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NFL 2008 Playoffs | Pittsburgh Steelers Regular Season Review | NFL 2008 Playoffs |
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NFL 2008 Playoffs:
NFL 2008 Game 1: Pittsburgh Steelers 38, Houston Texans 17The Steelers scored touchdowns on their first three offensive possessions, and an opportunistic defense turned two interceptions, five sacks and a forced fumble into a 38-17 season-opening victory over the Houston Texans on Sept. 7 at Heinz Field. It marked Pittsburgh’s sixth straight season-opening victory, the longest in the NFL. The Steelers stopped the Texans on a fourth-and-one during the opening possession. QB Ben Roethlisberger then led the Steelers on an eight-play, 52-yard drive that was punctuated by a seven-yard touchdown run by RB Willie Parker, the first of his career-high three touchdowns on the day. Parker put the Steelers up 14-0 early in the second quarter when he ran 13 yards for his second touchdown of the game. On the Steelers’ next possession, Roethlisberger found WR Hines Ward from 13 yards out for the first of two hookups between the two. A 34-yard field goal by Texans K Kris Brown late in the second quarter made the score 21-3 Steelers at the half. Pittsburgh picked right up where it left off early in the third quarter as Parker finished a 10-play, 71-yard drive by scoring his third touchdown of the game. Ward added a 16-yard touchdown reception from Roethlisberger on the next series. K Jeff Reed added a 44-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, sandwiched between a 14-yard touchdown pass from Schaub to WR Kevin Walter and a four-yard touchdown run by Schaub to give the Steelers a 38-17 victory. Pittsburgh outgained the Texans 305-234 in total offense, including 183 rushing yards to Houston’s 75. Roethlisberger finished the game 13-for-14 passing for 137 yards with two touchdowns and a passer rating of 147.0 The Steelers ran the ball 39 times for 183 yards (4.7 avg.). NFL 2008 Week 1 AFC Player of the Week Willie Parker had 25 carries for 138 yards (5.5 avg.) with three touchdowns. Rookie RB Rashard Mendenhall added 10 carries for 28 yards (2.8 avg.) in his NFL debut. Ward led the Steelers with six catches for 76 yards (12.7 avg.) with two touchdowns. S Troy Polamalu and LB LaMarr Woodley each had an interception. The Steelers registered five sacks in the game, including three by LB James Harrison, one by Woodley and a half-sack each by LB James Farrior and DE Nick Eason.
NFL 2008 Game 2: Pittsburgh Steelers 10, Cleveland Browns 6The Steelers jumped out to a 10-0 lead by the middle of the third quarter and held on down the stretch to defeat the Cleveland Browns 10-6 at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sept. 14. Pittsburgh captured its 10th straight win over the Browns in the series, improving to 2-0 on the year with the victory while the Browns fell to 0-2. Swirling rain and wind helped to keep both offenses in check, as neither team was able to put points on the board until midway through the second quarter. Steelers’ CB Bryant McFadden recorded his first interception of the season when he picked off Cleveland’s Derek Anderson at the Pittsburgh 30-yard line. The Steelers proceeded to march 50 yards in 12 plays with QB Ben Roethlisberger hooking up with WR Hines Ward for the third time this season on an 11-yard touchdown reception, giving the Steelers a 7-0 lead. Cleveland appeared poised to tie the score at the end of the first half, driving all the way to the Pittsburgh 13-yard line. Steelers S Troy Polamalu ended that threat when he picked off Anderson to ensure a 7-0 Steelers lead at the break. Pittsburgh built on their lead on their second possession of the third quarter when they drove 54 yards in five plays, with the big play being a 48-yard pass from Roethlisberger to WR Santonio Holmes. K Jeff Reed kicked a 48-yard field goal to put the Steelers up 10-0. Cleveland answered Reed’s field goal by marching 47 yards in 12 plays, as K Phil Dawson’s 31-yard field goal cut Pittsburgh’s advantage to 10-3. Dawson would add a 38-yard field goal with just under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to cut Cleveland’s deficit to 10-6, but Pittsburgh held the Browns in check from there to secure the victory. Roethlisberger finished the game 12-of-19 passing for 186 yards with one touchdown and a passer rating of 113.0. RB Willie Parker led the way on the ground with his second straight 100-yard rushing performance of the season (28-105, 3.8 avg.). Ward finished with five catches for 59 yards (11.8 avg.) with one touchdown while Holmes also caught five passes for a team-leading 94 yards (18.8 avg.). The Steelers held Cleveland to only 53 yards rushing on 25 carries (2.1 avg.), with Browns RB Jamal Lewis netting only 38 yards on 19 attempts (2.0 avg.). Pittsburgh’s defense also kept Anderson in check as the Browns signal caller completed only 18-of-32 passes for 166 yards with two interceptions and a passer rating of 44.5. DE Aaron Smith registered two sacks for Pittsburgh.
