Pittsburgh 34, Denver 27Dec. 20, 2015Post-Game NotesTEAM

• Pittsburgh improved to 9-5 overall, 6-2 at home and 6-4 vs. AFC opponents in 2015.
• The Steelers have won their ninth game in 2015 – the 32nd season in team history with at least nine wins – 12th since 2000.
• Pittsburgh was won at least six home games in a season for the eighth time since 2000 and 24th year in franchise history.
• The Steelers are now 8-14-1 against the Broncos in regular-season history (5-6 at home).
• Pittsburgh has won its last two December home games against Denver (Dec. 7, 1997: 35-24).
• Pittsburgh is now 3-1 against Denver during the month of December (2-1 at home).
• The Steelers have won 10 straight games in the month of December, dating back to Dec. 15, 2013, the longest active December winning streak in the NFL, tied with Carolina.
• Pittsburgh has won each of its previous six home games in the month of December, dating back to Dec. 15, 2013.
• The Steelers have won 10 straight games in the month of December, dating back to Dec. 15, 2013, tying as the third-longest winning streak in a month in team history (October, 1999-2001 & November, 1974-76, 11).
• Pittsburgh came back to win the game after being down 17 points in the second quarter. It marked the first time the Steelers overcame a 17-point deficit to win a game since the team trailed the Baltimore Ravens by 21 points on 10/5/97 and came back to win 42-34.
• The Steelers have scored in 21 consecutive quarters – setting a team record for the most consecutive quarters scored streak in team history (1997: 20 quarters).
• Pittsburgh has extended its franchise record for consecutive games with 30 points or more to six, dating back to Nov. 8, 2015, the longest active streak in the NFL.
• The Steelers have scored 30 points or more in seven of 14 games in 2015, including each of the previous six.
• Pittsburgh is the first team to score 30 points against Denver since Dec. 22, 2014 (Cincinnati: 37).
• The Steelers' defense has recorded 40 sacks in a season for the first time since 2010 (48), with 40 in 2015.
• The defense now has 15 interceptions in 2015, the most interceptions by the Steelers in a season since 2010 (21).
• Set a Heinz Field single-game attendance record with 67,234 and single-season records of total home attendance (517,854) and average attendance per home game (64,732).**

Head Coach Mike Tomlin* • Is now 91-51 during the regular season, including 53-19 at home.
• Has guided the Steelers to a nine-win season for the seventh time in his nine years as the team's head coach since 2007.
• Led the Steelers to six home wins in six of his nine years as the team's head coach since 2007.
• Earned a win in his first home game vs. the Broncos and evened his regular-season record against Denver at 2-2.
• Owns a 67-39 all-time record against AFC opponents, including a 39-15 mark at home in inter-conference games.
• Is now 25-12 in the month of December as the Steelers' head coach and 17-6 at home during the month.
• Is now 69-13 when the Steelers hold a lead at halftime.QB Ben Roethlisberger • Finished 40-of-55 for 380 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for a passer rating of 94.5.
• The 40 completions tied a single-game team record (10/26/14 vs. Indianapolis) and the 55 attempts tied for the third-most in a single-game in team history (Ben Roethlisberger, Nov. 29, 2015 at Seattle and Neil O'Donnell (Dec. 24, 1995 vs. Green Bay).
• Improved to 112-55 as a starter during the regular season, including 64-21 at home.
• Increased his Steelers' franchise record for most wins as a starting quarterback to 112 (Terry Bradshaw, 107).
• Is now 2-3 against Denver in the regular season as a starter (1-1 at home).
• Owns a 82-42 (.661) regular-season record as a starter against AFC opponents as a starter, including 47-17 at home (.734).• Recorded his 10th consecutive season with 3,000 passing yards to become the sixth quarterback in NFL history with 10 straight 3,000-yard campaigns (Brett Favre: 18, Peyton Manning: 13, Drew Brees: 13, Eli Manning: 11 and Philip Rivers: 10).
• With his 19th completion, reached 250 in 2015 – his fifth straight season with 250 completions to set a franchise record for the most consecutive 250-completion campaigns.
• Has thrown for 300-plus passing yards in each of his last four home games – a new career-long and team record for consecutive home games with 300 passing yards.
• Has thrown for 300-plus passing yards and at least two touchdowns in each of his last four home games – a new career-long and team record for consecutive home games with 300 passing yards and multiple touchdown throws.
• Has thrown for 300-plus passing yards and at least two touchdowns in each of his last four home games – the longest active streak for consecutive home games with 300 passing yards and multiple touchdown passes.
• Totaled 380 passing yards, his 44th 300-yard passing game of his career during the regular season, extending his franchise record.
• Eclipsed 300 passing yards for the second time in his career against the Broncos (Nov. 5, 2006: 433).
• Is the first quarterback to throw for 300 yards in a game vs. Denver since Dec. 7, 2014 (Buffalo: Kyle Orton).
• With his first touchdown pass, extended his consecutive home games played with at least one scoring toss to 38 – dating back to Dec. 19, 2010 – the second-longest active streak in the NFL (Drew Brees: 52) – and the fourth-longest in NFL history.
• Has thrown at least three touchdown passes in 34 games during the regular season, extending his franchise record. *

