Steelers host Packers at Heinz Field

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 STEELERS vs. PACKERS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2009 KICKOFF 4:15 P.M. HEINZ FIELD

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Steelers (6-7) vs. Packers (9-4)
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Pittsburgh Steelers (6-7) vs. Green Bay Packers (9-4)
Date: Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009
Kickoff: 4:15 p.m. (ET)
Site: Heinz Field (65,050) • Pittsburgh, Pa.
Playing Surface: Grass
TV Coverage: FOX (locally WPGH-TV, channel 53)
Announcers: Joe Buck (play-by-play) Troy Aikman (color analyst) Pam Oliver (sideline)
Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970)
Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (color analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline)
Spanish Radio: Grupo Radio Acir (Mexico City) 88.9 FM
A Look at the Coaches
 
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin
Overall Regular-season Record: 28-17 (.622)/third season
Regular-season Record at Pittsburgh: 28-17 (.622)/third season
Playoff Record/Years: 3-1/two years
Green Bay Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy
Overall Regular-Season Record: 36-25 (.590)/fourth season
Regular-Season Record at Green Bay: 36-25 (.590)/fourth season
Playoff Record/Years: 1-1/one year
 
 
Series History  * Series History: Series began in 1933
Overall: Green Bay leads 21-13
At Pittsburgh: Green Bay leads 9-6
At Green Bay: Green Bay leads 12-7
Neutral Sites: n/a
Last Regular-Season Meeting: Nov. 6, 2005 (in Green Bay)
Pittsburgh 20, Green Bay 10
Postseason Series: n/a
Pittsburgh owns a 13-21 all-time record against the Green Bay Packers, including a 6-9 mark at home and a 7-12 record in Green Bay...Pittsburgh has won the previous two matchups between the two teams and six of the past eight overall...Pittsburgh has won three straight home games versus the Packers...Green Bay's last win at Pittsburgh came on Dec. 6, 1970, 20-12, at Three Rivers Stadium - the only time the Packers ever won there...Pittsburgh is 6-3 versus the Packers since the 1970 NFL merger after losing 11 of their first 18 games against the Packers prior to that point, including the first 12 games of the series...Pittsburgh is 3-1 against the Packers in odd-numbered years since 1970...the Steelers defeated the Packers, 20-10, at Lambeau Field on Nov. 6, 2005, in the most recent matchup between the two teams as S Troy Polamalureturned a fumble by Packers QB Brett Favre 77 yards for his second career touchdown...this is only Green Bay's eighth trip to Pittsburgh since 1963...in Green Bay's most recent trip to Pittsburgh, a 27-20 Steelers' victory on Nov. 9, 1998, the Steelers jumped out to a 27-0 advantage midway through the third quarter before Favre led the Packers to 20 unanswered points before TE Mark Bruener recovered an onside kick to preserve the Steelers' Monday Night victory.

Steelers-Packers Connections
Steelers-Packers Connections: Several Steelers have ties to Green Bay and the Packers. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeaucoached the defensive backs for the Packers from 1976-79. OG Kraig Urbikplayed at Wisconsin.

Packers with ties to the Steelers or Pittsburgh include head coach Mike McCarthy who grew up in the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers was the defensive coordinator for the Steelers from 1992-94. Quarterbacks coach Tom Clements was born in McKees Rocks and coached for the Steelers from 2001-03. Outside linebackers coach Kevin Greeneplayed for the Steelers from 1993-95 and also spent time in the 2008 training camp as a visiting coach for Pittsburgh. Tight ends coach Ben McAdooattended IUP and coached at Pitt in 2003. Defensive quality control coach Scott McCurleywas born in New Castle Pa.) and played (1998-2002) and coached (2003-05) at Pitt. Secondary coach Darren Perryplay at Penn State (1989-91) and was drafted by the Steelers in the 1992 NFL Draft. He played for Pittsburgh (1992-98) and coached the Steelers (2003-06). Offensive coordinator Joe Philbinplayed tight end at W&J. Special teams coordinator Shawn Slocumcoached at Pitt in 1990. Defensive line coach Mike Trgovacwas born in Youngstown, Ohio. FB John Kuhnsigned with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Shippensburg in 2005 and spent time on Pittsburgh's active roster and practice squad from 2005-2006. P Jeremy Kapinosplayed at Penn State.

What To Look For
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 PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES

• The Steelers look to improve to 14-21 all-time against the Green Bay Packers.
• Pittsburgh looks for its third straight win in the series.
• The Steelers look to improve to 7-9 at home in the series and look for their first victory at Heinz Field against the Packers (0-0).
• The Steelers look to improve to 89-55-1 all-time against teams from the NFC and look for their 16th win in the past 21 games against the NFC.
• The Steelers look for their 11th win in the past 12 games against teams currently in the NFC North, dating back to 1998.
• The Steelers look for their eighth straight victory at home against a team in the NFC North, dating back to 1995.
• The Steelers have the potential to post a 3,000-yard passer (Roethlisberger – 3,346), 1,000-yard rusher (Mendenhall – 940) and two 1,000-yard receivers (Holmes – 1,080, Ward – 943) in the same season. The only other time in team history this occurred was in 2001 (Kordell Stewart – 3,109 passing yards, Jerome Bettis – 1,072 rushing yards, Plaxico Burress – 1,008 receiving yards, Hines Ward – 1,003 receiving yards).
 
 
PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES

 LB James Harrison
• Needs two sacks to move into ninth place on the team's all-time sack list ahead of Ernie Holmes (40.0). Harrison currently has 38.5 career sacks, including a team-high 10 this season.
WR Hines Ward
• Needs one 100-yard receiving game to tie the team's all-time record held by Hall of Famer John Stallworth (25). Ward currently has 24 career 100-yard receiving games.
• Needs 57 receiving yards to give him 1,000 yards receiving on the year, marking the second straight year he would accomplish the feat. It would also give him his sixth career 1,000-yard receiving season, the most in team history.
 
QB Ben Roethlisberger
• Needs 168 passing yards to surpass his single-season career high. He currently has 3,346 passing yards in 2009 and his personal best is 3,513 yards passing in 2006.
• Needs one 300-yard passing game to break the team's single-season record. He currently has four 300-yard passing games this season, which is tied with Tommy Maddox (2003) and Neil O'Donnell (1995).
 
RB Rashard Mendenhall**
• Needs 60 rushing yards to post his first career 1,000-yard rushing season.