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STEELERS vs. TITANS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2009 KICKOFF 8:30 P.M. HEINZ FIELD
POST-GAME NOTES
Pittsburgh Team Notes:
• Pittsburgh won its seventh straight season opener, the longest streak in the NFL. The last time the Steelers lost a season opener was in 2002.
• Pittsburgh is now 39-32-4 all-time on Kickoff Weekend and the 39 wins are the most in the AFC.
• The Steelers are 16-8 when opening at home since 1970, including a current six-game winning streak.
• Pittsburgh improved to 42-30 all-time against the Tennessee franchise, including a 25-11 mark at home.
• Pittsburgh is now 4-3 against the Titans since they relocated in 1997 and won their third straight game against Tennessee at Heinz Field.
• The Steelers are now 4-1 all-time in season openers against the Tennessee franchise.
• Pittsburgh improved to 10-1 in primetime regular-season games under Mike Tomlin.
• Pittsburgh is 6-4 all-time on Thursday nights and has won five straight such games. The Steelers are 4-1 at home on Thursday nights.
• The Steelers are now 20-14-2 all-time in overtime games, including a 10-2-1 mark at home.
• Tennessee had an opportunity to take a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter but K Rob Bironas missed a 37-yard field goal wide right.
• The Titans again had a chance for a field goal but DE Aaron Smithblocked a 31-yard field goal by Bironas with 2:14 left in the first half.
• Pittsburgh responded with a five-play, 79-yard drive that ended with QB Ben Roethlisbergerfinding WR Santonio Holmesfor a 34-yard touchdown connection and a 7-0 lead with less than two minutes to go in the second quarter.
• Tennessee quickly responded with a three-play, 71-yard drive as QB Kerry Collins hit WR Justin Gage for a 14-yard touchdown 34 seconds later to tie the game at 7-7 with under a minute to go in the first half.
• The Titans grabbed a 10-7 lead with 11:03 remaining in the game as Bironas hit a 45-yard field goal.
• Pittsburgh tied the game at 10-10 as K Jeff Reedbooted a 32-yard field goal with less than three minutes remaining in the game.
• The Steelers appeared to have a chance at winning the game with less than one minute remaining but WR Hines Wardwas stripped of the ball at the Titans' five-yard line.
• Pittsburgh won the coin toss in overtime and drove 63 yards on 10 plays as Reed connected on a game-winning 33-yard field goal at the 10:28 mark of overtime to give Pittsburgh the win. It marked Reed's eighth game-winning field goal in the regular season and his second in overtime.
• Pittsburgh finished with 357 yards of total offense, including 321 yards passing and 36 yards rushing. Tennessee tallied 320 yards of total offense (234 passing, 86 rushing).
• The Steelers had 19 first downs (18 passing, 1 rushing) to the Titans' 18.
• Both teams were troubled on third downs as Pittsburgh converted 29 percent (4 of 14) and Tennessee converted 31 percent (4 of 13).
• Pittsburgh led in time of possession, 36:11-28:21.
• The Steelers allowed four sacks while posting one of their own (LB James Farrior).
• Pittsburgh finished with two 100-yard receivers (Holmes - 131, Ward - 103) and one 300-yard passer (Roethlisberger - 363) for the first time since Dec. 18, 2004 against the New York Giants when Roethlisberger had 316 yards passing and Ward had 134 yards receiving and WR Antwaan Randle El had 149 yards receiving.
• The attendance of 65,110 is the largest regular-season mark in team history and the third-largest overall at Heinz Field. The previous regular-season record was 64,991 against the New York Giants on Oct. 26, 2008.
• QB Dennis Dixon, CB Keiwan Ratliff, CB Joe Burnett, OG Kraig Urbik, OT Tony Hills, WR Shaun McDonald, DE Nick Eason and LB Lawrence Timmonswere inactive for the Steelers.
