Game #6 Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) at Miami Dolphins (3-2) Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010 1 p.m. (ET) Sun Life Stadium Miami Gardens, Fla. Game #6 Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) at Miami Dolphins (3-2) Date: Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010 Kickoff: 1 p.m., ET Site: Sun Life Stadium (75,192) Miami Gardens, Fla. Playing Surface: Grass (PAT) TV Coverage: CBS-TV (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2) Announcers: Greg Gumbel (play-by-play) Dan Dierdorf (color analyst) Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970) Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (color analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline) National Radio: Westwood One Radio Announcers: Howard David (play-by-play) Tony Boselli (color analyst) 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: 35-18 (.660)/fourth season Regular-season record at Pittsburgh: 35-18 (.660)/fourth season Playoff Record/Years: 3-1/two years Miami Dolphins Head Coach Tony Sparano Overall regular-season record: 21-16 (.568)/third season Regular-season record at Miami: 21-16 (.568)/third season Playoff Record/Years: 0-1/one year 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 (4-1) 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 1 p.m. (CBS) Sunday, Oct. 31 at New Orleans 8:20 p.m. (NBC) Monday, Nov. 8 at Cincinnati 8:30 p.m. (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 35-18 record in the regular season during his four-year head coaching career. His.660 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. TONY SPARANO, in his 12th season in the NFL and his 27th year in the coaching profession, was named the eighth head coach in Miami Dolphins history on January 16, 2008. He came to the Dolphins after spending the previous five years with the Dallas Cowboys. In his first year as the Dolphins head coach in 2008, Sparano guided the team to a single-season turnaround matched just once in NFL history. Taking over a 1-15 squad from a year earlier, he led the Dolphins to an 11-5 record and the AFC East title. His 10-game improvement has been achieved only one other time in league annals. 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 4 1 0.800 114 60 Baltimore 4 2 0.667 112 95 Cincinnati 2 3 0.400 100 102 Cleveland 1 5 0.167 88 125 This Week in the AFC North: Sunday, Oct. 24: Pittsburgh (4-1) at Miami (3-2), 1 p.m. (CBS) Cleveland (1-5) at New Orleans (4-2), 1 p.m. (CBS) Cincinnati (2-3) at Atlanta (4-2), 1 p.m. (CBS) Buffalo (0-5) at Baltimore (4-2), 1 p.m. (CBS) All times are Eastern.
STEELERS PRONUNCIATIONS Flozell Adams... (FLOW-zell) Arnaz Battle... (ARE-nez) Crezdon Butler... (CREZ-den) Trai Essex... (TRAY) Ramon Foster... (ra-mone) Keyaron Fox... (KEY-aaron) Brett Keisel... (KEE-sull) Chris Kemoeatu... (kay-moy-ah-too) Keenan Lewis... (KEY-nan) Mewelde Moore... (Muh-WELL-dee) Troy Polamalu... (Pole-uh-MAH-lu) Maurkice Pouncey... (Mar-KEESE POUN-see) Matt Spaeth... (SPAYTH) LaMarr Woodley... (la-marr) MEDIA NOTES Miami Dolphins Conference Call: Miami Dolphins Head Coach Tony Sparano and RB Ronnie Brown will be available for interviews via conference call on Wednesday, Oct. 20, in the Steelers media workroom. Brown will be at 2:10 p.m. and Sparano will follow at 2:30 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 28, Cleveland 10 Sunday, Oct. 17 Pittsburgh, Pa. (Heinz Field) Pittsburgh Team Notes: The Steelers improved to 4-1 on the year, including 2-1 at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh improved to 59-56 all-time against the Browns in the regular season. The Steelers won their seventh straight home game against the Browns. Pittsburgh is now 9-1 at Heinz Field in the regular season against Cleveland. Pittsburgh improved to 53-24 (including playoffs) against the Browns since the NFL merger in 1970. The Steelers improved to 21-6 in the regular season at Heinz Field during the Mike Tomlin era. Tomlin now owns a 14-6 all-time mark against teams in the AFC North, including a 9-2 record against divisional foes at Heinz Field. The Steelers have won seven of their last nine games following a bye week. Pittsburgh owns the best home record in the NFL with a 224-86- 1 record since the NFL merger in 1970. Today s attendance of 65,168 marks the fifth-highest attendance mark in Heinz Field history (including postseason). Following an interception by CB