Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010
Kickoff: 1 p.m., ET
Site: Raymond James Stadium (65,908) • Tampa, Fla.
Playing Surface: Natural Grass
TV Coverage: CBS-TV (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2)
Announcers: Gus Johnson (play-by-play) Steve Tasker (color analyst)
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 Imagen - Destrito Federal (Mexico City) XEDA-FM 90.5* *Steelers-Buccaneers complete game notes
A Look at the Coaches
* *
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin
Overall regular-season record: 33-17 (.660)/fourth season
Regular-season record at Pittsburgh: 33-17 (.660)/fourth season
Playoff Record/Years: 3-1/two years
* *
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Raheem Morris
Overall Regular-season Record: 5-13 (.278)/second season
Regular-season Record at Tampa Bay: 5-13 (.278)/second season
Playoff Record/Years: n/a
Series Notes
Overall: Pittsburgh leads 7-1
At Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh leads 3-0
At Tampa Bay: Pittsburgh leads 4-1
Neutral Sites: n/a
Last Meeting: Dec. 3, 2006 (in Pittsburgh)
Pittsburgh 20, Tampa Bay 3
Postseason Series: n/a
(postseason record not included in overall series record)
Pittsburgh owns a 7-1 record against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...the teams have not met during the Mike Tomlin era...the Steelers have won the last three meetings in the series...Pittsburgh came away with a 20-3 in the last matchup on Dec. 3, 2006 at Heinz Field...the Steelers won the last game between the teams in Tampa, a 17-7 victory on Dec. 23, 2002 (Monday Night Football)...the Steelers suffered their only loss in the series when the teams met on Dec. 6, 1998 at Raymond James Stadium (L, 16-3)...prior to the 1998 meeting, the teams had not met since the Steelers defeated the Buccaneers, 31-22, on Dec. 24, 1989, at Tampa Stadium.
* *
Steelers-Buccaneers ConnectionsSteelers-Buccaneers Connections: Several Steelers have ties to the Buccaneers and the Tampa area. Head Coach Mike Tomlinwas the defensive backs coach for Tampa Bay from 2001-05. Running backs coach Kirby Wilson coached for the Buccaneers from 2002-03. QB Byron Leftwich played in three games for Tampa Bay in 2009. CB Bryant McFadden(Hollywood, Fla.) and LB Lawrence Timmonsplayed collegiately at Florida State while OT Max Starks(Orlando) and C Maurkice Pouncey(Lakeland) played for the Florida Gators. CB William Gay(Tallahassee) and WR Antonio Brown(Miami) are also from Florida.
Buccaneers with ties to the Steelers or Western Pa. include OG Keydrick Vincent, who was originally signed by Pittsburgh as an*undrafted rookie free agent and played with the team from 2001- 04.TE John Gilmore played at Penn State. Defensive assistant Chris Mosley played at W&J (1999-2001) while quarterbacks coachAlex Van Pelt, who was born in Pittsburgh and played at *Pitt (1989-92), was drafted by the Steelers in 1993 (8th round).
What To Look For
* *
PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES
• Pittsburgh looks to begin the year 3-0 for the second time during the Mike Tomlinera (3-0 in 2007) and just third time since 1992.
• The Steelers look to improve to 8-1 all-time against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Pittsburgh looks to improve 5-1 on the road in the series history.
• Pittsburgh looks to improve to 2-0 against NFC foes this year.
• The Steelers look for their 22nd win in the last 26 games against NFC teams.
PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES
WR Hines Ward
• Needs one touchdown to move into a second-place tie with RB Jerome Bettis on the team's all-time touchdowns list. Ward currently has 79 career touchdowns (78 receiving, one rushing) while Bettis finished his Steelers' career with 80 touchdowns.
TE Heath Miller
• Needs 116 receiving yards to move into second place on the team's all-time list for tight ends. He currently has 2,764 career receiving yards, trailing only Bennie Cunningham (2,879) and Elbie Nickel (5,133).
* *
DE Aaron Smith
• Needs 2.5 sacks to move into seventh place on the team's all-time sack list ahead of Dwight White (46.0). Smith currently has 44.0 career sacks.
LB LaMarr Woodley
• Looks to extend his team record to 11 straight games with at least a half-sack. He has posted at least a half-sack in 10 straight games, dating back to the middle of the 2009 season. During that span, he has 13.5 sacks.
K Jeff Reed
• Needs four field goals to become just the second kicker in team history to have at least 200 career field goals. Reed currently has 196 career field goals and trails only Gary Anderson (309).