Pittsburgh Individual Notes:
QB Ben Roethlisberger
• Finished 33-for-43 for 63 yards passing with one touchdown and two interceptions (89.6 passer rating).
• This marks his eighth career 300-yard passing game in the regular season, including his second straight against Tennessee.
• Posted his 18th career regular-season come-from-behind victory (in the fourth quarter and overtime).
• Improved to 16-5 in the regular season in games decided by six points or less.
• Improved to a perfect 4-0 in Thursday night contests in his career.
• Improved to 52-20 (.722) as a starter in the regular season.
• His 363 yards passing are the most for a Steeler in a season opener (since 1970), surpassing Terry Bradshaw's 319 passing yards against Kansas City on Sept. 6, 1981.
• Was 18-for-22 for 183 yards passing in the second half and overtime combined.
• Hit WR Santonio Holmes for a 34-yard touchdown late in the second quarter to give Pittsburgh a 7-0 lead.
• Became just the second QB in team history to reach 15,000 passing yards as he currently has 15,337 passing yards. He joins Hall of Fame QB Terry Bradshaw, who finished his career with a team-record 27,989 passing yards.
• Moved into second place on the team's all-time list for pass completions as he now has 1,222 for his career. He moved ahead of Kordell Stewart, who finished his career with 1,190 career pass completions.
RB Willie Parker
• Finished with 13 carries for 19 yards (1.5 avg.).
• Became just the third running back in team history to reach 5,000 career rushing yards with the team as he now has 5,008 rushing yards in his career. He joins Franco Harris (11,950 career rushing yards) and Jerome Bettis (10,571) on the team's all-time list.
WR Hines Ward
• Finished with eight catches for 103 yards (12.9 avg.), including a long of 30 yards.
• It marked his 21st career 100-yard receiving game in the regular season.
• Has now caught a pass in a team-record 163 consecutive games.
WR Stefan Logan
• Saw his first NFL action, serving as the Steelers punt and kick returner.
• Had a 39-yard kickoff return to open the game.
• Finished with four kickoff returns for 116 yards (29.0 avg.) and had one punt return for 11 yards.
WR Santonio Holmes
• Finished with a career-high nine receptions for 131 yards (14.6 avg.) with one touchdown.
• This marks his fifth career 100-yard receiving game in the regular season.
• Hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger late in the first half.
TE Heath Miller
• Finished with a career-high (tied) eight receptions for 64 yards (8.0 avg.), including a long of 14 yards.
LB James Farrior
• Posted a 10-yard sack in the second quarter, giving him 25 career sacks (19.5 with the Steelers).
• Finished with six tackles (three solo) with two QB hurries.
LB Keyaron Fox
• Started in place of the injured LB Lawrence Timmons. It is Fox's first start as a Steeler and the fifth start of his career (four with Kansas City).
• Recovered his first career fumble on the Titans' first drive of the second half.
• Finished with a team-high 10 tackles (five solo) with one fumble recovery.
LB James Harrison
• Forced a fumble on the Titans' first drive of the second half, his 14th career forced fumble.
• Finished with five tackles (four solo).
DE Brett Keisel
• Finished with seven tackles (five solo).
S Troy Polamalu
• Posted his first interception of the season with less than two minutes remaining in the first quarter. It was Polamalu's 18th career interception.
• Left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury but finished with six tackles (all solo) with two passes defensed.
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*P Daniel Sepulveda
• Returned to regular-season action for the first time since 2007.
• Had a 54-yard punt downed at the two-yard line following the first series of the game.
• Finished with seven punts for 299 yards (42.7 avg.), downing four punts inside the 20-yard line.
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*K Jeff Reed
• Finished a perfect 1-for-1 in PATs and 2-for-2 in FGs for seven points.
• Hit the game-winning 33-yard field goal at the 10:28 mark of the overtime. It marked his eighth career game-winning field goal in the regular season.
• Booted a 32-yard field goal with less than three minutes left in the game to tie the game at 10-10.