Joe Haden on the Steelers first drive of the game, Cleveland s K Phil Dawson booted a 39-yard field goal to give the Browns a 3-0 lead with 1:51 remaining in the first quarter. On the Steelers ensuing drive, QB Ben Roethlisberger tossed a 29-yard touchdown pass to WR Mike Wallace to give Pittsburgh a 7-3 advantage with 10:40 left in the first half. It was Wallace s team-leading third receiving touchdown of the season. With 3:13 remaining in the third quarter, Roethlisberger tossed an eight-yard touchdown to WR Hines Ward as Pittsburgh grabbed a 14-3 lead. It was Ward s 81st career touchdown (80 receiving, one rushing), moving him into sole possession of second place on the team s all-time touchdowns list. The touchdown drive was a five-play, 96-yard drive, the Steelers longest drive since a fourplay, 96-yard drive against the St. Louis Rams on Dec. 20, 2007. RB Rashard Mendenhall scored a two-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to give Pittsburgh a 21-3 lead. It was Mendenhall s sixth straight home game with at least one rushing touchdown, dating back to 2009. It was also his team-leading fifth rushing touchdown of the year and the first rushing touchdown that Cleveland has allowed this year. Cleveland trimmed the lead to 21-10 with 4:09 remaining in the game as QB Colt McCoy tossed his first career touchdown with a 12-yarder to TE Benjamin Watson. Roethlisberger tossed his third touchdown of the game, a 14- yarder to TE Heath Miller with less than two minutes remaining to give Pittsburgh a 28-10 lead and seal the victory. It was Miller s first touchdown of the year. Tuesday, Oct. 19 Noon - Coach Tomlin Press Conference Wednesday, Oct. 20 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, Oct. 21 1-3 p.m. - Practice Players available for media interviews at 12:15 p.m. and following practice in locker room Friday, Oct. 22 10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. - Practice Players available for media interviews following practice in locker room Saturday, Oct. 23 No coaches or players available for media interviews Team travels to Miami, Fla. Sunday, Oct. 24 1 p.m. (ET) Away Game at Miami Dolphins (Sun Life Stadium) CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2) Monday, Oct. 25 TBA
Pittsburgh finished with 378 yards of total offense, including 257 through the air and 121 on the ground. Cleveland had 328 yards of offense (258 passing, 70 rushing). The Steelers posted 22 first downs and converted 50 percent (7 of 14) of their third-down attempts. Both teams were penalized four times (Pittsburgh 4-25, Cleveland 4-46). The Steelers allowed only one 100-yard rusher in the past 39 games. Pittsburgh had three takeaways, including two interceptions (S Ryan Clark, LB Lawrence Timmons) and one fumble recovery (LB Keyaron Fox). The Steelers had a season-high five sacks, including two by Timmons, 1.5 by LB James Harrison, one by LB LaMarr Woodley and a half-sack by DE Nick Eason. For the second time this year (Week 3 at Tampa Bay), the Steelers did not allow a sack. QB Charlie Batch (3rd QB), CB Keenan Lewis, RB Jonathan Dwyer, CB Crezdon Butler, OT Tony Hills, OG Trai Essex, WR Antonio Brown and LB Thaddeus Gibson were inactive for the Steelers. Pittsburgh Individual Notes: QB Ben Roethlisberger Made his first start of the season and finished 16-of-27 for 257 yards with three touchdowns and one interception (112.7 passer rating). Tossed his first touchdown of the season, a 29-yarder to WR Mike Wallace in the second quarter. Connected with Wallace for a 50-yard completion in the third quarter. Hit WR Hines Ward for an eight-yard touchdown in the third quarter to give Pittsburgh a 14-3 lead. Tossed a 14-yard touchdown strike to TE Heath Miller with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Marked his 38th career 100-plus passer rating in the regular season. Marked his 15th career regular-season game with at least three touchdown passes. Improved to 11-1 all-time against the Cleveland Browns. Improved to 35-10 all-time in the regular season at Heinz Field. Owns a 25-7 all-time record as a starter against AFC North opponents. Improved to 61-26 all-time as a starter. RB Rashard Mendenhall Finished with a game-high 84 yards rushing on 27 carries (3.1 avg.) with one touchdown. Had a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, his teamleading fifth touchdown of the year. Has scored at least one rushing touchdown in six straight home games, dating