| 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Rooney family |
| General manager | Kevin Colbert |
| Head coach | Mike Tomlin |
| Offensive coordinator | Bruce Arians |
| Defensive coordinator | Dick LeBeau |
| Home stadium | Heinz Field |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–4 |
| Division place | 1stAFC North |
| Playoffs | WonDivisional Playoffs (vs.Ravens) 31–24 WonAFC Championship (vs.Jets) 24–19 LostSuper Bowl XLV (vs.Packers) 25–31 |
| All-Pros | James Harrison(1st team) Troy Polamalu(1st team) Maurkice Pouncey(2nd team) |
| Pro Bowlers | OLBJames Harrison DEBrett Keisel SSTroy Polamalu CMaurkice Pouncey Selected but did not participate due to participation inSuper Bowl XLV |
| Team MVP | Troy Polamalu |
| Team ROY | Maurkice Pouncey |
The2010 season was thePittsburgh Steelers' 78th in theNational Football League (NFL), their 11th under general managerKevin Colbert and their fourth under head coachMike Tomlin.
They reachedSuper Bowl XLV for the franchise's eighth Super Bowl appearance, but lost to theGreen Bay Packers 31–25.
The Steelers allowed the fewest points in the NFL in 2010, with 232 (14.5 points per game).[1]
In2009, the Steelers had finished with a 9–7 record in a tie for second place in theAFC North, falling short of the Playoffs. The Steelers played all of their home games atHeinz Field inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The off-season was marked by the trade ofSantonio Holmes, and the six-game suspension (then reduced to four games) of quarterbackBen Roethlisberger for off-the-field issues.
The team did not re-sign free agent running backWillie Parker, who had been with the team since 2004. They added receiverAntwaan Randle El and linebackerLarry Foote, who were both with the team for theirSuper Bowl XL victory.
The disappointing outcome of the 2009 season brought about the first significant changes in the team's coaching staff since the hiring ofMike Tomlin in2007.Offensive line coachLarry Zierlein and special teams coordinatorBob Ligashesky were dismissed on January 6, 2010.[2] Additionally, quarterbacks coachKen Anderson announced his retirement on January 5, 2010.[3] All three men had served in the same roles for the three years since Tomlin assembled his initial staff.
Defensive quality control coachLou Spanos left to become the linebackers coach for theWashington Redskins.[4] Spanos had been on the defensive coaching staff since1995.[5]Jerry Olsavsky was hired to replace Spanos. Olsavsky had coached linebackers atYoungstown State University for the previous seven seasons following a ten-year NFL career as a linebacker, primarily with the Steelers.[6]
Sean Kugler was hired to replace Zierlein as the offensive line coach. Kugler had until recently served in a similar capacity with theBuffalo Bills.[7]
Al Everest filled the vacancy as special teams coordinator left by Ligashesky's dismissal. Everest has nearly 40 years of professional and college coaching experience, including the last fourteen coaching special teams for three NFL clubs. He served most recently as the special teams coach of theSan Francisco 49ers. In2002 Everest was named the NFL's Special Teams Coach of the Year for his work with theNew Orleans Saints.[8]
Randy Fichtner stepped into the quarterbacks coach post vacated by Anderson's retirement. Fichtner had coached the team's wide receivers since Tomlin's arrival in2007 andBruce Arians' promotion from that position to offensive coordinator.Scottie Montgomery was hired as the new wide receivers coach. Montgomery had coached receivers at his alma mater,Duke University, for the past four seasons, following an NFL andArena Football playing career.[9]
The team lost pro scouting coordinatorDoug Whaley who left to become the assistant general manager of theBuffalo Bills. Whaley had been in his position with the Steelers since1999.[10]Brandon Hunt was hired as Whaley's replacement in a return to the Steelers – Hunt had served as a scouting intern with the club in2005 and2006. He spent the previous two seasons as a scout with theHouston Texans.[11]
NFL CommissionerRoger Goodell announced in April that SteelersquarterbackBen Roethlisberger will be suspended for up to six games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. The commissioner also ordered Roethlisberger to undergo a behavioral analysis. On September 3, Goodell reduced the suspension to four games based on the results of the analysis and Roethlisberger's behavior in the interim period.[12] Roethlisberger had been accused ofsexual assault in two separate incidents in 2009 and 2010, though criminal charges were not brought against him in either case.[13]
Communications giantComcast, the largest cable television provider in thePittsburgh metropolitan area (as well asPittsburgh Tri-State), signed on to place ads for itsXfinity bundled service on the Steelers' practice jerseys.[14] (The NFL had previously allowed teams to sell ad space on the practice jerseys in 2009.) Comcast has been an official team sponsor since 2002, when Comcast entered the Pittsburgh market through its acquisition ofAT&T Broadband.