NFL 2008 Game 3: Philadelphia Eagles 15, Pittsburgh Steelers 6The Steelers could not build upon their early momentum en route to a 15-6 loss on the road to the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia improved to 2-1 with the victory while the Steelers suffered their first setback of the 2008 campaign as they fell to 2-1. Philadelphia was driving deep into Pittsburgh territory on the first possession of the game when LB James Farrior hit Eagles RB Tony Hunt, forcing a fumble at the Pittsburgh 20-yard line. The Steelers offense proceeded to march 61 yards in 12 plays and K Jeff Reed kicked a 37-yard field goal to give the Steelers the early 3-0 advantage. Philadelphia answered right back on their ensuing drive by covering 85 yards in 13 plays when QB Donovan McNabb connected with RB Correll Buckhalter on a swing pass that Buckhalter converted into a 20-yard touchdown reception and a 7-3 Eagles advantage. K David Akers kicked a 31-yard field goal on the Eagles’ next offensive possession to increase Philadelphia’s lead to 10-3 before the Steelers responded again following another takeaway. McFadden posted his second interception in as many weeks when he picked off McNabb, which led to Reed’s second field goal, this time from a career-long 53 yards, to cut the Eagles lead to 10-6 at the half. Pittsburgh appeared poised to take the lead back early in the second half when Steelers S Troy Polamalu recorded his third interception of the season when he picked off backup QB Kevin Kolb, who subbed briefly for one series, at the Eagles’ 49-yard line, but Pittsburgh could not take advantage of the turnover. The two teams then traded possessions for much of second half until Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was penalized for intentional grounding in the end zone, resulting in a safety for the Eagles, with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Akers would add his second 31-yard field goal of the afternoon late in the contest to give the Eagles the 15-6 victory. The Steelers offense was held in check by a swarming Eagles defense. Roethlisberger finished the contest 13-of-25 for 131 yards while throwing his first interception of the season. RB Willie Parker was limited to just 20 yards on 13 carries (1.5 avg.), as the Steelers amassed only 180 yards of total offense. Pittsburgh forced three turnovers and post three sacks, including LB Larry Foote (1.5), LB LaMarr Woodley (1.0) and DE Travis Kirschke (0.5).
NFL 2008 Game 4: Pittsburgh Steelers 23, Baltimore Ravens 20K Jeff Reed booted a 46-yard game-winning field goal in overtime as Pittsburgh defeated the visiting Baltimore Ravens, 23-20, on Sept. 29 on Monday Night Football. The Steelers improved to 3-1 while the Ravens fell to 2-1. Reed’s 46-yard field goal was his third of the game (49, 19) and marked his seventh career game-winning field goal. The Steelers game-winning drive in overtime came after Pittsburgh’s defense stopped the Ravens three-and-out on the first series. On the game winning drive, backup RB Mewelde Moore caught a 24-yard pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger that set up the eventual game-winner. Moore was seeing every down action after starting RB Rashard Mendenhall, who was filling in for the injured RB Willie Parker, and FB Carey Davis both left the game with injuries. The Steelers struggled in the first half to put any drives together as it finished with just 46 yards of total offense in the first two quarters, finding themselves trailing 13-3 at the half. However, Pittsburgh scored 14 points in 15 seconds in the third quarter to take a 17-13 lead. After Roethlisberger hit WR Santonio Holmes for a 38-yard touchdown, LB LaMarr Woodley picked up a fumble on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage and darted seven yards for a touchdown. Reed’s 19-yard field goal with 9:19 left in the fourth quarter made it 20-13, but Baltimore responded with a nine-play drive that ended with Le’Ron McClain running in from two yards out to eventually force overtime. The Steelers limited the Ravens to just 97 yards of total offense in the second half and overtime. For the game, Baltimore had 243 yards of offense to Pittsburgh’s 237. Roethlisberger finished 14-for-24 for 191 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception. Mendenhall had 30 rushing yards on nine carries (3.3 avg.) before leaving with a shoulder injury. LB James Harrison led the Steelers with 2.5 sacks, 10 tackles and a forced fumble. Woodley added eight tackles, 1.5 sacks and fumble return for a score.