back to 2009. RB Isaac Redman Finished with 31 yards rushing on six carries (5.2 avg.), including a long of 13 yards. WR Hines Ward Finished with five catches for 54 yards with one touchdown. Has now caught a pass in a team-record 183 consecutive games, tying Hall of Famer Art Monk for fourth place on the NFL s all-time list for consecutive games with at least one catch. Hauled in an eight-yard touchdown in the third quarter, his second of the season. It was his 81st career touchdown (80 receiving, one rushing), moving him into sole possession of second place on the team s all-time touchdowns list. He trails only Franco Harris, who finished his Steelers career with 100 touchdowns. WR Mike Wallace Finished with three catches for a game-high 90 yards with one touchdown. Hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger in the second quarter, giving him a team-leading three receiving touchdowns on the year. Caught a 50-yard pass from Roethlisberger in the third quarter. TE Heath Miller Caught his first touchdown pass of the season, a 14-yarder from QB Ben Roethlisberger with less than two minutes remaining in the game. Finished with two catches for 50 yards (25.0 avg.). LB James Harrison Forced his fourth fumble of the season (22 for his career) in the second quarter. Finished with a game-high 14 tackles (10 solo) and 1.5 sacks, giving him 4.5 sacks on the year. LB Lawrence Timmons Finished with 14 tackles (nine solo) with two sacks and an interception. Posted a seven-yard sack in the first quarter. Posted a three-yard sack midway through the third quarter. Had his first interception of the season (2nd of career) in the fourth quarter. LB LaMarr Woodley Posted a nine-yard sack in the first quarter, his third of the season and 32nd of his career. Finished with four tackles. LB Keyaron Fox Recovered a fumble on a muffed punt in the fourth quarter, his second of the year. DE Nick Eason Posted a half-sack, giving him 1.5 on the year. S Ryan Clark Posted his first interception of the season (fourth with Steelers, ninth of his career) on the Browns first drive of the game. P Daniel Sepulveda Downed four of his six punts inside the 20-yard line Averaged 42.8 yards per punt, including a long of 60 yards. K Jeff Reed Finished with four points, all PATs. Became just the second kicker in team history to have 300 career PATs, trailing only Gary Anderson (416 career PATs). STEELERS-DOLPHINS SERIES NOTES Series History: Series began in 1971 Overall: Pittsburgh leads 11-9 At Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh leads 6-2 At Miami: Miami leads 7-5 Neutral Sites: n/a Last Regular-Season Meeting: Jan. 3, 2010 (in Miami) Pittsburgh 30, Miami 24 Postseason Series: Miami leads 2-1 (postseason record not included in overall series record) The Steelers lead the all-time series 11-9, but the Dolphins hold a 7-5 advantage in Miami...Pittsburgh won the most recent matchup between the two teams, 30-24, on Jan. 3, 2010 (2009 season finale)...pittsburgh has won two straight on the road in the series...pittsburgh won the previous game between these two in Miami, 13-3, on Sept. 26, 2004, a game which saw QB Ben Roethlisberger complete 12-of-22 passes for 163 yards with one touchdown and one interception in his first NFL start...pittsburgh has won four straight games in the series and five of the past six...the Steelers are 5-2 in their past seven trips to Miami...overall, the Steelers have won nine of the last 12 games in the series.
TEAM NOTES Imposing Their Will: The Steelers are averaging 131.0 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks sixth in the AFC and ninth in the NFL. The Steelers have outrushed every opponent this year, averaging nearly 50 more yards on the ground than the opponents. Road Warriors: The Steelers have had great success playing away from Heinz Field over the last decade. 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 27 0.679 Philadelphia 54 28 1.657 New England 52 30 0.634 Pittsburgh 48 34 0.585 New Orleans 47 36 0.566 New York Giants 46 36 0.561 On The Road Again: The Steelers are beginning a stretch of three straight road games, starting with their Week 7 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. 