Steelers made qualifying offers (tenders) which were accepted by these players, and the players were not signed by another team before the end of the restricted free agency period on April 15.[27] These players are therefore retained by the Steelers.
The Steelers selected ten players in the2010 NFL draft which took place over three days in late April. The selections consisted of twooffensive linemen, one defensive end, threelinebackers, twowide receivers, acornerback and arunning back. All of the team's draftees attended the 2010NFL Scouting Combine.[28] The first round selection,Pouncey, and the wide receiversSanders andBrown were the only selections from among the thirty players the team had brought in for pre-draft visits.[29]
The Steelers made one trade during the draft, re-acquiringcornerbackBryant McFadden from theArizona Cardinals. The deal sent the fifth round selection (pick number 155) which the Steelers had acquired in theSantonio Holmes trade to the Cardinals in exchange for McFadden and a sixth round selection (pick number 195).
After the completion of the draft the team signed nineundrafted free agents.
| Rd | Pick # | Player | Pos | Ht | Wt | College | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | Maurkice Pouncey | C /G | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 312 lb (142 kg) | Florida | Signed (5-year) |
| 2 | 52 | Jason Worilds | OLB | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 254 lb (115 kg) | Virginia Tech | Signed (4-year) |
| 3 | 82 | Emmanuel Sanders | WR | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 186 lb (84 kg) | SMU | Signed (3-year) |
| 4 | 116 | Thaddeus Gibson | OLB | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 243 lb (110 kg) | Ohio State | Signed (3-year) |
| 5 | 151 | Chris Scott | G | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 319 lb (145 kg) | Tennessee | Signed (3-year); placed on reserve/PUP list at start of season |
| 5 | 155[a] | Traded to theArizona Cardinals forCBBryant McFadden and pick No. 195 (below) | |||||
| 5 | 164[b] | Crezdon Butler | CB | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 191 lb (87 kg) | Clemson | Signed (3-year) |
| 5 | 166[b] | Stevenson Sylvester | LB | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 231 lb (105 kg) | Utah | Signed (3-year) |
| 6 | 188 | Jonathan Dwyer | RB | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 229 lb (104 kg) | Georgia Tech | Signed (3-year) |
| 6 | 195[c] | Antonio Brown | WR | 5 ft 10.125 in (1.78 m) | 186 lb (84 kg) | Central Michigan | Signed (3-year) |
| 7 | 225 | Traded to theTampa Bay Buccaneers forQBByron Leftwich | |||||
| 7 | 242[b] | Doug Worthington | DE | 6 ft 5.125 in (1.96 m) | 292 lb (132 kg) | Ohio State | Signed (3-year); released after final pre-season game in cut-down to 53-man roster;[20] added topractice squad, then dropped from the practice squad one day later[31] |
Notes:
| Player | Position | Height | Weight | College | Status | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demetrius Taylor | FB | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 273 lb (124 kg) | Virginia Tech | Released in first week of training camp | [33] |
| Dorrian Brooks | G | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 306 lb (139 kg) | James Madison | Released after final pre-season game in cut-down to 53-man roster;[26] added topractice squad[31] | [33] |
| Justin Thornton | S | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 213 lb (97 kg) | Kansas | Released after final pre-season game in cut-down to 53-man roster[26] | [33] |
| Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith | S | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | UTEP | Released prior to training camp; re-signed afterTuff Harris injury; released again after final pre-season game in cut-down to 53-man roster;[20] added topractice squad[31] | [33] |
| Kyle Jolly | OT | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 300 lb (140 kg) | North Carolina | Released after final pre-season game in cut-down to 53-man roster;[26] added topractice squad[31] | [33] |