NFL 2008 Game 5: Pittsburgh Steelers 26, Jacksonville Jaguars 21QB Ben Roethlisberger led the team on an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard touchdown pass to WR Hines Ward to secure the 26-21 victory on Oct. 5 on Sunday Night Football. Roethlisberger directed the Steelers on the game-winning drive as he tossed his third touchdown pass of the game. The two-point conversion attempt failed but the Steelers defense hung on during the Jaguars’ final offensive possession to preserve the 26-21 victory. Jacksonville struck first when CB Rashean Mathis picked off a Roethlisberger pass and returned it 72 yards for a touchdown. The Steelers answered that right back on the ensuing possession as they drove 71 yards in 12 plays, as Roethlisberger threw the first of his three touchdown passes when he found TE Heath Miller for a one-yard touchdown reception. Jacksonville then had their first offensive possession and Jaguars QB David Garrard drove his squad 74 yards in seven plays, with they key playing being a 41-yard pass interference call against Steelers CB Ike Taylor which placed the ball at the one-yard line, setting up a one-yard touchdown run by RB Maurice Jones-Drew. The Steelers dominated the second quarter as K Jeff Reed nailed the first of his two field goals when he connected from 38 yards away to cut the Jaguars lead to 14-10. Less than three minutes after Reed’s field goal, Roethlisberger threw his second touchdown pass, this one a 48-yard strike down the left sideline to a wide open WR Nate Washington for a 17-14 lead. Reed’s second field goal of the quarter, a 23-yarder with only 45 seconds remaining in the half, gave the Steelers a 20-14 lead at the half. After a scoreless third quarter, Jacksonville took the lead back less than a minute into the fourth quarter when Garrard hit TE Mercedes Lewis on a 24-yard touchdown strike to give Jacksonville the 21-20 advantage. Roethlisberger had his best outing of 2008, completing 26-of-41 passes for 309 yards with a season-high three touchdowns and one interception for a passer rating of 100.6. RB Mewelde Moore, making his first start as a member of the Steelers, finished with 99 yards rushing on 17 attempts (5.8 avg.). Ward led all receivers with seven receptions for 90 yards (12.9 avg.) and the game-winning score. The Steelers held the Jaguars to only 213 yards of total offense, with just 38 of those yards coming on the ground. Pittsburgh had three sacks (LB LaMarr Woodley - 2; LB James Harrison - 1).
NFL 2008 Game 6: Pittsburgh Steelers 38, Cincinnati Bengals 10The Steelers scorched the Cincinnati Bengals for 21 fourth-quarter points en route to a 38-10 victory on Oct. 19. The win improved the Steelers’ record to 5-1 while Cincinnati fell to 0-7. The Steelers jumped out to a 7-0 lead on their first drive of the game as QB Ben Roethlisberger engineered a 75-yard drive to open the game and found RB Mewelde Moore for a two-yard touchdown pass. K Jeff Reed kicked a 21-yard field goal with 42 seconds remaining in the first quarter to stretch the lead to 10-0. However, Cincinnati came back with a 92-yard drive before halftime to make it 10-7. Following a Bengals punt, the Steelers added to their lead on their first possession of the second half when Moore darted in from 13 yards out, his second touchdown of the game, to give the Steelers a 17-7 lead. Bengals K Dave Rayner hit a 26-yard field goal late in the third quarter to draw the Bengals to within 17-10 heading into the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh dominated the fourth quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points to secure the victory. WR Nate Washington started the scoring when he hauled in a 50-yard touchdown reception from Roethlisberger to put the Steelers up 24-10. Exactly three minutes after that score, Moore scored his third touchdown of the day when he bounced in off of the right side for a two-yard touchdown run. Backup QB Byron Leftwich tossed a late 16-yard touchdown to WR Hines Ward for the games’ final points. Roethlisberger had another superb performance, completing 17-of-28 passes for 216 yards with two touchdowns and a passer rating of 108.6, his fourth 100-plus passer rating of the season. Moore recorded his fifth career 100-yard rushing performance, and his first as a Steeler, as he finished 120 yards on 20 carries (6.0 avg.) with two touchdowns. He also tied for the team lead with five receptions for 14 yards (1.8 avg.) and another touchdown. Holmes also had five receptions for 89 yards (17.8 avg.). Defensively, the Steelers applied pressure to Bengals’ quarterbacks all day long. They finished with a season-high seven sacks as LB James Harrison and LB LaMarr Woodley again led the way with two sacks apiece. LB Lawrence Timmons also had two sacks, his first career multiple-sack performance. LB James Farrior had the other Steelers’ sack. Woodley also created the games only turnover, forcing and recovering a Ryan Fitzpatrick fumble late in the fourth quarter.
