Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3) vs. Washington Redskins (3-4)Date: Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012Kickoff: 1 p.m., ETSite: Heinz Field (65,500) • Pittsburgh, Pa.Playing Surface: Natural GrassTV Coverage: FOX (locally WPGH-TV, channel 53)Announcers: Sam Rosen (play-by-play)*Brian Billick (analyst) Laura Okmin (sideline)Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970)Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline)Spanish Radio: Grupo Imagen - Destrito Federal (Mexico City) *XEDA-FM 90.5
THE COACHES
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike TomlinOverall regular-season record: 58-28 (.674)/sixth seasonRegular-season record at Pittsburgh: 58-28 (.674)/sixth seasonPlayoff Record/Years: 5-3/four yearsWashington Redskins Head Coach Mike ShanahanOverall regular-season record: 160-123 (.565)/19th seasonRegular-season record at Washington: 14-25 (.359)/third seasonPlayoff Record/Years: 8-5/seven years
SERIES HISTORYSeries History: Series began in 1933Overall: Washington leads 43-32-4At Pittsburgh: Washington leads 22-19-1
At Washington:Washington leads 21-13-3Neutral Sites: n/aLast Regular-Season Meeting: Nov. 3, 2008(in Washington) Pittsburgh 23, Washington 6Postseason Series: n/aPittsburgh is looking to secure its fifth straight victory over*Washington and the fourth straight home win in the series...this season marks only the sixth time since 1991 that these two teams have met, with Pittsburgh holding a 4-1 mark in those contests…a victory will extend the Steelers' second-longest winning streak in the series (Pittsburgh won seven in a row between 1960 and 1964)…aside from the Steelers 14-13 nail-biting win over the 'Redskins in 1997, the margin of victory for either team in the last five matchups has been at least nine points…although Washington holds an 11-victory lead over Pittsburgh in the all-time series, the Redskins have only won three times in the nine matchups between these two franchises since 1973…the Steelers have combined to outscore the Redskins 63-16 in the *three times they have met since 2000 (all Steelers wins).
STEELERS-REDSKINS CONNECTIONSLOCAL CONNECTIONS• Steelers QB Byron Leftwichis a native of Washington, D.C., and*a graduate of H.D. Woodson High School.• Redskins defensive coordinatorJim Haslett was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., and attended Avalon High School. Haslett played his college football at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and then played eight seasons in the NFL. After his playing days, he served as the Steelers defensive coordinator from 1997-1999.• Redskins linebackers coachBob Slowik is a Pittsburgh native and a graduate of Baldwin High School.• Redskins special teams coordinatorDanny Smith is a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., and a graduate of Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School. Smith began his coaching career at Edinboro *(Edinboro, Pa.), the same place he played his collegiate football.
PRO CONNECTIONS
• Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlinand Redskins defensive back*coachRaheem Morris were both on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff from 2002-2005. Tomlin coached the defensive backs and Morris was the defensive assistant/assistant defensive backs coach. During those seasons, Steelers running backs coachKirby Wilson was the running backs coach for the Bucs from 2002-2003 and Redskins offensive coordinatorKyle Shanahan also spent time as an assistant in Tampa Bay from 2004-2005. Tomlin, Morris and Shanahan were all coaching for the Buccaneers in 2005 when Redskins wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard joined Tampa Bay as a wide receiver prior to the start of that season.• Steelers offensive coordinatorTodd Haley and RedskinsQB Rex Grossman were together in Chicago in 2003. Haley coached the Bears wide receivers and Grossman was Chicago's signal caller.• When Steelers defensive coordinatorDick LeBeau served in the same position for the Buffalo Bills in 2003, Redskins special teams coordinatorDanny Smith was in his final season as the special teams coach for the Bills.• Steelers running backs coachKirby Wilson held the same position for the Redskins for 2000 NFL season.• Steelers wide receivers coachScottie Montgomery played for the Denver Broncos from 2000-2002, when Redskins assistant head coach/running backs coachBobby Turner was the Broncos' running backs coach. In 2002, Montgomery's final season with Denver, Redskins defensive line coachJacob Burney joined the Broncos' staff as a defensive line coach.• SteelersS Ryan Clark played in the Redskins defensive backfield from 2004-2005 before joining the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2006 season. While playing for the New York Giants, Clark was a teammate of Redskins wide receivers coachIke Hilliard from 2002-2003.• SteelersK Shaun Suisham handled the kicking duties for the Redskins for the entire 2007 and 2008 seasons. He kicked for Washington for the first 12 games of 2009 campaign before eventually finishing that season with Dallas. While in Washington, Suisham was teammates with current RedskinsOL Will Montgomery for the 2008 season and part of 2009. Suisham spent parts of 2005, 2006 and 2009 with the Cowboys. During his latter two stints, he was teammates with current RedskinsDL Stephen Bowen.• SteelersQB Byron Leftwich and RedskinsCB DeAngelo Hall were teammates with the Atlanta Falcons from 2004-2007.• SteelersLB Brandon Johnson and RedskinsCB David Jones were teammates with the Cincinnati Bengals for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.• SteelersWR Jerricho Cotchery and RedskinsOL Will Montgomery were teammates with the New York Jets from 2007- 2008. Cotchery also played in New York with RedskinsWR Santana Moss during the 2004 season, Moss' last with the Jets and Cotchery's rookie campaign.COLLEGE CONNECTIONS*