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 Houston (W, 12-9 in OT). Steelers-Dolphins Connections: Several Steelers have ties to the Dolphins and the Miami area. Steelers with direct ties to the Dolphins and the Miami area include OT Max Starks, who played at Florida and is from Orlando. C Maurkice Pouncey also played for the Gators and is from Lakeland. CB Bryant McFadden (Hollywood, Fla.) and LB Lawrence Timmons went to Florida State. CB William Gay (Tallahassee) and WR Antonio Brown (Miami) hail from Florida. Dolphins with ties to the Steelers or Western Pa. include FB Lousaka Polite also played at Woodland Hills and played collegiately at Pitt. DE Jared Odrick, TE Mickey Shuler and LB Cameron Wake went to Penn State. Swarming Defense: The Steelers have been putting on a defensive showcase in each of their first five games of 2010. The team has given up just five touchdowns in five games. Additionally, the Steelers have 15 takeaways in five games. The following is a quick look at some of the impressive defensive statistics the Steelers have put up in their first five games combined: Category Statistic Total Points Allowed... 60 Points Allowed/First Half (Total)... 22 Touchdowns Allowed... 5 Total Takeaways... 15 Fumbles Recovered... 7 Interceptions... 8 Total Sacks... 16 Total Rushing Yards Allowed... 319 Rushing Yards Allowed/Game... 63.8 Defense! Defense! Defense!: Pittsburgh is allowing 296.8 yards of total offense this year, which ranks third in the AFC and sixth in the NFL. The Steelers have allowed just 319 rushing yards (63.8 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. Several Steelers and Dolphins are products of the same colleges, including the following: STEELERS-DOLPHINS COLLEGE CONNECTIONS STEELERS COLLEGE DOLPHINS Chris Hoke (DT)... BYU... John Denney (LS) Brett Keisel (DE) Crezdon Butler (CB)... Clemson... Chris Clemons (S) Nick Eason (DE) Maurkice Pouncey (C)... Florida... Channing Crowder (LB) Max Starks (OT) Hines Ward (WR)... Georgia... Reshad Jones (S) Quentin Moses (LB) Rashard Mendenhall (RB)... Illinois... Vontae Davis (CB) Byron Leftwich (QB)... Marshall... Chad Pennington (QB) Doug Legursky (OG) Larry Foote (LB)... Michigan... Chad Henne (QB) LaMarr Woodley (LB) Jake Long (OT) Flozell Adams (OT)... Michigan State... Brandon Fields (P) Mike Wallace (WR)... Mississippi... John Jerry (OG) Arnaz Battle (WR)... Notre Dame... Anthony Fasano (TE) Will Allen (S)... Ohio State... Bobby Carpenter (LB) Thaddeus Gibson (LB) Brian Hartline (WR) Austin Spitler (LB) Robert Rose (DE) Ramon Foster (OT)... Tennessee... Jason Allen (CB) Tony McDaniel (DE) Casey Hampton (DT)... Texas... Ricky Williams (RB) Tony Hills (OT) Jonathan Scott (OT) Chris Kemoeatu (OG)... Utah... Koa Misi (LB) Stevenson Sylvester (LB) Sean Smith (CB) Paul Soliai (DT) 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. Turning Up the Heat: Since 1994, the Steelers have led the AFC in sacks five times and the entire NFL twice. The Steelers have 16 sacks in 2010, including a season-high five in Week 6 versus Cleveland. The 16 sacks rank third in the AFC and eighth (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... 16 1990... 34 * Team Record
What To Look For: PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES The Steelers look to improve to 5-1 for the second time in the past three years (2008). The Steelers look to improve to 12-9 all-time against the Dolphins in the regular season. Pittsburgh looks for its third straight win on the road in the series and looks to improve to 6-7 on the road against the Dolphins. The Steelers look for their fifth straight win overall against the Dolphins. The Steelers look to improve to a perfect 3-0 on the road this year and for the first time since winning their first four road games in 2005. PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES WR Hines Ward Needs one reception to take sole possession of fourth place on the NFL s all-time list for consecutive games with at least one catch. He has currently caught at least one pass in a team-record 183 consecutive games, which is tied for fourth place with Hall of Famer Art Monk. Needs one touchdown to surpass 500 career points, becoming just the fifth player in team history to achieve the feat. He currently ranks fifth all-time on the Steelers scoring list with 496 points. TE Heath Miller Needs nine receiving yards to move into second place on the team s all-time list for tight ends. He currently has 2,871 career receiving yards, trailing only Bennie Cunningham (2,879) and Elbie Nickel (5,133). DE Aaron Smith Needs 2.5 sacks to move into seventh place on the team s all-time sack list ahead of Dwight White (46.0). Smith