NFL 2008 Game 7: New York Giants 21, Pittsburgh Steelers 14The New York Giants scored the game’s final 12 points, all in the fourth quarter, to complete a 21-14 comeback victory over the Steelers at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh fell to 5-2 with the loss, while the Giants improved to 6-1. Pittsburgh struck first as it marched 60 yards in four plays after forcing the Giants to a three-and-out on New York’s opening drive of the game. RB Mewelde Moore, who accounted for 38 of those 60 yards, bounced 32 yards around right end for the touchdown to give the Steelers a 7-0 advantage. New York was able to chip away at its deficit as Pittsburgh struggled to move the ball throughout the rest of the first half. Giants K John Carney kicked three field goals, a 26-yarder in the first quarter; 35 and 25-yarders in the second quarter; to give the Giants a 9-7 halftime lead. QB Ben Roethlisberger erased that lead five minutes into the second half when he connected with WR Nate Washington on a season-long 65-yard touchdown strike to allow the Steelers to reclaim a 14-9 lead. Washington’s touchdown marked the third consecutive game that he and Roethlisberger have combined for a score. New York again cut into the Steelers’ lead when Carney made his fourth field goal of the afternoon from 24 yards away with 8:18 left in the fourth quarter. One minute and 30 seconds later the Giants tied the game at 14-14 when Steelers LB James Harrison, filling in for the injured LS Greg Warren, snapped the ball over P Mitch Berger’s head and out of the end zone for a safety. Given a short field after the ensuing free kick, New York went 62 yards in 12 plays, including a key 25-yard completion from QB Eli Manning to WR Steve Smith on third-and-seven from midfield, to take a 21-14 lead on Manning’s two-yard touchdown toss to TE Kevin Boss for the game’s final points. Roethlisberger was 13-of-29 for 189 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions. Moore led the Steelers for the third consecutive game with 84 yards on 19 attempts (4.4 avg.) with one touchdown. The Steelers limited the Giants’ league-leading rushing attack to just 83 yards on the ground. New York entered the game averaging nearly 170 yards per game.
NFL 2008 Game 8: Pittsburgh Steelers 23, Washington Redskins 6Pittsburgh overcame a sluggish start and scored 23 unanswered points on its way to a convincing 23-6 victory over the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field on Monday Night Football. The Steelers improved to 6-2 on the year while the Redskins fell to 6-3. The Steelers fell behind 6-0 less than four minutes into the game after a failed onside kick to open the game was recovered by Washington and an interception on the following drive led to a pair of field goals by K Shaun Suisham. However, the Redskins were unable to score again as the Steelers defense clamped down on the NFL’s top rusher, RB Clinton Portis. Portis was held to 51 yards rushing on 13 carries (3.9 avg.). As Pittsburgh’s defense dominated on one side of the ball, the Steelers’ offense came alive and scored all 10 points in the second quarter to take a 10-6 halftime lead. A 35-yard field goal by K Jeff Reed put Pittsburgh on the board at the 8:09 mark of the second quarter and a one-yard touchdown run by QB Ben Roethlisberger with 32 seconds left in the half gave the Steelers a four-point lead at intermission. Roethlisberger, who injured his shoulder prior to the half, was replaced in the second half by QB Byron Leftwich. Leftwich led the Steelers on a scoring drive to open the third quarter as they marched 72 yards on eight plays that culminated with a one-yard touchdown run by RB Willie Parker, stretching the lead to 16-6 after a missed PAT by Reed. On the drive, Leftwich connected with WR Nate Washington for a 50-yard pass play. The Steelers capped the scoring with a five-yard touchdown pass by Leftwich to WR Santonio Holmes in the fourth quarter. It was Holmes’ second touchdown of the season. On three separate drives, Pittsburgh’s defense kept the Redskins off the scoreboard despite three trips to the red zone. For the night, the Steelers limited Washington to 221 yards of total offense, including just 60 yards on the ground. The Steelers collected a season-high (tied) seven sacks, including two by LB LaMarr Woodley. In relief of Roethlisberger, Leftwich finished 7-for-10 for 129 yards passing with one touchdown (145.8 passer rating). Parker, in his first game back after missing the previous four games, finished with a game-high 70 yards rushing on 21 attempts (3.3 avg.) with one touchdown.