| Cordarrow Thompson | DT | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 301 lb (137 kg) | Virginia Tech | Released prior to training camp | [33] |
| A.J. Trump | C /G | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 300 lb (140 kg) | Miami | Released prior to training camp | [33][34] |
| Lindsey Witten | DE | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 260 lb (120 kg) | UConn | Released prior to training camp | [35] |
| Bradley Vierling | C | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 295 lb (134 kg) | Vanderbilt | Released prior to training camp | [36] |
The Steelers official off-season training sessions were held on the following dates:
| Activity | Dates |
|---|---|
| OTA | April 19–20 |
| Mini-camp | April 30 – May 2 |
| OTA | May 18–20 |
| OTA | June 1–3 |
| OTA | June 8–10 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers 2010 staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
| |||||
| Quarterbacks(QB) Running backs(RB) Wide receivers(WR) Tight ends(TE) | Offensive linemen(OL) | Linebackers(LB)
Defensive backs(DB)
Special teams(ST) | Reserve lists
|
The Steelers preseason schedule was announced on March 31, 2010.[37]
| Week | Date | Kickoff(ET) | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | Game TV | NFL.com recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 14 | 7:30 p.m. | Detroit Lions | W 23–7 | 1–0 | Heinz Field | KDKA | Recap |
| 2 | August 21 | 7:00 p.m. | atNew York Giants | W 24–17 | 2–0 | New Meadowlands Stadium | KDKA | Recap |
| 3 | August 29 | 8:00 p.m. | atDenver Broncos | L 17–34 | 2–1 | Invesco Field at Mile High | FOX | Recap |
| 4 | September 2 | 7:30 p.m. | Carolina Panthers | W 19–3 | 3–1 | Heinz Field | KDKA | Recap |
Per theNFL's predetermined scheduling formula, the Steelers played every team in theAFC East andNFC South, the teams from theAFC South andWest who finished in the same position as the Steelers in 2009 (third), and their usualAFC North division rivals.
The Steelers played aSunday night game on October 31 against the defendingSuper Bowl championNew Orleans Saints in a game which conflicted with game four of baseball'sWorld Series. This marked the first time the NFL has scheduled a Sunday night game opposite a World Series contest that is not a seventh game.[38] The league explained that the decision of which game to show in this time slot was made with an eye toward minimizing the possibility that one of the competitors would be from the same market as a team participating in the World Series – New Orleans has noMajor League Baseball team and thePittsburgh Pirates were considered long shots to participate in the post-season (and indeed, they posted the worst record in Major League Baseball in 2010). There was also a feeling among the schedulers that the Steelers have afollowing independent of other sports. Additionally, while the Saints are the defending Super Bowl champions, the Steelers had wonSuper Bowl XLIII the season before.[39] The game was considered for theNFL Kickoff game, but before the Saints eventual opponent (theMinnesota Vikings) was announced, the Steelers publicly declined the offer due to the Pirates being scheduled to play at nearbyPNC Park during Weeks 2 and 3 of the Steelers season, and the fact that the two teams prefer not to play inPittsburgh on the same day due to parking issues along Pittsburgh'sNorth Side, where both PNC Park andHeinz Field are located.[40] The Steelers hosted theAtlanta Falcons in their season opener instead.
The Steelers' onlyMonday Night Football appearance occurred on November 8 against theCincinnati Bengals.
Although it is generally unusual to have more than two consecutive home or away games, the Steelers schedule featured three consecutive away games (weeks 7–9)and three consecutive home games (weeks 14–16).
The team brought back theirthrowback uniform for a fourth year. It was worn October 17against theCleveland Browns and November 14 against theNew England Patriots.[41] This marked the first season since the uniforms were introduced in2007 that the Steelers did not wear their throwback uniform against therivalBaltimore Ravens.
