*STEELERS at RAVENS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2008 KICKOFF -- 4:15 P.M. *
Steelers (10-3) vs. Ravens (9-4)
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) at Baltimore Ravens (9-4)
Date: Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008
Kickoff: 4:15 p.m. (ET)
Site: M&T Bank Stadium (71,008) • Baltimore, Md.
Playing Surface: Sportexe Momentum
TV Coverage: CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2)
Announcers: Jim Nantz (play-by-play) Phil Simms (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)
**A Look at the Coaches
*Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin
Overall Regular-season Record: 20-9 (.690)/second season
Regular-season Record at Pittsburgh: 20-9 (.690)/second season
Playoff Record/Years: 0-1/one year
Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh
Overall Regular-Season Record: 9-4 (.692)/first season
Regular-Season Record at Baltimore: 9-4 (.692)/first season
Playoff Record/Years: n/a
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Series History
Series History: Series began in 1996
*Overall: Pittsburgh leads 15-10
At Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh leads 9-4
At Baltimore: Series tied 6-6
Neutral Sites: n/a
Last Regular-Season Meeting: Sept. 29, 2008 (in Pittsburgh) Pittsburgh 23, Baltimore 20 (OT)
Postseason Series: Pittsburgh leads 1-0
*(postseason record not included in overall series record)
Pittsburgh owns a 15-10 record all-time against the Baltimore Ravens in the regular season, including a 9-4 mark at home and a 6-6 record on the road...the Steelers have lost five straight at
Baltimore, including a 27-21 setback last year on Dec. 30...the Steelers defeated the Ravens at home earlier this year, 23-20, in overtime...the Steelers are looking to sweep the season series for the fourth time after also winning the home and away contests in 1997, 1998 and 2002...the Ravens swept the 2006 season series, marking the first time Pittsburgh had been swept in the series...the Steelers have won six of their past seven at home against the Ravens and are 7-2 all-time in the series at Heinz Field (opened in 2001)...Pittsburgh has won nine of the last 15 games overall in the series, including a 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff victory at Heinz Field (Jan. 20, 2002).
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**Steelers-Ravens Connections
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Steelers-Ravens Connections: Several Steelers have ties to the Ravens and the Baltimore area. Steelers with direct ties to the Ravens and Baltimore/Maryland include LB James Harrison, who signed with the Ravens after the 2003 NFL season and was allocated by Baltimore to the NFL Europe League in 2004.
Ravens with ties to the Steelers or Western Pa. include QB Joe Flacco, who started his collegiate career at Pitt before transferringto Delaware. Outside linebackers coach Mike Pettinecoached atPitt from 1993-94. Strength and conditioning coach Bob Roguckicoached at Penn State (1981), while assistant strength andconditioning coach John Dunnplayed at Penn State (1974-77)and later coached for the Nittany Lions (1978). Wide receiverscoach Jim Hostlerwas born in Pittsburgh and played (1986-89)and coached (1990-92, 94-99) at IUP.
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*What To Look For
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*PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES
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• The Steelers look to improve to 16-10 all-time against the Ravens and 7-6 on the road.
• The Steelers look for their first win in Baltimore since a 31-18 win during the 2002 season, which would snap five-game losing streak on the road in the series history.
• The Steelers are looking to clinch a playoff spot and the AFC North Division title with a win over the Ravens.
• The Steelers look to improve to 8-1 against AFC opponents this year.
• The Steelers look for their fifth straight win over an AFC North opponent and their 11th win in the last 12 versus such teams.
• The Steelers look to improve to 6-1 on the road this year.
• The Steelers need one victory to become the first AFC team to reach 550 total victories. Pittsburgh's all-time record is 549-519-21.
*PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES
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*Head Coach Mike Tomlin
• Looks to become the first coach in team history to win division titles in his first two seasons as head coach.
• Looks to break the team's record for highest winning percentage for a head coach in his first two seasons. Tomlin is currently 20-9
(.690) and former coach Bill Cowher was 20-12 (.625) in his first two seasons, which was the best mark in team history.
QB Ben Roethlisberger
• Needs one win to become the first NFL quarterback to win 50 games in his first five seasons.
• Needs 384 passing yards to become the first Steelers' quarterback with three straight 3,000-yard seasons. QB Terry Bradshaw had two consecutive such seasons in 1979-80.
• Needs two touchdown passes to become just the second quarterback in team history to throw 100 career touchdown passes (Terry Bradshaw - 212). Roethlisberger currently has 98 career touchdown passes.
• Needs one 300-yard passing game to move into sole possession of first place on the team's all-time list ahead of Tommy Maddox. Roethlisberger currently has six.
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*WR Hines Ward
• *Needs 76 yards from scrimmage to reach 10,000 total yards for his career. He currently has 9,924 total yards from scrimmage (9,494 receiving, 430 rushing).
• Needs 21 receptions for 800 in his career.
*RB Willie Parker
• *Needs one rushing touchdown to move into sole possession of eighth place for rushing touchdowns on the team's all-time list with Rocky Bleier. Parker currently has 23 rushing touchdowns.
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*K Jeff Reed
• Needs 15 points to surpass Roy Gerela for second place on the team's all-time scoring list. He currently has 717 career points while Gerela finished with 731 career points.
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*LB James Harrison
• Needs a half-sack to break the team's single-season sacks record he shares with Mike Merriweather. Harrison currently has 15 sacks in 2008 while Merriweather finished with 15 in 1984.