NFL 2008 Game 9: Indianapolis Colts 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 20Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning hit RB Dominic Rhodes for a 17-yard touchdown reception with just over three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Colts a 24-20 come-from-behind victory over Pittsburgh at Heinz Field. The Steelers fell to 6-3 with the loss while the Colts improved to 5-4, marking their first win in Pittsburgh since 1968. The Steelers jumped on the board first, taking the opening kickoff 62 yards in 10 plays as RB Mewelde Moore scored the first of his two rushing touchdowns when he scored from one-yard out to give Pittsburgh the 7-0 advantage. Indianapolis answered right back when Manning’s deep pass down the left sideline was tipped by Steelers CB Ike Taylor, but caught by WR Reggie Wayne for a 65-yard touchdown reception to tie the game at 7-7. After Moore scored his second touchdown on another one-yard plunge early in the second quarter and K Jeff Reed nailed a 42-yard field goal near the end of the half, it appeared that the Steelers would take a 10-point lead into the half. With time running out, Colts DB Keiwan Ratliff intercepted Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger deep in Steelers’ territory, setting up a two-yard touchdown strike from Manning to TE Dallas Clark to cut the Steelers halftime lead to 17-14. Indianapolis tied the score with 8:14 to play in the third quarter when K Adam Vinatieri converted a 36-yard field goal to knot the game at 17-17. Pittsburgh regained the lead midway through the fourth quarter when Reed hit his second field goal of the contest, this time from 24 yards away, to give the Steelers a 20-17 advantage. However, the Steelers were stopped short on three tries inside the five-yard line prior to Reed’s field goal. After Roethlisberger threw his second interception of the game, this time to Colts DB Tim Jennings, Manning found Rhodes for his third touchdown pass of the game. DB Melvin Bullitt intercepted Roethlisberger’s last-ditch attempt in the end zone as time expired to secure the 24-20 victory for the Colts. Roethlisberger finished 29-of-41 for 280 yards with three interceptions. WR Hines Ward established season highs with eight receptions for 112 yards (14.0 avg.). It marked his 17th career 100-yard receiving game, second-best in team history. DE Aaron Smith and LB James Harrison recorded the Steelers only two sacks.
NFL 2008 Game 10: Pittsburgh Steelers 11, San Diego Chargers 10The Steelers gave up a fourth quarter lead for the third consecutive home game, but unlike the previous two, they were able to rally in the game’s final minutes and secure an 11-10 victory over the San Diego Chargers on a 32-yard field goal by K Jeff Reed with 11 seconds remaining in regulation. Pittsburgh improved to 7-3 on the season, and a perfect 13-0 all-time in the regular-season against the Chargers in Pittsburgh. The Chargers fell to 4-6. San Diego started the scoring after Reed missed a 51-yard field goal, his first miss of 2008, when they took over at their own 41-yard line and marched 59 yards in six plays, capped by a three-yard touchdown run by RB LaDainian Tomlinson, to make it 7-0 Chargers. Pittsburgh pinned San Diego deep in their own territory early in the second quarter, and LB James Harrison sacked Chargers QB Philip Rivers in the end zone, at the same time forcing a fumble which was recovered by Chargers OT Marcus McNeill, who was subsequently sacked by Harrison for the safety. A 21-yard field goal by Reed as time expired on the half cut the San Diego halftime lead to 7-5. The Steelers took their first lead of the game when they took the opening possession of the second half and drove 54 yards in 14 plays, with Reed making his second field goal of the evening, this time from 41 yards away, giving the Steelers an 8-7 advantage. The score stayed that way until San Diego marched down the field midway through the fourth quarter and reclaimed the lead when K Nate Kaeding nailed a 22-yard field goal to put the Chargers back up by a score of 10-8. After a penalty on the ensuing kickoff trapped Pittsburgh deep inside their own territory, QB Ben Roethlisberger led his squad on a 13-play, 73 yard drive down to the Chargers 14-yard line, where Reed’s third field goal gave the Steelers an 11-10 victory. Roethlisberger was 6-for-6 for 62 yards passing on the game-winning drive, his 15th career regular-season come from-behind fourth-quarter victory. Roethlisberger had one of his strongest performances of 2008 by finishing 31-of-41 for 308, his sixth career 300-yard passing peformance. WR Hines Ward established season highs with 11 receptions for 124 yards (11.3 avg.), his second consecutive 100-yard receiving effort. RB Willie Parker returned from a shoulder injury to rush 25 times for 115 yards (4.6 avg.), his third 100-yard rushing performance in five starts. DE Brett Keisel and LB James Harrison recorded the Steelers two sacks.