| Week | Date | Kickoff(ET) | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | Game TV | NFL.com recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 12 | 1:00 p.m. | Atlanta Falcons | W 15–9(OT) | 1–0 | Heinz Field | FOX | Recap |
| 2 | September 19 | 1:00 p.m. | atTennessee Titans | W 19–11 | 2–0 | LP Field | CBS | Recap |
| 3 | September 26 | 1:00 p.m. | atTampa Bay Buccaneers | W 38–13 | 3–0 | Raymond James Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 4 | October 3 | 1:00 p.m. | Baltimore Ravens | L 14–17 | 3–1 | Heinz Field | CBS | Recap |
| 5 | Bye | |||||||
| 6 | October 17 | 1:00 p.m. | Cleveland Browns | W 28–10 | 4–1 | Heinz Field | CBS | Recap |
| 7 | October 24 | 1:00 p.m. | atMiami Dolphins | W 23–22 | 5–1 | Sun Life Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 8 | October 31 | 8:20 p.m. | atNew Orleans Saints | L 10–20 | 5–2 | Louisiana Superdome | NBC | Recap |
| 9 | November 8 | 8:30 p.m. | atCincinnati Bengals | W 27–21 | 6–2 | Paul Brown Stadium | ESPN | Recap |
| 10 | November 14 | 8:20 p.m. | New England Patriots | L 26–39 | 6–3 | Heinz Field | NBC | Recap |
| 11 | November 21 | 1:00 p.m. | Oakland Raiders | W 35–3 | 7–3 | Heinz Field | CBS | Recap |
| 12 | November 28 | 1:00 p.m. | atBuffalo Bills | W 19–16(OT) | 8–3 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 13 | December 5 | 8:20 p.m. | atBaltimore Ravens | W 13–10 | 9–3 | M&T Bank Stadium | NBC | Recap |
| 14 | December 12 | 1:00 p.m. | Cincinnati Bengals | W 23–7 | 10–3 | Heinz Field | CBS | Recap |
| 15 | December 19 | 4:15 p.m. | New York Jets | L 17–22 | 10–4 | Heinz Field | CBS | Recap |
| 16 | December 23 | 8:20 p.m. | Carolina Panthers | W 27–3 | 11–4 | Heinz Field | NFLN | Recap |
| 17 | January 2 | 1:00 p.m. | atCleveland Browns | W 41–9 | 12–4 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | CBS | Recap |
Note: Intra-divisional opponents are inbold text.
| AFC North | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (2)Pittsburgh Steelers | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 9–3 | 375 | 232 | W2 |
| (5)Baltimore Ravens | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 357 | 270 | W4 |
| Cleveland Browns | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 271 | 332 | L4 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 3–9 | 322 | 395 | L1 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| Steelers | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 15 |
atHeinz Field,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
The Steelers began their season at home in an interconference duel with theAtlanta Falcons. Pittsburgh delivered the opening punch in the first quarter as kickerJeff Reed made a 52-yard field goal. The Falcons would answer in the second quarter with kickerMatt Bryant making a 49-yard field goal.
Atlanta would take the lead in the third quarter with Bryant's 39-yard field goal, but Pittsburgh would tie the game on Reed's 36-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers would regain the lead as Reed got a 34-yard field goal. However, the Falcons would respond as Bryant nailed a 23-yard field goal. In overtime, Pittsburgh made quick work of their lone possession as running backRashard Mendenhall got the game-ending 50-yard touchdown run.
With the win, the Steelers not only began their season at 1–0, but they also picked up their eighth consecutive opening day win.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 19 |
| Titans | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 11 |
atLP Field,Nashville, Tennessee
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Hoping to maintain their winning streak, the Steelers flew toLP Field for an AFC Duel with the Titans. The Steelers wasted no time getting the early lead when on the opening kickoff,Mewelde Moore handed the ball off to rookie wide receiverAntonio Brown, who returned it 89 yards for a touchdown. Tennessee would cut the lead whenRob Bironas nailed a 21-yard field goal. Throughout the rest of the game, Pittsburgh scored steadily with kickerJeff Reed, who hit field goals of 36, 34, 25, and 27 yards, putting the Steelers up 19–3. The Titans finally scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter with aKerry Collins 2-yard pass to former SteelerNate Washington, and successfully converted the 2-point conversion andonside kick necessary to give themselves the chance to tie the game on the final drive. However, Pittsburgh's defense was able to stop Chris Johnson on a reception as the clock ran out, sealing the victory.
Starting quarterbackDennis Dixon sprained his left knee during the second quarter and was replaced byCharlie Batch, but the Steelers defense swarmed the Titans, coming up with four sacks and forcing seven turnovers, the most by Tennessee since 2000.
The Titans pulled their starting QB,Vince Young, after his third turnover. After replacing Young, Kerry Collins had two turnovers of his own.
Pittsburgh also ended Tennessee running backChris Johnson's 100-yard rushing streak at 12 games. The NFL's rushing champion had a chance to move one game away from the league record of 14 held by Barry Sanders, but he finished with just 16 carries for 34 yards.
