The Mid-Season Steelers Report
Steelers @ Giants: Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012. 4:25 p.m. ET
The following are current significant Steeler stats:
- Steelers power ranking this week (USA TODAY): 10. Up 3 from last week.
- Total First Downs: 152 ranked 12 in the league.
- First Downs Rushing: 39 ranked 21st.
- First Downs Passing: 102 ranked 8th.
- Third Down Conversions: 54 ranked 2nd.
- Fourth Down Conversions: 4 ranked 9th.
- Average Yds Per Offensive Play: 5.57 ranked 15th.
- Total TD's: 17 ranked 13th.
- Average Yds. Per Rushing Play: 3.7 ranked 26th.
- Rushing TD's: 3 ranked 24th.
- Total Passing Yds: 1908 ranked 8th.
- Average Yds Per Passing Play: 7.09 ranked 12th
- Passing TD's: 14 ranked 7th.
- Field Goals: 16 ranked 6th.
- Interceptions: 3 ranked 30th.
- Sacks: 12 ranked 24th.
- No defensive TD's, No Punt Return TD's and No Kick Return TD's.
- Play Selection: 60% passing; 40% rushing.
- Average Time of Possession: 34:35
- Steelers currently second behind the Ravens in the AFC North.
Team Leaders:
- Touchdowns: Heath Miller with 6. Wallace has 4.
- Passing Stats: Roethlisberger 179 completions on 268 attempts. Total Yards: 1987. He stands on 14 TD's and 3 interceptions. RTG: 101.4
- Rushing: Dwyer 299 yards on 58 attempts followed by Redman with 127 yards on 50 carries.
- Receiving: Antonio Brown has 480 yards with 49 receptions followed by Wallace at 459 yards with 36 receptions. Heath Miller stands at 336 yards with 35 receptions.
- Kickoff Returns: Chris Rainey with 15 attempts has 408 yards with an average of 27.2 yards. His longest return: 49 yards.
- Punt Returns: Rainey with 2 returns for 20 yards.
- Defense: Larry Foote has 50 tackles, 34 solo and 3 sacks. Ryan Clark has 44 tackles, 34 solo and no sacks.
- Interceptions: Ryan Clark, Lawrence Timmons and Woodley have 1 each.
News:
- Steelers released Safety Damon Cromartie-Smith
- Dwyer, Gilbert, Polamalu, Sylvester and Woodley missed practice today--injuries.
- Mendenhall and Batch limited their practice today.
- Good News: Ryan Clark participated in full practice today (concussion last week).
Steelers.com, Fox Sports
Steelers Skin Redskins 27-12
Okay, let's get one observation out of the way first. I don't particularly like the best football team in NFL history looking like a bunch of bumble bees or prisoners on some work release program. Personally, I don't care if I ever see those '34 throwback uniforms again.
Let's get back to what's really important---the numbers.
Once again, the Steelers led in time of possession with 33:13 to the Redskins 26:47. Steelers were also impressive with first downs 25 to the Skins 17.
Roethlisberger threw for 222 yards (24/33). He threw for three touchdowns (to Pope, Miller, and Will Johnson) and he had no interceptions. Roethlisberger was sacked once but he had no turnovers.
Steelers To Wear Throwback Uniforms
In celebrating the Steeler's 80th Anniversary this year, Steeler players agreed upon wearing the team's 1934 throwback uniform this week in their game against the Redskins.
Steelers-Redskins Pre-Game Report
- Four Steelers will be sitting out against the Redskins: Mendenhall, Marcus Gilbert, Brandon Johnson and Polamalu.
- Redman, at this writing, is questionable. Redman said he feels like he's ready to play. "I am ready. I want to play," said Redman earlier this week.
- Probable this week: Pouncey (knee), Chris Carter (hamstring), Dwyer (not injury related), Adrian Robinson (concussion), Shawn Suisham (ankle) and Jason Worild (illness).
- Steelers released TE Weslye Saunders this week. He served a four-game suspension for taking a banned substance.
- With Saunder's release, Steelers will be looking at moving up rookie David Paulson.
- Redskins QB, Robert Griffin III, leads the NFL with a 70.4 completion percentage. He has 13 TD's for the season while Roethlisberger sits on 11. Both QB's have 3 interceptions.
- Roethlisberger is 14-1 against NFC opponents at home.
- Roethlisberger has beaten Washington twice. However, his performances were shaky The Redskins are the only team he's not thrown a TD against.
