Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) at Baltimore Ravens (9-2)Date: Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012Kickoff: 4:25 p.m., ETSite: M&T Bank Stadium (71,008) • Baltimore, Md.Playing Surface: Shaw Sportexe Momentum TurfTV Coverage: CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2)Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play)*Phil Simms (analyst)Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970)Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline)National Radio: Dial Global Radio SportsAnnouncers: Tom McCarthy (play-by-play) Tony Boselli (analyst)Spanish Radio: Grupo Imagen - Destrito Federal (Mexico City) *XEDA-FM 90.5
THE COACHES
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike TomlinOverall regular-season record: 61-30 (.670)/sixth seasonRegular-season record at Pittsburgh: 61-30 (.670)/sixth seasonPlayoff Record/Years: 5-3/four yearsBaltimore Ravens Head Coach John HarbaughOverall regular-season record: 53-22 (.707)/fifth seasonRegular-season record at Baltimore: 53-22 (.707)/fifth seasonPlayoff Record/Years: 5-4/four years
History: Series began in 1996
Overall: Steelers lead 18-15
At Pittsburgh: Steelers lead 10-7
At Baltimore:Tied at 8-8
Neutral Sites: n/a
Last Regular-Season Meeting: Nov. 18, 2012 (in Pittsburgh)
Baltimore 13, Pittsburgh 10
Postseason Series: Pittsburgh leads 3-0
Last Postseason Meeting:Jan. 15, 2011 (in Pittsburgh)
Pittsburgh 31, Baltimore 24 (AFC Divisional Playoff)
(postseason record not included in overall series record)
This Sunday's game will be the second time in just 14 days that these two teams are meeting…aside from the opening game of the 2011 series, every game since 2009, including the AFC Divisional Playoff Game in 2010, has been decided by seven points or less...Baltimore's win at Heinz Field on Nov. 28 gave the Ravens a three-game winning streak, their longest since they won three straight from 2005 to 2006…the Steelers have never lost four games in a row to the Ravens since the series began in the mid-90's…Pittsburgh will be trying to break a recent trend of struggling in Baltimore, as they are 2-5 when facing the Ravens away from Heinz Field since 2005…Although the Ravens won the first game of the 2012 series installment, it does not guarantee a sweep, as the Ravens have won the opening game of the regular season series on six separate occasions prior to this season, but have only managed to win the second game twice.
STEELERS-RAVENS CONNECTIONSLOCAL CONNECTIONS• Ravens QB Joe Flaccoplayed for the University of Pittsburgh*from 2003-2004 before transferring to the University of Delaware.• Ravens Head CoachJohn Harbaugh coached tight ends for the University of Pittsburgh in 1987.• Ravens secondary coachTeryl Austin was born in Sharon, Pa., and played collegiately at the University of Pittsburgh from 1984-1987.• Ravens wide receivers coachJim Hostler was born in Pittsburgh and played collegiately for Indiana (Pa.) from 1986-1989. He coached at his alma mater from 1990-1992 and 1994-1999 and also at nearby Juniata (Pa.) in 1993.• RavensC/G Gino Gradkowski is a native of Pittsburgh and a *graduate of Seton-LaSalle High School.
PRO CONNECTIONS
• Steelers LB James Harrisonspent time on the Ravens' practice*squad early in his career before being added to the Steelers' active roster.• Steelers defensive backs coachCarnell Lake played for the Ravens in his final season in 2001.• Steelers Head CoachMike Tomlin was the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings in 2006 when RavensOT Bryant McKinnie andC Matt Birk played for the Vikings. Tomlin also spent time on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff and in 2001 he and Ravens' quarterbacks coachJim Caldwell were on the staff together in Tampa.• Steelers defensive assistantJerry Olsavsky played his final NFL season with the Ravens in 1998.• Steelers linebackers coachKeith Butler and Ravens special teams coordinator/asst. head coachJerry Rosburg were on the Cleveland Browns' coaching staff together from 2001-2002.
• Steelers offensive coordinatorTodd Haley and RavensWR Anquan Boldin both held the same roles with the Arizona Cardinals from 2007-2008. Also, SteelersLB Brandon Johnson and Boldin were teammates with the Cardinals from 2006-2007.• Steelers offensive line coachSean Kugler and Ravens running backs coachWilbert Montgomery both held the same positions on the Detroit Lions coaching staff in 2007.• SteelersWR Jerricho Cotchery and RavensSS James Ihedigbo were teammates with the New York Jets from 2008-2010.