Steelers linebackerJames Harrison had three sacks, forced a fumble and recovered another. SafetyTroy Polamalu was credited for an interception and an impressive leaping tackle on Kerry Collins during an attempted goal-line stand by the Steelers to win the game and improve to 2–0.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 21 | 3 | 7 | 38 |
| Buccaneers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
atRaymond James Stadium,Tampa, Florida
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Coming off their road win over the Titans, the Steelers flew toRaymond James Stadium for a Week 3 interconference duel with theTampa Bay Buccaneers. With quarterbackDennis Dixon recovering from injury, veteran quarterbackCharlie Batch made his first start since Week 17 of the 2007 season.
Pittsburgh trailed early in the first quarter as Buccaneers kickerConnor Barth got a 40-yard field goal following a Batch interception. Afterwards, the Steelers would answer as Batch completed a 46-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverMike Wallace. Tampa Bay would respond in the second quarter as Barth nailed a 24-yard field goal, but Pittsburgh would strike back, beginning with a 3-yard touchdown run from running backRashard Mendenhall. Batch would then find Wallace again on a 41-yard touchdown pass, followed by his 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverHines Ward.
The Steelers would pull away in the second half as kickerJeff Reed booted a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter, followed by defensive endBrett Keisel returning an interception 79 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers would close out the game as running backLeGarrette Blount got a 1-yard touchdown run.
With the win, the Steelers got their first 3–0 start since 2007.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Steelers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
atHeinz Field,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Coming off their impressive road win over the Buccaneers, the Steelers went home for an AFC North duel with theBaltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh would deliver the opening punch in the first quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running backRashard Mendenhall. The Ravens would take the lead in the second quarter as running backWillis McGahee got a 9-yard touchdown run, followed by kickerBilly Cundiff getting a 33-yard field goal. After a scoreless third quarter, the Steelers would regain the lead as Mendenhall picked up a 7-yard touchdown run. However, Baltimore would get the last laugh as quarterbackJoe Flacco completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverT. J. Houshmandzadeh with 33 seconds remaining. The Steelers would get the ball back with 20 seconds remaining but quarterbackCharlie Batch threw a pass that was picked off by linebackerRay Lewis, effectively ending the game.
With the loss, Pittsburgh went into their bye week at 3–1.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Steelers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
atHeinz Field,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Coming off their bye week, the Steelers stayed at home, donned their throwback uniforms, and played their Week 6 AFC North duel with their archrival, theCleveland Browns, as quarterbackBen Roethlisberger made his season debut following his four-game suspension.
Pittsburgh trailed in the first quarter as Browns kickerPhil Dawson got a 39-yard field goal. The Steelers answered in the second quarter as Roethlisberger found wide receiverMike Wallace on a 29-yard touchdown pass.
The Steelers added onto their lead in the third quarter as Roethlisberger connected with wide receiverHines Ward on an 8-yard touchdown pass. In the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh continued its dominating day as running backRashard Mendenhall got a 2-yard touchdown run. Cleveland tried to rally as quarterbackColt McCoy completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight endBenjamin Watson, but the Steelers pulled away as Roethlisberger connected with tight endHeath Miller on a 14-yard touchdown pass.
With the win, Pittsburgh improved to 4–1.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
| Dolphins | 6 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 22 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Coming off their home win over the Browns, the Steelers flew toSun Life Stadium for a Week 7 intraconference duel with theMiami Dolphins. Pittsburgh trailed in the first quarter as Dolphins kickerDan Carpenter made a 39-yard and a 23-yard field goal. The Steelers took the lead in the second quarter with a 22-yard field goal from kickerJeff Reed, followed by quarterbackBen Roethlisberger hooking up with wide receiverHines Ward on a 21-yard touchdown pass. Miami answered with Carpenter getting a 22-yard field goal, yet Pittsburgh came right back as Roethlisberger found wide receiverMike Wallace on a 53-yard touchdown pass. The Dolphins would close out the half with quarterbackChad Henne completing a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDavone Bess.
In the third quarter, the Steelers added onto their lead as Reed booted a 39-yard field goal. Miami answered with Carpenter making a 37-yard field goal. Miami retook the lead in the fourth quarter as Carpenter got a 40-yard field goal, yet Pittsburgh struck back as Reed got an 18-yard field goal. The Dolphins tried to rally, but the Pittsburgh defense stiffened and held for the victory.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 5–1.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Saints | 0 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 20 |
atLouisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Coming off their road win over the Dolphins, the Steelers flew to theLouisiana Superdome for a Week 8 interconference duel with theNew Orleans Saints on Sunday night. After a scoreless first quarter, Pittsburgh struck first in the second quarter with a 19-yard field goal from kickerJeff Reed. The Saints answered with a 31-yard field goal from kickerGarrett Hartley.
