Published: Monday, December 4, 2006
NOTEBOOK
Pittsburgh vs. Tampa Bay
Lots of help still needed: Entering Sunday's play, seven AFC teams were ahead of the Steelers (5-7) in the race for the conference's two wild card seeds — the Broncos, Chiefs, Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Bengals and Jaguars. The Bills (5-7), Dolphins (5-7) and Chiefs (7-5) lost while the Jets (7-5) and Jaguars (7-5) won. The Broncos (7-4), who have lost two straight, played in Sunday's night game against the Seahawks.
Coming up: The Steelers are at home Thursday at 8 p.m. against the Cleveland Browns (4-8). NFL Network, KDKA Channel 2 and WJW Channel 8 will televise the game. On Dec. 17, the Steelers play the Carolina Panthers (6-5) in Charlotte, N.C. The Steelers' final home game will be Dec. 24 against the first-place Baltimore Ravens (9-3). The Steelers can still earn a playoff berth, but they would need to win out plus a lot of luck. In other words, Thursday's game has some significance beyond the Browns-Steelers rivalry.
Sack attack: Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, who has been under fire for less than stellar play, sacked Buccaneers quarterback Bruce Gradkowski twice in the first half. That gives him 60 for his career and moves him into fourth place for the Steelers, ahead of Keith Willis. "We played good," said Porter after Sunday's 20-3 victory. "It's how we needed to play after playing bad last week." The Ravens pummeled the Steelers, 27-0, on Nov. 26. Porter credited his teammates for his sack success. "That's always a credit to the team. Individual success is something [that's based on] how good the team is playing. It's not like I'm out there by myself."
Longest field goal: Jeff Reed's 50-yard field goal late in the second quarter was longest at Heinz Field in a NFL game. It also was the fourth-longest of Reed's career. Reed also kicked a 39-yarder in the fourth quarter. He has 106, one more than Norm Johnson made for the Steelers.
Big Ben: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted by Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks on the Steelers' first series. "It was one of those stupid plays — I didn't even see him. It wasn't the way we wanted to start, but we bounced back and fought hard," said Roethlisberger As for Thursday's game, Roethlisberger said, "We might as well leave our uniforms on. We're coming back to practice tomorrow — that's the craziest thing."
Tom Williams
Monday, December 4, 2006
Lots of help still needed: Entering Sunday's play, seven AFC teams were ahead of the Steelers (5-7) in the race for the conference's two wild card seeds — the Broncos, Chiefs, Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Bengals and Jaguars. The Bills (5-7), Dolphins (5-7) and Chiefs (7-5) lost while the Jets (7-5) and Jaguars (7-5) won. The Broncos (7-4), who have lost two straight, played in Sunday's night game against the Seahawks.
Coming up: The Steelers are at home Thursday at 8 p.m. against the Cleveland Browns (4-8). NFL Network, KDKA Channel 2 and WJW Channel 8 will televise the game. On Dec. 17, the Steelers play the Carolina Panthers (6-5) in Charlotte, N.C. The Steelers' final home game will be Dec. 24 against the first-place Baltimore Ravens (9-3). The Steelers can still earn a playoff berth, but they would need to win out plus a lot of luck. In other words, Thursday's game has some significance beyond the Browns-Steelers rivalry.
Sack attack: Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, who has been under fire for less than stellar play, sacked Buccaneers quarterback Bruce Gradkowski twice in the first half. That gives him 60 for his career and moves him into fourth place for the Steelers, ahead of Keith Willis. "We played good," said Porter after Sunday's 20-3 victory. "It's how we needed to play after playing bad last week." The Ravens pummeled the Steelers, 27-0, on Nov. 26. Porter credited his teammates for his sack success. "That's always a credit to the team. Individual success is something [that's based on] how good the team is playing. It's not like I'm out there by myself."
Longest field goal: Jeff Reed's 50-yard field goal late in the second quarter was longest at Heinz Field in a NFL game. It also was the fourth-longest of Reed's career. Reed also kicked a 39-yarder in the fourth quarter. He has 106, one more than Norm Johnson made for the Steelers.
Big Ben: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted by Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks on the Steelers' first series. "It was one of those stupid plays — I didn't even see him. It wasn't the way we wanted to start, but we bounced back and fought hard," said Roethlisberger As for Thursday's game, Roethlisberger said, "We might as well leave our uniforms on. We're coming back to practice tomorrow — that's the craziest thing."
Tom Williams
Monday, December 4, 2006
the Broncos, Chiefs, Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Bengals and Jaguars. The Bills (5-7), Dolphins (5-7) and Chiefs (7-5) lost...
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