WR Antonio Brown* • Totaled game highs in receptions (16) and receiving yards (189) with two receiving touchdowns.
• Became the first player in NFL history to have two games with 15 or more receptions in a single season.
• Extended his consecutive regular-season games started streak to 34 – the third-longest active consecutive games started streak among NFL wide receivers.
• Has registered at least one reception in 87 consecutive games in which he has played, including the postseason – dating back to October 3, 2010.
• Has registered at least one reception in 82 consecutive regular-season games – dating back to October 3, 2010.
• Increased his 2015 catch total to 116 – the second-most by a Steeler in a season in franchise history behind only his own total of 129 receptions in 2014.
• Set the record for most receptions in the first 14 games of a season by a Steeler with 116.
• Has recorded 116 receptions in 2015 to mark his third consecutive 110-catch season, extending his franchise record to three straight 110-catch campaigns.
• Became the second player in NFL history with three straight 110-catch seasons, joining Wes Welker (3, 2007-09).
• Since 2013, has hauled in 355 receptions. His 355 catches are the most in any three consecutive seasons in NFL history.
• Became the fourth player in Steelers history to amass 500 receptions, joining (Hines Ward: 1,000, Heath Miller: 581 and John Stallworth: 537).
• Caught 16 passes to mark his fourth game of 2015 with at least 10 receptions, tying his own team record for four games in a single-season with 10 catches (4, 2014).
• Increased his Steelers record to nine games with 10 or more receptions.
• Along with 1,698 receiving yards in 2014, became the first player in team history with back-to-back 1,500-yard seasons.
• Is the fifth player in NFL history to register consecutive 1,500-receiving yard seasons, joining Marvin Harrison (2001-02, Andre Johnson 2008-09, Calvin Johnson (2011-12) and Julio Jones (2014-15).
• Reached 1,400 receiving yards in 2015 on his first catch for a 10-yard gain, marking his third consecutive year with 1,400 or more.
• Owns a franchise record for consecutive seasons with 1,400 receiving yards with three.
• Is the fifth player in NFL history to register three straight 1,400 receiving yard seasons, joining Marvin Harrison (4, 1999-2002), Calvin Johnson (3, 2011-13), Jerry Rice (3, 1993-95) and Demaryius Thomas (3, 2012-14).
• Surpassed Calvin Johnson (2010-12; 4,765) for the third-most receiving yards by an NFL player in any three consecutive season span in NFL history, now with 4,783.  Brown trails only Calvin Johnson (2011-13; 5,137) and Jerry Rice (1993-95; 4,850).
• His 1,586 receiving yards rank as the second-most in a single-season in Steelers history behind his 2014 total of 1,698.
• Surpassed his own Steelers record for the most receiving yards in the first 14 games of a season with 1,586.
• Eclipsed 100 receiving yards for the eighth time in 2015, tying his own Steelers single-season record for the most 100-yard games.
• Recorded the 24th 100-yard receiving game of his career, the third-most 100-yard performances in team history behind Hines Ward (1998-2011, 29) and John Stallworth (1974-87, 25).
• His 1,642 yards from scrimmage in 2015 are the sixth-most in a season in team history.
• Became the fourth Steelers player in team history to reach 9,500 combined yards.  Others to reach this milestone: Franco Harris, Hines Ward and Jerome Bettis.
• Became the first Steeler to register 1,500 yards from scrimmage in three consecutive seasons (2013: 1,503, 2014: 1,711 and 2015: 1,614).
• Is the second wide receiver in NFL history with three consecutive seasons of 1,500 yards from scrimmage, joining Jerry Rice (1993-95).
• Matched a single-game career-high with two touchdown catches – the ninth multi-touchdown catch game of his NFL career – moving into a tie for the third-most multi-touchdown receiving games in team history with John Stallworth.*