• SteelersLB Brandon Johnson and RavensG Bobbie Williams were teammates with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2008-2011.COLLEGE CONNECTIONS*
• SteelersRB Jonathan Dwyer *and RavensRB Anthony Allen were teammates at Georgia Tech from 2008-2009.• SteelersLB James Harrison played for the Kent State Golden Flashes from 1999-2001 when Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees was the head coach of the Golden Flashes.• Steelers assistant head coach/defensive lineJohn Mitchell was the defensive line coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 1974-1976 when Ravens general manager and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome played for the Crimson Tide.• SteelersWR Mike Wallace and RavensOT Michael Oher were teammates at the University of Mississippi from 2005-2008.• SteelersC Maurkice Pouncey,OT Marcus Gilbert andRB Chris Rainey were teammates with RavensWR Deonte Thompson at the University of Florida from 2007-2009. Gilbert was teammates with Thompson through 2010 and Rainey and Thompson are both in their rookie seasons and played together for the Gators through 2011
• SteelersLB Larry Foote (1998-2001) andLB LaMarr Woodley (2003-2006) were both at the University of Michigan while Ravens offensive line coachAndy Moeller was with the Wolverines as a tight ends and offensive line coach from 2000-2007.• SteelersTE David Paulson and RavensTE Ed Dickson were teammates at the University of Oregon from 2007-2009.• SteelersCB Curtis Brown and RavensCB Chykie Brown (no relation) andK Justin Tucker were teammates at the University of Texas from 2008-10. Curtis and Chykie also played for the Longhorns in 2007.• SteelersS Ryan Mundy andFB Will Johnson were teammates at West Virginia University with RavensC/G Gino Gradkowski during the 2007 season. Johnson and Gradkowski were teammates with the Mountaineers in 2008 before Gradkowski transferred to Delaware University to finish out his collegiate career.• SteelersP Drew Butler and RavensLB Dannell Ellerbe andDE DeAngelo Tyson were all teammates at the University of Georgia in 2008. Butler and Ellerbe were also teammates in 2007 while Butler and Tyson are both rookies and played together for the *Bulldogs through 2011.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES• The Steelers are looking to improve to 19-15 against the Ravens during the regular season, including 9-8 on the road.
• Pittsburgh is hoping to hold its ninth opponent this season (seventh straight) to 20 points or less.
• Pittsburgh is looking to improve to 403-255-2 during the regular season since 1970.
• The Steelers defense is looking to keep its ninth opponent to under 100 net yards rushing this season.
• If Pittsburgh holds Baltimore to less than 170 net passing yards it will mark the seventh game in a row and the ninth time this season the Steelers did not allow their opponent to register at least 170 net passing yards.
• The Pittsburgh defense is looking to extend its regular-season streak of holding teams under 300 net passing yards to 35 games. The last time the Steelers allowed a team to record at least 300 net passing yards was on 11/14/10 vs. New England (350).
• Pittsburgh's defense will try and hold the opposing quarterback to a passer rating of 80.0 or less for the eighth straight game and the ninth time this season.
• The Steelers defense is looking to register at least one takeaway for the 10th game this season.
• Pittsburgh is looking to record its fourth individual 100-yard rushing performance of the season for the first time since Willie Parker (4) and Mewelde Moore (1) combined for five 100 yard rushing games in 2008.
PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Head Coach Mike Tomlin• If Pittsburgh wins, will improve to 62-30 during the regular season,*including 27-20 on the road.• Looking to improve to 24-10 against AFC North opponents during the regular season.• If the Steelers win, will improve to 17-8 in regular-season games in December/January. Pittsburgh has registered a regular-season record of 4-1 in each of the past two seasons in December/January.QB Ben Roethlisberger• If Roethlisberger registers at least 134 passing yards, he will become the 25th quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 29,000 yards and run for at least 1,000 yards during the regular season.• Looking to record a passer rating of 120.0 for the fourth time this season, which would tie for the second most times he has registered a passer rating of at least 120.0 in the same regular season (four in 2004 / five in 2009).• 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 Jonathan Dwyer• Looking to eclipse 100 yards rushing for the third time this season. It would mark the most 100-yard rushing games by a Steelers player during one regular season since Rashard Mendenhall registered *three 100 yard rushing games in 2010.
RB Rashard Mendenhall• Is one rushing touchdown shy of becoming the fifth player in*franchise history with 30 career rushing touchdowns.TE Heath Miller • Needs one receiving touchdown to pass Elbie Nickel (37) for the most receiving touchdowns by a Steelers' tight end. • Is two receiving touchdowns away from tying Louis Lipps (39) for the fifth most in franchise history.
• Is one receiving touchdown shy of tying his single-season career high of seven, set in 16 games in 2007.WR Mike Wallace• If he records at least 100 yards receiving, it will mark the 14th 100-yard game of his career.• With 3,778 receiving yards, Wallace needs 58 yards to pass Santonio Holmes (3,835 yards, 2006-09) for the 10th-most in franchise history. Wallace would also pass Holmes for the second most receiving yards by a Steelers receiver in their first 60 regular *season games played.
WR Emmanuel Sanders• Looking to record at least one reception in a career-best 18 consecutive*games played, including the 2011 regular and postseason.LB LaMarr Woodley• Needs 1.5 sacks to tie Greg Lloyd (53.5, 1988-97) for the fifth-most sacks by a Steelers' player since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.• Looking to tie his single-season career high (2010) with his second interception of the season.LB Jason Worilds• Looking to register his third multi-sack game of his career and the second in as many weeks.CB Ike Taylor • Looking to extend his consecutive games played streak to 135 *games.
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 tying 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.