New Orleans took the lead as Hartley got a 23-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Saints increased their lead as quarterbackDrew Brees completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverMarques Colston. The Steelers responded with a 38-yard touchdown run from running backRashard Mendenhall, but New Orleans struck back with Brees completing an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverLance Moore.
With the loss, Pittsburgh fell to 5–2.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 10 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 27 |
| Bengals | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Saints, the Steelers flew toPaul Brown Stadium for a Week 9 AFC North duel with theCincinnati Bengals on Monday night. Pittsburgh delivered the opening strike in the first quarter as running backRashard Mendenhall got a 1-yard touchdown run, followed by a 25-yard field goal from kickerJeff Reed. The Bengals answered in the second quarter as quarterbackCarson Palmer completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverTerrell Owens, yet the Steelers responded with quarterbackBen Roethlisberger hooking up with wide receiverHines Ward on an 8-yard touchdown pass, followed by Reed's 53-yard field goal. After a scoreless third quarter, Pittsburgh added onto their lead in the fourth quarter as wide receiverAntwaan Randle El found wide receiverMike Wallace on a 39-yard touchdown pass. Cincinnati tried to rally as Palmer completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Owens, followed by running backCedric Benson getting a 1-yard touchdown run, thanks in no small part to two consecutive penalties called against the Steelers, both of which were later deemed by the NFL to have been incorrect.[42] Fortunately, the defense held on to preserve the victory.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 6–2.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots | 10 | 0 | 13 | 16 | 39 |
| Steelers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 26 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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The Steelers' ninth game was an AFC duel with the Patriots. The Steelers trailed early as QBTom Brady made a 19-yard TD pass to TERob Gronkowski. This was followed by kickerShayne Graham getting a 31-yard field goal. The Steelers responded in the second quarter with kickerJeff Reed nailing a 22-yard field goal. The Steelers struggled further when Brady threw another TD pass to Gronkowski, this one from 9 yards out. That was followed by Brady's scramble 3 yards to the endzone for a touchdown (With a failed PAT as the kick went wide-right). The Steelers scored first in the 4th quarter when QBBen Roethlisberger completed a 6-yard TD pass to WREmmanuel Sanders. The Steelers looked to create another scoring drive, but it came to a halt when Roethlisberger's pass was intercepted by SSJames Sanders and returned 32 yards for a touchdown (With a failed 2-point conversion). The Steelers tried to cut the lead with a Roethlisberger 15-yard TD pass to WRMike Wallace, but the Patriots replied with Brady getting a 25-yard TD pass to Gronkowski. Again the Steelers tried to get closer when Roethlisberger completed a 33-yard TD pass to Wallace, but the Patriots put the game away after Graham hit a 36-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 6–3.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Steelers | 0 | 21 | 0 | 14 | 35 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Patriots, the Steelers stayed at home for a Week 11 duel with theOakland Raiders. Pittsburgh trailed early in the first quarter as Raiders kickerSebastian Janikowski made a 41-yard field goal. However that would turn out to be the Raiders' only points of the game. The Steelers took the lead in the second quarter with a 5-yard touchdown run from running backRashard Mendenhall, followed by quarterbackBen Roethlisberger's 16-yard touchdown run and his 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiverEmmanuel Sanders. After a scoreless third quarter, the Steelers added onto their lead in the fourth quarter as Roethlisberger found wide receiverMike Wallace on a 52-yard touchdown pass. Afterwards, Pittsburgh punctuated the game with a 16-yard touchdown pass to running backIsaac Redman.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 7–3.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 19 |
| Bills | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 16 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Coming off their win over the Raiders, the Steelers flew toRalph Wilson Stadium for a Week 12 intraconference duel with theBuffalo Bills. Pittsburgh delivered the opening punch in the first quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running backRashard Mendenhall. The Steelers would add onto their lead in the second quarter with a 45-yard and a 46-yard field goal from kickerShaun Suisham. Suisham sets the NFL record with all 4 FGs being 40+ yards & with the OT game winner.[43]
The Bills answered in the third quarter with quarterbackRyan Fitzpatrick completing a 65-yard touchdown pass to running backFred Jackson. Buffalo continued to creep closer in the fourth quarter as kickerRian Lindell got a 29-yard and a 32-yard field goal. Pittsburgh regained the lead with Suisham's 48-yard field goal, but the Bills tied the game again with Lindell making a 49-yard field goal. In overtime, the Steelers got the last laugh as Suisham nailed the game-ending 41-yard field goal.