WR Markus Wheaton** • Finished with six catches for 62 yards and one score. The touchdown was his fourth of the season, increasing his personal single-season high to four and career total to six.WR Martavis Bryant • Extended his single-season career highs to 48 catches (26 in 2014) and 759 receiving yards (549 in 2014).
• Set a single-game career-high with 10 receptions, surpassing his previous single-game best of seven (Dec. 13, 2015 at Cincinnati). RB DeAngelo Williams • Totaled 56 yards from scrimmage, 26 rushing yards on 14 carries with a touchdown, and five catches for 30 yards.
• Scored the team's first points of the game on a two-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. The touchdown run was his ninth rushing touchdown of 2015, the second-most in a season in his NFL career (2008: 18).TE Heath Miller • Caught three passes for 12 yards.
• Reached 50 receptions in 2015 on his first grab – marking his fifth consecutive year with at least 50 catches, dating back to 2011.FB Will Johnson • Extended his consecutive regular-season games played streak to 45 – the third-longest active consecutive games played streak among NFL fullbacks.G Ramon Foster • Played in the 100th game of his NFL career and made his 85th start.G David DeCastro • Extended his consecutive regular-season games started streak to 38 – the sixth-longest active consecutive games started streak among NFL guards.DE Cameron Heyward • Extended his consecutive regular-season games played streak to 78 – tying as the fifth-longest active consecutive games played streak among NFL defensive end.
• Recorded his seventh sack of the season and 22nd of his NFL career.
• His 22.0 sacks are sixth-most among Steelers defensive linemen since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.  Keith Willis (1982-92) leads the list with 59.0 sacks.CB William Gay • Extended his consecutive regular season games played streak to 142 – the longest active consecutive games played streak among NFL cornerbacks.S Mike Mitchell • Extended his consecutive regular-season games started streak to 44 – the sixth-longest active consecutive games played streak among NFL free safeties.
• Recovered a fumble forced by S Will Allen in the first quarter, his fifth defensive fumble recovery of his NFL career, and second of 2015 to match a single-season career high (2010: 2).
• Was one of four defenders to tie for the team-lead with six tackles.S Will Allen
• Made his 50th career start and forced a fumble in the first quarter, the fifth defensive forced fumble in his NFL career and second of 2015. His two defensive forced fumbles are a new single-season career high.
• Increased his single-season career high to 7 passes defensed (4 in 2013).
• Had a team-high two pass break-ups and was one of four to tie for the team-lead with six tackles.

**

LB Ryan Shazier** • Recorded the first interception of his NFL career in the fourth quarter and was one of four defenders to tie for the team-lead with six tackles.LB Lawrence Timmons
• Extended his streak of consecutive regular-season games started to 83 – the longest active streak among current Steelers – and the third-longest active streak among NFL linebackers.
• Extended his consecutive regular season games played streak to 102 – the fourth-longest active consecutive games played streak among NFL linebackers.
• Sacked Denver QB Brock Osweiler, surpassing Chad Brown and Mike Merriweather (31.0) for the 10th-most sacks in franchise history (since sacks became an official stat in 1982).
• Was one of four defenders to tie for the team-lead with six tackles.

K Chris Boswell
• Converted each of his two field goal attempts (24, 41) and all four extra point tries for 10 points.
• Surpassed Kris Brown (25, 1999) for the most field goals made by a rookie/first-year player in team history in a single season with 26.
• Has scored 10 or more points in each of the last six games, matching a franchise record for consecutive 10-point games (Gary Anderson, 1985, 6).
• Is the ninth Steelers kicker (30th occasion) to reach 100 points in a single-season.
• Became the third rookie/first-year kicker in Steelers history to tally at least 100 points in his first season with the franchise.
• His 92.9 field goal percentage ranks first among rookie/first-year players in team history (min. 10 attempts).
• His 92.9 field goal percentage ranks 3rd in a single-season in Steelers history behind only Shaun Suisham (93.8%) in 2013 and Gary Anderson (93.3%) in 1993.P Jordan Berry
• Landed four of his six punts inside the Broncos' 20-yard line.
• Has placed 26 of his 53 punts inside the opponent's 20 in 2015 – the best percent of punts inside the 20 by a Steeler in a season since the stat became officially tracked in 1976.
• Has tied Drew Butler (26, 2012) for the 9th-most punts inside the 20 by a Steelers punter in a season since the stat became officially tracked in 1976.