- Steelers lead the league in 3rd down conversions at 53.8.
- Redskins have limited opponents on the ground to only 85.3 yards but have the league's worst-pass defense at 328.4 yards per game.
Polamalu NFL's Most-Liked Player
According to a recent Nielson survey, Steeler Safety Troy Polamalu was voted the NFL's Most-Liked player. Polamalu's 63% rating placed him ahead of Saint's QB Drew Brees at 62%.
Steelers.com, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, Pro Sports Daily
Steelers Are 3-3 With Win Over Bengals
The Steelers win over the Bengals---24-17--- was an important one. As Bob Labriola points out, the Steelers only have several commandments. One of those is clear and concise: Thou Shalt Win The Division. The win over the Bengals now puts the Steelers in second place (3-3) in their division behind the Ravens who lost to Houston yesterday.
Even without Mendenhall, Redman, Polamalu, Gilbert and Pouncey, Dwyer was able to fill those running back vacancies with a career-high 122 yards (going into the game, the Steelers running game was ranked 31st in the league). With a determined defense, fine field goal kicking by Shawn Suisham (42, 47 and 42 yards) and Roethlisberger completing 63% of third-downs as well as passing for 278 yards, the Steelers now appear to be hitting their stride.
Steelers-Bengals Pre-Game Notes
Steelers (2-3) at Bengals (3-3). 8:20 pm ET NBC
- Since 1970, Steelers lead series 51-32.
- Steelers will be looking for their 5th consecutive win over the Bengals.
- RB Rashard Mendenhall and Issac Redman will be sitting out today's game.
- In addition, Troy Polamalu, Tackle Marcus Gilbert and LB Chris Carter have also been ruled out.
- Mike Adams will make his first start for injured M. Gilbert.
- Roethlisberger is good to go.
- Jonathan Dwyer will be getting the call according to Coach Tomlin.
- Steelers are only one of two teams with no runs of 20 yards or longer.
- Bengals have 20 sacks.
- Steelers are winless on the road this season (0-3).
- Steelers have not lost back-to-back games since week 13 of the 2009 season.
- Roethlisberger is 7-1 against the Bengals and 14-2 in games played in his native Ohio.
- The Bengals have not lost 3 games in a row since 2010.
Steelers Lose To The Titans 26-23
Another road trip, another loss. Reminds one of Ground Hog Day.
In my last piece, I posted the following: "Hasselbeck cannot be taken lightly by the Steelers. He's a 14-year veteran...He's also a three-time pro-bowler."
The Titans edged the Steelers not only in the final score, but in several other important categories. Titans managed 21 first downs to the Steelers 19. Titans edged the Steelers slightly in time of possession but surpassed the Steelers in total plays 69-63. And even though total for both teams was 22, Titans almost doubled the Steelers average yards-per rush, 4.3 to 2.5.
Batch had 22 yards rushing on 10 carries. Redman had 14 on 5 carries. Mendenhall had 6 yards on 6 carries.
Redman came up big with 105 yards on 4 receptions while Wallace had 94 yards on 2 receptions. Heath Miller added 67 yards on 6 receptions.
Once again, Ben outplayed his counterpart. He was 24 for 40 with 356 total net yards passing compared to Hasselbeck's 265 yards. Each QB had 1 TD and 1 interception.
Steelers @ Titans
The news is not good regarding Polamalu and Woodley. Both players are expect to be sitting out on Thursday night against the Tenn. Titans.
Polamalu re-aggravated his calf against the Eagles last week.
The good news is Mendenhall and Harrison will likely play.
Ben Roethlisberger is within 300 yards of besting Terry Bradshaw's 29,989 yards for completing the most yards in Steeler history.
Steelers: The Good and The Bad
Steelers Edge Eagles 16-14
The Steelers should get down on their knees and thank the Good Lord Mike Vick is prone to turning the ball over---a lot. Even more disturbing for the Eagles, he's a fumble machine in the Red Zone.
Big Ben was able to come through with another winning drive converting a pair of third downs during a 64-yard drive. All that was left was for Shawn Suisham to nail a 34-yard field goal as the clock ran out. Coach Tomlin said it best: "We had the ball last...such is life."
Mendenhall had the best performance for a Steeler back this season with 101 all purpose yards.
Wallace and Brown combined for four drops with Antonio Brown's dropping one in the end zone.
It appeared Troy Polamalu aggravated a previous calf injury that kept him out of the previous two games. Woodley also left the game with an injury.