With the win, Pittsburgh improved to 8–3.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 13 |
| Ravens | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
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Coming off their overtime win over the Bills, the Steelers flew toM&T Bank Stadium for a Week 13 AFC North rematch with theBaltimore Ravens on Sunday night. Pittsburgh trailed in the first quarter as Ravens quarterbackJoe Flacco completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverAnquan Boldin. After a scoreless second quarter, Pittsburgh answered in the third quarter with a 45-yard field goal from kickerShaun Suisham. Baltimore would respond with kickerBilly Cundiff getting a 24-yard field goal. After adding a 19-yarder from Suisham, the Steelers defense would set up a 1st and Goal after safetyTroy Polamalu stripped the ball from Ravens quarterbackJoe Flacco with less than three and a half minutes to go, safetyTroy Polamalu's sack on Flacco forced a fumble, allowing linebackerLaMarr Woodley to recover the ball and return it to the Baltimore 9, which was followed by quarterbackBen Roethlisberger finding running backIsaac Redman on a 9-yard touchdown pass on third down. The Ravens tried to rally, but Pittsburgh's defense held on to prevail with the victory.
With the win, not only did the Steelers improve to 9–3, but it also allowed them to take the AFC North division lead for the first time since week 4.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Steelers | 0 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 23 |
atHeinz Field,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| Game information | ||
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Coming off their win over the Ravens, the Steelers went home for a Week 14 AFC North rematch with theCincinnati Bengals. Pittsburgh trailed early in the first quarter as Bengals quarterbackCarson Palmer completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to offensive tackleAndrew Whitworth. The Steelers took the lead in the second quarter with safetyTroy Polamalu returning an interception 45 yards for a touchdown, followed by a 23-yard field goal from kickerShaun Suisham.
Pittsburgh increased their lead in the third quarter with Suisham's 35-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Steelers pulled away in the fourth quarter with linebackerLaMarr Woodley returning an interception 14 yards for a touchdown, followed by Suisham booting a 41-yard field goal.
With the win, Pittsburgh improved to 10–3.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jets | 7 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 22 |
| Steelers | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
atHeinz Field,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Coming off their win over the Bengals, the Steelers stayed at home for a Week 15 intraconference duel with theNew York Jets. Pittsburgh immediately trailed in the first quarter with Jets wide receiver/quarterbackBrad Smith returning the game's opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. The Steelers answered in the second quarter with quarterbackBen Roethlisberger finding tight endMatt Spaeth on a 9-yard touchdown. New York struck back with kickerNick Folk making a 25-yard field goal, yet Pittsburgh tied the game with a 42-yard field goal from kickerShaun Suisham.
The Steelers took the lead in the third quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run from running backRashard Mendenhall, but the Jets replied with quarterbackMark Sanchez getting a 7-yard touchdown run. New York took back their lead in the fourth quarter with Folk booting a 34-yard field goal, followed by linebackerJason Taylor tackling running backMewelde Moore in the endzone for a safety. Pittsburgh tried to rally, but the Jets defense would hold on to preserve the win.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 10–4.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Steelers | 3 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 27 |
at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Jets, the Steelers stayed at home for a Week 16 interconference duel with theCarolina Panthers on Thursday night. Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter with a 26-yard field goal from kickerShaun Suisham. The Steelers added onto their lead in the second quarter as Roethlisberger found wide receiverMike Wallace on a 43-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 1-yard touchdown run from running backRashard Mendenhall and a 29-yard field goal from Suisham.