currently has 44.0 career sacks. K Jeff Reed Needs three field goals to become just the second kicker in team history to have at least 200 career field goals. Reed currently has 197 career field goals and trails only Gary Anderson (309). Needs nine points to reach 900 career points, which is second on the team s all-time list behind only Gary Anderson (1,343). Holding Their Ground: Over the past nine 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 319 yards rushing on the year, averaging 63.8 yards per game. That average ranks first in the AFC and 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 319 63.8 1st/1st Total 12,776 85.4 1st/1st Run Stuffers: The Steelers rank first in the league by allowing just 63.8 yards per game. Pittsburgh has allowed only one 100-yard rusher in the past 39 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. Defensive Dominance: The Steelers have given up just 60 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 876 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 876 Baltimore 984 New England 984 Indianapolis 992 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 19,231 yards of total offense (5,891 rushing, 13,340 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 15 takeaways, which rank first in the AFC and first (tied) in the NFL. Pittsburgh posted seven takeaways in its Week 2 victory at the Tennessee Titans. The seven takeaways are the most by the Steelers since they had seven (four interceptions, three fumbles) on Nov. 9, 1997 against Baltimore. Against the Titans, S Troy Polamalu, CB Bryant McFadden and LB LaMarr Woodley each had an interception while the Steelers also recovered four fumbles. The Steelers rank second in the NFL with a plus-nine (+9) turnover advantage (15 takeaways, six giveaways). 2010 REGULAR SEASON STATISTICAL COMPARISON Steelers Category Dolphins 22.8... Points Scored Per Game... 17.8 12.0... Points Allowed Per Game... 22.4 14.8... First Downs Per Game... 20.8 291.2... Total Yards Per Game... 347.8 131.0... Rushing Yards Per Game... 115.6 160.2... Passing Yards Per Game... 232.2 16... Sacks By... 14 8... Interceptions By... 4 30:33... Avg. Time of Possession... 32:11 13... Touchdowns... 9 5... Rushing Touchdowns... 1 6... Passing Touchdowns... 7 2... Touchdowns on Returns... 1 8-12... Field Goals... 8-10 46.7... Punting Avg.... 37.5 5.2... Punt Return Avg.... 10.4 27.7... Kickoff Return Avg.... 22.2
LOOKING AHEAD... The Steelers continue their three-game road trip with a Halloween night matchup against the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. Kickoff at the Superdome is slated for 8:20 p.m. and will be nationally televised on NBC (locally WPXI-TV, channel 11). Picking Your Poison: The Steelers have eight interceptions on the year, including a team-best two by S Troy Polamalu. The Steelers posted two interceptions (S Ryan Clark, LB Lawrence 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. If You Build It, They Will Come: The Steelers are averaging 64,502 fans at home in two 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. The Steelers broke two attendance records at Heinz Field last year. 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 set the team home attendance record in 2005 by averaging 63,429 (507,434 total). 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. 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 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 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 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 376 243 2.607 2. Miami Dolphins 375 244 2.605 3. Dallas Cowboys 368 253 0.593 Additionally, Pittsburgh owns the third-best record in the NFL since the free-agency era (since 1993) with a 173-103-1 (.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 175 102 0.631 2. Pittsburgh Steelers 173 103 1.626 3. Green Bay Packers 172 105 0.621 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 119 47 0.717 9 New England 116 49 0.703 7 Pittsburgh 107 57 1.652 6 Philadelphia 107 58 1.649 8 Green Bay 98 68 0.595 6 Among The Best: The Steelers have 564 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 713 2. Green Bay Packers 682 3. New York Giants 650 4. Washington Redskins 567 5. Pittsburgh Steelers 564 Controlling The NFC: The Steelers have won 22 of their past 26 regular-season games versus teams in the NFC, dating back to 2003. The Steelers are 96-56-1 (.631) all-time against teams from the NFC (including Super Bowls), including a 54-19-1 record at home and a 36-36 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 14 (seven touchdowns, seven field goals) of their 15 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 Total... 