NFL 2008 Game 11: Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Cincinnati Bengals 10The Steelers reeled off 20 consecutive points after falling behind early to the Cincinnati Bengals en route to a 27-10 victory at Heinz Field on Nov. 20. It marked the fifth consecutive time that Pittsburgh has defeated Cincinnati, and improved the Steelers record to 8-3. Cincinnati momentarily grabbed an early lead when QB Ryan Fitzpatrick found WR Glenn Holt on a crossing pattern over the middle for a 10-yard touchdown pass and a 7-0 Bengals lead with 3:08 remaining in the first quarter. The Steelers responded with a touchdown of their own less than five minutes into the second quarter when QB Ben Roethlisberger threw a three-yard touchdown strike to TE Heath Miller, who was back in the lineup for the first time since missing two consecutive games with an ankle injury. K Jeff Reed’s 37-yard field goal with time winding down in the half gave Pittsburgh the lead for good at 10-7. The Steelers built on their lead on the opening possession of the third quarter when Reed’s 38-yard field goal upped the Pittsburgh lead to 13-7. RB Gary Russell stretched the lead to 20-7 with 16 seconds remaining in the third quarter when he ran around right end for a two-yard touchdown run, the first touchdown of his NFL career. Cincinnati cut the deficit in half when K Shayne Graham capped an 11 play, 37-yard drive with a 26-yard field goal with 6:47 remaining in regulation. Pittsburgh answered that score as Roethlisberger completed a 73-yard drive by diving into the end zone from eight yards out with 2:15 left to play to make the score 27-10. The Bengals tried putting together one final desperation drive, advancing to the Pittsburgh 15-yard line before Steelers’ S Troy Polamalu ended that threat by recording his team-leading fifth interception of the season to put the finishing touches on a second consecutive victory. Roethlisberger had his second straight strong performance, completing 17-of-30 (56.7 pct.) passes for 243 yards with one touchdown and a passer rating of 94.2 while rushing for one touchdown. WR Santonio Holmes led the team with five receptions for 84 yards (16.8 avg.), while RB Mewelde Moore paced the ground game with 56 yards on 15 attempts (3.7 avg.). LB LaMarr Woodley posted the Steelers only sack of the evening as Pittsburgh limited the Bengals to only 208 yards of total offense, including 43 on the ground.
NFL 2008 Game 12: Pittsburgh Steelers 33, New England Patriots 10The Steelers maintained a one-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens in the battle for the AFC North division crown by defeating the New England Patriots 33-10 at Gillette Stadium. Pittsburgh used a 13-point third quarter to turn a 10-10 contest into a victory that improved the Steelers overall record to 9-3. New England struck first following a LB Mike Vrabel interception of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Three plays later RB Sammy Morris scoring from two yards out to put New England up 7-0. Both teams then exchanged field goals as K Jeff Reed connected from 20 yards and Pats’ K Stephen Gostkowski nailed a 29-yard field goal. Pittsburgh tied the game at 10-10 heading into the half when Roethlisberger led the team on a nine-play, 63-yard drive that ended with him finding WR Santonio Holmes all alone in the end zone for the touchdown. The third quarter belonged to the Steelers as Roethlisberger found WR Hines Ward for an 11-yard touchdown reception sandwiched around 25 and 20-yard field goals by Reed to take a 23-10 lead into the fourth. New England was driving into Pittsburgh territory when S Troy Polamalu established a career high by recording his sixth interception of the season, returning it 23 yards to the Pittsburgh 34-yard line. Reed’s third field goal of the day, this time from 45 yards, made the score 26-10 Steelers. Steelers LB Lawrence Timmons ended any potential drama when he picked Cassel off at the Pittsburgh 10-yard line and returned the ball 89 yards to the New England one-yard line, setting up a one-yard touchdown run by RB Gary Russell, clinching a 33-10 victory for the Steelers. Roethlisberger completed 17-of-33 passes for 179 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. RB Willie Parker led the Steelers ground attack with 87 yards on 16 attempts (5.4 avg.). Ward finished with five receptions for 37 yards (7.4 avg.) and his team-leading sixth touchdown reception of the season. Defensively, LB James Harrison led the charge with two sacks and two forced fumbles. LB LaMarr Woodley recorded one sack and had a fumble recovery. LB James Farrior had 0.5 sacks and one fumble recovery while NT Casey Hampton had his first sack of the season and DE Aaron Smith had 0.5 sacks. LB Keyaron Fox recovered a fumble on special teams.