• Steelers wide receivers coachScottie Montgomery *and Redskins offensive coordinatorKyle Shanahan and coaching assistantRichmond Flowers all played wide receiver at Duke University from 1998 to 1999. Montgomery and Flowers were also Blue Devils teammates during the 1996 campaign. • Steelers defensive backs coachCarnell Lake held the same position at the UCLA in 2009 when RedskinsTE Logan Paulsen was a senior for the Bruins.• SteelersT Max Starks and RedskinsQB Rex Grossman played together at the University of Florida from 2000-02. • SteelersT Marcus Gilbert and RedskinsG Maurice Hurt were teammates at the University of Florida from 2006-10. Hurt also played for the Gators with SteelersC Maurkice Pouncey from 2007-09 and SteelersRB Chris Rainey from 2007-10.• SteelersLB Jason Worilds and RedskinsWR Joshua Morgan played together at Virginia Tech University in 2006-07. • SteelersCB DeMarcus Van Dyke and RedskinsWR Leonard Hankerson *played together at the University of Miami from 2007-10.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES• With a win the Steelers will register their 400th regular-season win since 1970, becoming the first franchise to register 400 regular-season wins since the AFL-NFL merger. The next closest team to the 400-win milestone is the Miami Dolphins with 388 wins.
• Including the postseason, the Steelers are looking to improve to 101-60-1 all-time against the NFC, including 60-19-1 at home.
• The Steelers are hoping to record their ninth consecutive victory over NFC teams at home.
• If Pittsburgh wins, they would improve to 236-89-1 at home, including 68-22-1 at Heinz Field.
• The Steelers are looking to register their 10th win in the last 11 home games.
• Pittsburgh's offense is looking to record over 400 total net yards for the fourth time in the last five games.
• The Steelers defense is looking to keep its sixth opponent in the last seven games to under 100 yards rushing.
PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Head Coach Mike Tomlin• With a win, will improve to 59-28 during the regular season.• Looking to improve to 11-1 at Heinz Field and 16-6 overall against*NFC teams.• With a win, would improve to 16-6 during the month of October, including 3-1 this season.QB Ben Roethlisberger• Looking to improve to 23-7 against NFC teams during the regular season.• If the Steelers win, Roethlisberger will be 47-13 at Heinz Field as the starting quarterback.• Is looking to throw for at least 360 yards for the third time this season, which would tie 2011 (3) for the second most times he has thrown for at least 360 yards in one season (2009, 4).RB Rashard Mendenhall• Is one rushing touchdown shy of becoming the fifth player in franchise history with 30 career rushing touchdowns.RB Jonathan Dwyer • After rushing for a career-high 122 yards in a win at Cincinnati last week, Dwyer is looking to become the first Steelers' running back since Willie Parker in 2008 (9/7 - 9/14) to record at least 100 yards rushing in back-to-back weeks.TE Heath Miller• Needs one receiving touchdown to tie Elbie Nickel (37) for the most receiving touchdowns by a Steelers' tight end.• Is 11 yards away from passing WR Plaxico Burress (4,164) for the seventh-most receiving yards in franchise history.WR Mike Wallace• If he records at least 100 yards receiving, it will mark the 14th 100-yard game of his career.S Troy Polamalu• Needs one interception to become the ninth Steelers' player to record 30 career interceptions.• With one fumble return for a touchdown, will tie Jason Gildon (3) for the most fumbles returned for touchdowns in franchise history. • Is one defensive touchdown shy of tieing Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff and Jack Butler (5) for the second-most defensive touchdowns in Steelers history (Rod Woodson, 6).• Needs one interception return for a touchdown to tie Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff, Deshea Townsend and Tony Campagno (3) for the fourth-most in franchise history.LB James Harrison• Needs one sack to tie Joey Porter (60.0) for second place on the Steelers' sacks list, dating back to 1982 when sacks became an official statistic.LB LaMarr Woodley • Looking to tie his single-season career high (2010) with his second interception of the season.LB Jason Worilds • Needs one sack to pass his single-season career high of three, set in 12 games last season• Needs one interception return for a touchdown to tie Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff, Deshea Townsend and Tony Campagno (3) for the fourth-most in franchise history.LB James Harrison• Needs one sack to tie Joey Porter (60.0) for second place on the Steelers' sacks list, dating back to 1982 when sacks became an official statistic.LB LaMarr Woodley• Looking to tie his single-season career high (2010) with his second interception of the season.LB Jason Worilds• Needs one sack to pass his single-season career high of three, *set in 12 games last season.