Pittsburgh continued their dominating night in the third quarter with Roethlisberger's 1-yard touchdown run. The Panthers would close out the game in the fourth quarter as kickerJohn Kasay got a 27-yard field goal.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 11–4.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 14 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 41 |
| Browns | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
atCleveland Browns Stadium,Cleveland, Ohio
| Game information | ||
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Coming off their win over the Panthers, the Steelers made the two-hour bus trip north toCleveland Browns Stadium for a Week 17 AFC North rematch with theCleveland Browns. Pittsburgh took the early lead in the first quarter as quarterbackBen Roethlisberger found wide receiverMike Wallace on a 56-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 1-yard touchdown run from running backRashard Mendenhall. The Browns got on the board in the second quarter as kickerPhil Dawson got a 19-yard field goal, yet the Steelers struck back with another 1-yard touchdown run by Mendenhall, followed by Roethlisberger's 4-yard TD pass to tight endHeath Miller and kickerShaun Suisham nailing a 41-yard field goal.
Pittsburgh added onto their lead in the third quarter as wide receiverAntwaan Randle El connected with wide receiverHines Ward on a 3-yard touchdown pass. Afterwards, the Steelers closed out their dominating day with Suisham's 24-yard field goal. Cleveland closed out the game with quarterbackColt McCoy completing a 20-yard TD pass to wide receiverBrian Robiskie (with a failed two-point conversion).
With the win, not only did Pittsburgh close out their regular season at 12–4, but they also locked up the AFC's No. 2 seed.
| Week | Date | Kickoff(ET) | TV | Opponent | Result | Game Site | NFL Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | Bye Week | ||||||
| Divisional | January 15 | 4:30 p.m. | CBS | Baltimore Ravens | W 31–24 | Heinz Field | Recap |
| Conference | January 23 | 6:30 p.m. | CBS | New York Jets | W 24–19 | Heinz Field | Recap |
| Super Bowl | February 6 | 6:25 p.m. | FOX | vs.Green Bay Packers | L 25–31 | Cowboys Stadium | Recap |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens | 14 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 24 |
| Steelers | 7 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 31 |
atHeinz Field,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Entering the postseason as the AFC's No. 2 seed, the Steelers began their playoff run at home in the AFC Divisional Round against their AFC North rival, the No. 5Baltimore Ravens, for the third time in the season. Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening strike in the first quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running backRashard Mendenhall. The Ravens took the lead with running backRay Rice getting a 14-yard touchdown run, followed by defensive endCory Redding returning a fumble 13 yards for a touchdown. Baltimore added onto their lead in the second quarter as quarterbackJoe Flacco completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight endTodd Heap.
The Steelers struck back to tie in the third quarter as quarterbackBen Roethlisberger found tight endHeath Miller on a 9-yard touchdown pass. Then, he found wide receiverHines Ward on an 8-yard touchdown pass. Pittsburgh regained the lead in the fourth quarter with a 35-yard field goal from kickerShaun Suisham, yet the Ravens tied the game with kickerBilly Cundiff getting a 24-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Steelers won the game with another 1-yard touchdown run from Mendenhall.
With the win, Pittsburgh improved its overall record to 13–4. Also, with theNew York Jets defeating the top-seededNew England Patriots in the divisional round the next day, Pittsburgh would get to host theAFC Championship Game.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jets | 0 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 19 |
| Steelers | 7 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
atHeinz Field,Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| Game information | ||
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Coming off their win over the Ravens, the Steelers stayed at home for theAFC Championship Game against the No. 6New York Jets, hoping to avenge their Week 15 loss.
Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening strike with a 1-yard touchdown run from running backRashard Mendenhall. The Steelers added onto their lead in the second quarter with a 20-yard field goal from kickerShaun Suisham, followed by a 2-yard touchdown run from quarterbackBen Roethlisberger, along with cornerbackWilliam Gay returning a fumble 19 yards for a touchdown. The Jets closed out the half with kickerNick Folk getting a 42-yard field goal.
New York began the third quarter with quarterbackMark Sanchez completing a 45-yard touchdown pass to former Pittsburgh wide receiverSantonio Holmes. The Jets tried to rally in the fourth quarter as Roethlisberger fumbled the snap and then got tackled byMike DeVito for a safety, followed by Sanchez completing a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverJerricho Cotchery, yet Pittsburgh held on to preserve the victory.
With the win, the Steelers improved their overall record to 14–4 while also advancing toSuper Bowl XLV, where they were defeated by the NFC Champion, theGreen Bay Packers.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 25 |
| Packers | 14 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
atCowboys Stadium,Arlington,Texas
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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This marked the Steelers' eighth appearance in a Super Bowl, tying with theDallas Cowboys for the most appearances in Super Bowl history. They were denied their seventh ring, however, by the Green Bay Packers, who defeated them 31–25.
