... T-2nd/T-6th Timmons (Def. Fumble Recoveries)... 2... T-2nd/T-6th Individual Special Teams Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Sepulveda (Punting Avg.)... 45.8... 3rd/6th Sepulveda (Net Punting Avg.)... 39.6... 3rd/6th Sanders (Kickoff Return Avg.)... 26.0... 4th/9th
COACHING NOTES Our House: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 22-7 regularseason record at Heinz Field in his four seasons in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are 3-2 at home this season. Last year, the Steelers finished 6-2 at home. Fast Start: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 38-20 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 64-28 (.696) 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 105 32 0.766 2. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers 64 28 0.696 3. Philip Rivers, Chargers 51 23 0.689 4. Peyton Manning, Colts 137 65 0.678 5. Tony Romo, Cowboys 39 22 0.639 Home Cooking: QB Ben Roethlisberger owns a 36-11 (.766) 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 10,976 with 70 touchdowns and 42 interceptions for a passer rating of 93.3. He has thrown for more than 300 yards eight times and has 22 multi-touchdown games at home (17-5 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 39 of the 47 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). All-Around Performance: QB Ben Roethlisberger had a productive outing all-around in the Steelers Week 11 victory over the Oakland Raiders.
Roethlisberger finished 18-of-29 for 275 yards passing with three touchdowns and no interceptions (127.8 passer rating). Additionally, Roethlisberger finished with a career-high 55 yards rushing on three carries (18.3 avg.), including a 16-yard touchdown run. His previous career high was 49 yards rushing on Nov. 11, 2007 versus Cleveland. 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. Deadly Combination: QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Mike Wallace have become a deadly combination in just their second season together. The two have combined for six touchdowns of at least 40 yards on the year, which ranks second (tied) in team history. The following is a list of the top QB-WR combos in terms of touchdowns of 40 yards in club history: Career TDs of Quarterback/Wide Receiver 40-plus yds. Bubby Brister/Louis Lipps 7 Ben Roethlisberger/Mike Wallace 6 Terry Bradshaw/John Stallworth 6 Jim Finks/Ray Mathews 6 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 64-28 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 39 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 928 career receptions. The following is a list the top three active wide receivers with the most career receptions: Active Player Career Receptions Terrell Owens 1,068 Randy Moss 949 Hines Ward 928