NFL 2008 Game 13: Pittsburgh Steelers 20, Dallas Cowboys 13The Steelers stunned the visiting Dallas Cowboys by scoring 17 points in the final 7:15 of regulation to turn a 13-3 deficit into a 20-13 victory at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh improved to 10-3 with the victory and remained one game ahead of the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North Division. Scoring was at a premium in the first half as neither offense was able to get on track against two of the NFL’s better defenses. Pittsburgh started the scoring with a 24-yard field goal by K Jeff Reed but Dallas answered with a 44-yard field goal by K Nick Folk as time expired in the second quarter to tie the game at 3-3 heading into the intermission. Dallas struck first after the break when QB Tony Romo marched his team 67 yards in eight plays to take a 10-3 lead when he hit WR Terrell Owens over the middle for a 12-yard touchdown reception. That marked the first time this season that the Steelers defense gave up a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half. Romo and the Cowboys stretched that lead to 13-3 on their next possession when Folk connected from 33 yards away to make the score 13-3 in favor of the Cowboys. The Steelers began their comeback when Reed nailed a 41-yard field goal with 7:15 to play to get the Steelers to within seven points. QB Ben Roethlisberger was able to tie the game at 13 on the Steelers next possession when he engineered an eight play, 67-yard drive of his own that culminated with a six-yard touchdown strike from Roethlisberger to TE Heath Miller. Overtime appeared imminent when CB Deshea Townsend capped the comeback for the Steelers. Townsend intercepted a Romo pass intended for TE Jason Witten and took it 25-yards down the left sideline into the end zone for an improbable 20-13 victory for the Steelers. Roethlisberger finished 17-of-33 passes for 204 yards with one touchdown for a passer rating of 80.9. WR Nate Washington led the Steelers with four receptions for 58 yards (14.5 avg.) while RB Mewelde Moore also had four catches for 36 yards (9.0 avg.). LB James Harrison tied a team record by recording his 15th sack of the season. DE Travis Kirschke and LB James Farrior also registered sacks. SS Troy Polamalu had his league-leading 7th interception of the season and CB Ike Taylor added his first interception of the season.
NFL 2008 Game 14: Pittsburgh Steelers 13, Baltimore Ravens 9The Steelers came back from a fourth-quarter deficit for the second consecutive week by scoring 10 points in the final frame to stretch their winning streak to five games with a 13-9 victory over the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Pittsburgh clinched their second straight AFC North Division title. After a scoreless first quarter, Baltimore struck first following a 46-yard punt return by Ravens S Jim Leonhard. QB Joe Flacco led the Ravens to the Pittsburgh 10-yard line before the drive stalled, and K Matt Stover came on to hit a 28-yard field goal to give Baltimore a 3-0 advantage. Pittsburgh responded with a field goal on the ensuing possession. QB Ben Roethlisberger drove the Steelers deep into Ravens’ territory, but this time it was Baltimore stopping Pittsburgh inside the red zone, and K Jeff Reed came on to tie the score at 3-3 with a 31-yard field goal. Baltimore regained the lead when Stover hit a 26-yard field goal with 52 seconds remaining in the first half to help Baltimore regain the lead 6-3. The Ravens upped their lead to 9-3 midway through the third quarter when Stover nailed his third field goal, another 28-yard boot, following an S Ed Reed recovery of a WR Santonio Holmes fumble at the Pittsburgh 16-yard line. Pittsburgh cut into Baltimore’s advantage just over five minutes into the fourth quarter as Reed hit from 30 yards away to make it 9-6 Ravens. That lead looked like it was going to hold up when the Ravens pinned the Steelers at their own eight-yard line with 3:36 remaining in regulation. But Roethlisberger drove the Steelers 92 yards in 12 plays, culminated by Roethlisberger throwing a four-yard scoring strike to Holmes with less than one minutes remaining. CB William Gay picked off a Flacco pass intended for WR Derrick Mason, and the Steelers secured their sixth road win of the season. Roethlisberger completed 22-of-40 passes for 246 yards with one touchdown for a passer rating of 81.9. WR Hines Ward caught eight passes for 107 yards (13.4 avg.). Defensively, the Steelers gave up only 202 yards to the Ravens, including 90 net yards passing. DE Aaron Smith and LB Lawrence Timmons had the Steelers’ sacks. S Ryan Clark had the Steelers other interception.
NFL 2008 Game 15: Tennessee Titans 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 14Tennessee struck both early and late, erasing a 14-10 third quarter deficit to defeat the Steelers 31-14. The loss ended Pittsburgh’s winning streak at five games. Pittsburgh did clinch the second seed in the AFC playoffs, and the accompanying first-round bye that goes with it. Tennessee scored 10 points within the first 3:01 of the second quarter to jump out to a 10-0 advantage. Titans K Rob Bironas hit a 42-yard field goal and QB Kerry Collins found WR Justin Gage deep over the middle for a 34-yard touchdown reception. Pittsburgh answered the Gage score by taking the ensuing kickoff 80 yards in 10 plays, with QB Ben Roethlisberger finding WR Santonio Holmes down the right sideline for a 31-yard touchdown reception, Roethlisberger’s 100th career scoring toss. K Jeff Reed had a chance to send the game into the half all-squared up, but he missed a 33-yard field goal attempt wide to the left. The Steelers would take their only lead of the afternoon on their second possession of the third quarter when Roethlisberger hit WR Hines Ward on a 21-yard scoring play to make it 14-10. Tennessee regained the lead on their following possession, as RB Chris Johnson took a pitch on fourth-and-one and went 21 yards untouched to allow the Titans to retake a 17-14 lead. RB LenDale White stretched that lead to 10 when he plunged one-yard for a score on the first play of the fourth quarter. Titans S Michael Griffin finished the scoring when he recorded his second interception of the day, and went 83 yards for the score, and a 31-14 final. Roethlisberger threw for a season-high 331 passing yards on 26-of-40 (65.0 pct) attempts with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Ward finished with his second straight 100-yard receiving performance by catching seven passes for 109 yards (15.6 avg.) with one touchdown. TE Heath Miller had a career-high eight receptions for 69 yards (8.6 avg.). Defensively, LB James Harrison broke LB Mike Merriweather’s team record for sacks in a season when he dropped Collins in the third quarter for a 10-yard loss, giving him 16 on the season.