15/14... 7... 7... 70 Red Zone Defense: The Steelers defense has allowed eight scores (three field goals, five touchdowns) in 10 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... 1/1... 1... 0... 7 @ Tampa Bay... 3/2... 1... 1... 10 Baltimore... 4/3... 2... 1... 17 Cleveland... 1/1... 1... 0... 7 Total... 10/8... 5... 3... 44 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) Rushing Yards/Game... 131.0... 6th/9th Passing Net Yards/Play... 8.0... 4th/5th Points/Game... 22.8... 7th/10th First-Down Plays... 5.92... 7th/9th Team Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Yards/Game... 296.8... 3rd/6th Yards/Play... 4.7... 2nd/4th Rushing Yards/Game... 63.8... 1st/1st Rushing Yards/Attempt... 2.7... 1st/1st Passing Net Yards/Play... 6.7... 4th/10th Passing/Percent Had Intercepted... 4.3... 1st/5th First Downs/Game... 17.8... 5th/12th Sacks (Total)... 16... 3rd/T-8th Points/Game... 12... 1st/1st Points/Game Differential... 10.8... 1st/1st Takeaways... 15... 1st/T-1st Turnover Advantage... +9... 2nd/2nd Red-Zone Efficiency (TD pct.)... 41.7... 5th/10th First-Down Plays... 4.61... 3rd/6th Special Teams Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Kickoff Return Average (Offense)... 27.7... 4th/6th Gross Punting Average (Offense)... 46.7... 2nd/4th Net Punting Average (Offense)... 40.2... 3rd/6th Kickoff Return Average (Defense)... 21.3... 3rd/9th Gross Punting Average (Defense)... 40.4... 3rd/4th Avg. Starting Position (Receiving)... 29.9... 3rd/5th Avg. Starting Position (Kicking)... 23.6... 3rd/6th Individual Offense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Mendenhall (Rushing Yards)... 495... 3rd/6th Mendenhall (Rushing TDs)... 5... T-3rd/T-3rd Mendenhall (Scoring)... 30... T-5th/T-9th Individual Defense Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Polamalu (Total INTs)... 2... T-4th/T-10th Fox (Def. Fumble Recoveries)... 2... T-2nd/T-3rd Individual Special Teams Statistic Rank (AFC/NFL) Sepulveda (Punting Avg.)... 46.7... 3rd/5th Sepulveda (Net Punting Avg.)... 40.2... 3rd/6th Brown (Kickoff Return Avg.)... 31.3... 3rd/4th COACHING NOTES In Control: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 14-6 all-time mark against teams in the AFC North. Tomlin owns an impressive 9-2 record against divisional foes at Heinz Field. Our House: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 21-6 regularseason record at Heinz Field in his four seasons in Pittsburgh. Last year, the Steelers finished 6-2 at home. Fast Start: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns a 35-18 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. 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. Tomlin Versus the NFC: Head Coach Mike Tomlin owns an 11-3 regular-season record against NFC teams in his four seasons at the helm of the Steelers. The Steelers are 2-0 this year against NFC teams (Week 1 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, Week 3 victory against Tampa Bay) and have won five straight against NFC foes under Tomlin s direction. 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 (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 61-26 (.701) record as a starting quarterback in the regular season. That mark is the second-best record in the NFL among all active quarterbacks. 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 101 31 0.765 2. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers 61 26 0.701 3. Peyton Manning, Colts 135 63 0.682 4. Philip Rivers, Chargers 48 22 0.666 5. Tony Romo, Cowboys 39 21 0.650 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 25-7 (.781) 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 32 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 32 games as a starter: 32 games vs. Statistic AFC North (as a starter) Record... 25-7 Completion Pct. (Comp.-Att.)... 60.9 (546-896) Passing Yards... 6,966 Passing Touchdowns... 46 Interceptions... 30 Passer Rating... 88.4 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... 11-3 Completion Pct. (Comp.-Att.)... 60.7 (311-512)... 61.2 (235-384) Passing Yards... 4,100... 2,866 Passing Touchdowns... 28... 18 Interceptions... 20... 10 Passer Rating... 88.0... 89.0 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. Comeback Kid: QB Ben Roethlisberger had three fourth quarter/ overtime game-winning drives in 2009, upping his career total to 20 in regular-season games. 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. Facing The NFC: With a career record of 61-26 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 23 career regular-season games against NFC opponents, Roethlisberger has posted an 18-5 record while completing 345-of-569 passes (60.6 pct.) for 4,726 yards with 32 touchdowns and 16 interceptions for a passer rating of 94.2. 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 when facing 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 37 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 62.1 300-Yard Plateau: QB Ben Roethlisberger threw for over 300 yards five times in 2009, giving him 12 for his career. The 12 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). 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. 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). Ward Still Has It: WR Hines Ward surpassed 11,000 receiving yards for his career and posted his club-record 26th career 100- yard receiving game 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, who is in his 13th year in the league in 2010, 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 had five 100-yard receiving games in 2009. He also posted his club-record sixth 1,000-yard receiving season of his career. Ward currently ranks third among active wide receivers (12th overall in NFL history) with 912 career receptions. The following is a list the top three active wide receivers with the most career receptions: Active Player Career Receptions Terrell Owens 1,037 Randy Moss 944 Hines Ward 912 Catching Consistency: WR Hines Ward has caught at least one pass in a Steelers record 183 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 fifth 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) 183 Tony Gonzalez (Falcons) 153 The following is a look at the top five all-time players in the NFL with the most consecutive regular-season games with at least one reception: Player Consecutive Games Jerry Rice 274 Marvin Harrison 190 Terrell Owens 185 Hines Ward 183 Art Monk 183 Top Dawg: WR Hines Ward leads the Steelers in at least 14 different career receiving categories. Ward is the team s all-time leader in receiving yards (11,166), receptions (912) and receiving touchdowns (80). Ward is the only wide receiver in Steelers history to be voted to four Pro Bowls. Ward s 1,167 receiving yards in 2009 made him the first Steelers receiver to reach 1,000 yards six times during his career with the team. No other Steeler has more than three. Additionally, Ward has 26 career 100-yard receiving games, which is first on the team s all-time list. In 2002, Ward became the first receiver in Steelers history to catch 100 passes (112) in a season. He also became the first Steelers receiver with three consecutive games with at least 100 yards receiving. His 12 touchdown receptions in 2002 tied him with Louis Lipps (1985) and Buddy Dial (1961) for the highest single-season total in team history. Ward was selected to the 2002-05 AFC Pro Bowl squads. The following is where Ward ranks in Steelers history in several key receiving categories: Ward s Rankings Among Steelers Receivers (All-Time) Category Statistic Rank Receptions... 912... 1 st Receiving Yards... 11,166... 1 st Receiving TDs... 80... 1 st Consecutive Games w/ Catch... 183... 1 st 1,000-Yd. Seasons (2001-04, 2008-09)... 6... 1 st Consecutive 1,000-Yd. Seasons (2001-04)... 4... 1 st 90-plus Catch Seasons (2001-03, 2009)... 4... 1 st Consecutive 90-plus Catch Seasons (2001-03)... 3... 1 st Receptions in a Season (2002)... 112... 1 st Career 100-Yard Games... 26... 1 st Consecutive 100-Yard Games (2002)... 3... 1 st Rushing Yards by a Receiver... 428... 1 st Consecutive Pro Bowls by Receiver (2002-05)... 4... 1 st TD Receptions in a Season (2002)... 12... T-1 st Receptions in a Single Game (11/30/03)... 13... 2 nd Receiving Yards in a Season (2002)... 1,329... 3 rd 100-Yard Games in a Season (2002, 2005, 2008, 2009)... 5... T-3 rd Receiving Yards in a Game (10/22/06)... 171... 11 th Chart Topper: WR Hines Ward is the leading receiver in Steelers history in receptions, receiving yardage and touchdown catches. He has more receptions than Hall of Fame receivers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann combined.