NFL 2008 Game 16: Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Cleveland Browns 0The Steelers placed an exclamation point on one of the finest defensive campaigns in NFL history by recording their first shutout of the season in a 31-0 blanking of the Cleveland Browns. Pittsburgh finished the regular season with a 12-4 mark, the most wins they have posted in a season since going 15-1 in 2004. The emphatic victory did not come without a price for Pittsburgh. QB Ben Roethlisberger had to be carted off the field late in the second quarter with what was later diagnosed as a concussion. Backup QB Byron Leftwich led the Steelers on three scoring drives in his place. RB Willie Parker got things started with just over four minutes remaining in a scoreless first half when he broke an off-tackle run 34 yards up the right sideline for his fifth rushing touchdown of the season and a 7-0 Steelers’ advantage. Leftwich scrambled in for a score with 32 seconds remaining in the half for a 14-0 Pittsburgh lead after 30 minutes. K Jeff Reed scored the only points of the third quarter when he connected on a 22-yard field goal. RB Gary Russell put the game out of reach with his three-yard touchdown plunge with 9:41 remaining in the final frame. S Tyrone Carter’s 32-yard interception return of a deflected pass proved to be the final points. Parker recorded his 25th 100-yard rushing performance after carrying 23 times for 116 yards (5.0 avg.) with one touchdown. WR Hines Ward led the team with six receptions for 70 yards (11.7 avg.). He also surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the fifth time in his career, while his final reception of the contest gave him 800 for his career. Roethlisberger completed 9-of-14 passes (64.3 pct.) for 110 yards with one interception before leaving. Leftwich completed 7-of-12 passes (58.3 pct.) for 80 yards and had one rushing touchdown. Defensively, Carter had his first career two-interception performance, returning his two picks for a total of 50 yards, including his first-ever interception return for a touchdown. The Steelers posted three sacks on the afternoon, with CB Bryant McFadden and LB Andre Frazier each recording one, while DE Travis Kirschke and DT Chris Hoke shared the other. Pittsburgh held the Browns to only 126 total yards of offense, with just 20 of those yards coming through the air. Browns QB Bruce Gradkowski finished the day 5-of-16 for 18 yards with two interceptions and a quarterback rating of 1.0.
Pittsburgh Steelers 2008 Honors and AwardsLB James Farrior (AFC Pro Bowl), LB James Harrison (AFC Pro Bowl starter, AFC Defensive Player of the Week - Week 11), RB Willie Parker (AFC Offensive Player of the Week - Week 1), S Troy Polamalu (AFC Pro Bowl starter, AFC Defensive Player of the Week - Week 2), K Jeff Reed (AFC Special Teams Player of the Week - Week 4), QB Ben Roethlisberger (AFC Offensive Player of the Week - Week 5), DE Aaron Smith (AFC Defensive Player of the Week - Week 15), LB LaMarr Woodley (AFC Defensive Player of the Week - Week 2).
NFL 2008 PLAYOFFS DIVISIONAL WEEKEND SCHEDULESaturday, January 10 AFC: Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans - 4:30PM ET NFC: Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers - 8:15PM ET Sunday, January 11 NFC: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants - 1:00PM ET AFC: San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers - 4:45PM ET
NFL 2008 PLAYOFFS WILD CARD WEEKEND RESULTSSaturday, January 3 NFC: Arizona Cardinals 30, Atlanta Falcons 24 AFC: San Diego Chargers 23, Indianapolis Colts 17 Sunday, January 4 AFC: Baltimore Ravens 27, Miami Dolphins 9 NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 26, Minnesota Vikings 14 NFL 2008 PLAYOFFS RANKINGSOnce teams are ranked for the playoffs, positions do not change: American Football Conference 1. Tennessee Titans (AFC South Division champion)
National Football Conference 1. New York Giants (NFC East Division champion)
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