2011 Pittsburgh Steelers season
Encyclopedia
The 2011
Pittsburgh Steelers
season will be the team's 79th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League
(NFL). It is expected to be the twelfth season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert
and the fifth under head coach Mike Tomlin
. The Steelers will attempt to return to the Super Bowl
and defend their AFC championship from 2010
, when they finished 12–4 and won the AFC North
division. The Steelers will play all of their home games at Heinz Field
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
COLOR KEY & NOTES:
caught a touchdown in the back of the end zone from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Ravens responded by scoring again, this time on an 11 yard pass from Flacco to Rice. At halftime the Ravens led 21-7, just like in the 2010 playoffs. But unlike that game, the Ravens did not let up their dominance in the second half. On Pittsburgh's first play from scrimmage in the second quarter, Ravens defensive lineman Haloti Ngata
stripped Roethlisberger of the football and recovered it at the Steelers 18 yard line. The Ravens scored yet again when tight end Ed Dickson
caught an 18 yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco. A two point conversion by punter/holder Sam Koch
put the Ravens on top 29-7. The Ravens never looked back, and put up two more Billy Cundiff
field goals to close out the game 35-7. The Steelers finished with 7 turnovers in the game. The loss marked the Steelers first opening day loss in 8 years, and left Pittsburgh at the bottom of the division with an 0-1 record.
in a Week 2 intraconference duel. Pittsburgh delivered the game's first punch in the opening quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Rashard Mendenhall
. The Steelers added onto their lead in the second quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Isaac Redman
, followed by a 20-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
. Pittsburgh's offense made one last score in the third quarter with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
finding wide receiver Mike Wallace
on a 2-yard touchdown pass. From there, the defense prevented any scoring attempt from Seattle's offense.
With the shutout win, the Steelers improved to 1-1.
for a Week 3 intraconference duel with the Indianapolis Colts
on Sunday night. Pittsburgh threw the opening punch in the first quarter with a 48-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
, followed by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
finding wide receiver Mike Wallace
on an 81-yard touchdown pass. The Colts answered in the second quarter with kicker Adam Vinatieri
getting a 21-yard field goal, followed by defensive end Jamaal Anderson
returning a fumble 47 yards for a touchdown, along with Vinatieri's 25-yard field goal. After a scoreless third quarter, the Steelers regained the lead in the fourth quarter with a 44-yard field goal from Suisham, followed by safety Troy Polamalu
returning a fumble 16 yards for a touchdown. However, Indianapolis replied with running back Joseph Addai
getting a 6-yard touchdown run. Afterwards, Pittsburgh prevailed with Suisham's 38-yard field goal.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 2-1.
for a Week 4 intraconference duel with the Houston Texans
. Pittsburgh trailed in the first quarter with Texans quarterback Matt Schaub
completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Owen Daniels
. Houston would add onto their lead in the second quarter with kicker Neil Rackers
getting a 25-yard field goal.
The Steelers would answer in the third quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run from running back Rashard Mendenhall
. Pittsburgh would tie the game in the fourth quarter with a 26-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
, but the Texans got the last laugh as running back Arian Foster
got a 42-yard touchdown run.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 2-2.
. Pittsburgh trailed early in the first quarter as Titans kicker Rob Bironas
got a 29-yard field goal, yet the Steelers answered with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
finding tight end Heath Miller
on an 8-yard touchdown pass. Pittsburgh would add onto their lead in the second quarter with Roethlisberger hooking up with wide receiver Hines Ward
and fullback David Johnson
on a 7-yard and a 1-yard touchdown pass.
The Steelers continued their dominating day in the third quarter with Roethlisberger connecting with Ward again on a 5-yard touchdown pass. Tennessee responded with running back Chris Johnson
getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Afterwards, the Steelers would pull away in the fourth quarter with a 19-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
. The Titans tried to rally with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck
completing a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Damian Williams (wide receiver)|Damian Williams, yet Pittsburgh closed out the game with Roethlisberger fiding wide receiver Mike Wallace
on a 40-yard touchdown pass.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 3-2.
. Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter with an 8-yard touchdown run from running back Rashard Mendenhall
. The Steelers would add onto their lead in the second quarter with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
finding wide receiver Mike Wallace
on a 28-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 21-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
. The Jaguars would close out the half with kicker Josh Scobee
making a 46-yard field goal.
Jacksonville crept closer in the third quarter with quarterback Blaine Gabbert
completing an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jason Hill
. The Jaguars tried to rally in the fourth quarter with Scobee getting a 45-yard field goal, yet Pittsburgh's defense held on to preserve the victory.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 4-2.
for a Week 7 interconference duel with the Arizona Cardinals
, in a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII
. Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
found tight end Heath Miller
on a 12-yard touchdown pass. The Steelers would add onto their lead in the second quarter with Roethlisberger hooking up with wide receiver Mike Wallace
on a 95-yard touchdown pass. The Cardinals would answer with running back Alfonso Smith
getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Pittsburgh would close out the half with a 41-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
.
Arizona began the third quarter with quarterback Kevin Kolb
completing a 73-yard touchdown pass to running back LaRod Stephens-Howling
, yet the Steelers responded with Roethlisberger connecting to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders
on a 4-yard touchdown pass, along with Kolb getting called for intentional grounding in his endzone, resulting in a safety. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers continued to pull away with a 33-yard and a 39-yard field goal from Suisham. The Cardinals tried to rally with Kolb completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Early Doucet
(with a failed two-point conversion), yet Pittsburgh held on to preserve the victory.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 5-2.
. Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
found running back Mewelde Moore
on a 5-yard touchdown pass. The Steelers would add onto their lead in the second quarter with a 33-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
. The Patriots answered with quarterback Tom Brady
completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deion Branch
, yet Pittsburgh struck back with Roethlisberger connecting with wide receiver Antonio Brown on a 7-yard touchdown pass. New England would close out the half with kicker Stephen Gostkowski
got a 46-yard field goal.
The Steelers began the third quarter with a 21-yard field goal from Suisham, followed by his 23-yard field goal in the fourth. The Patriots tried to rally as Brady completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez
, yet Pittsburgh's defense held with safety Troy Polamalu
forcing a New England fumble out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 6-2.
. The Ravens scored first with an 18-yard field goal by kicker Billy Cundiff
, the only points scored in the first quarter by either team. Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham
answered with a 36-yard field goal early in the second quarter, and a 30-yard field goal near the end, but both of these were quickly matched by Baltimore's Cundiff with a 43-yard and 51-yard field goal, respectively, giving Baltimore a 9-6 lead at halftime. The Ravens then increased their lead in the third quarter when Ray Rice
scored the first touchdown of the game on a 4-yard run. The Steelers rallied hard in the fourth quarter, with running back Rashard Mendenhall
making a 1-yard run to score a touchdown, and then taking the lead for the first time in the game when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
made a successful 25-yard pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace
in the endzone for a second touchdown. On their final drive of the game, the Steelers were ready to potentially increase their lead with a 47-yard field goal kick by Shaun Suisham, but a 5-yard delay of game penalty put them out of field goal range and they were instead forced to punt the ball to the Ravens. The Ravens then began a 92-yard drive, culminating in a 26-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Joe Flacco
to wide receiver Torrey Smith
in the endzone with just 8 seconds remaining, giving them the game.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 6-3.
for a Week 10 AFC North duel with the Cincinnati Bengals
. Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
finding wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery
on a 16-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 2-yard touchdown run from running back Rashard Mendenhall
. The Bengals would answer with quarterback Andy Dalton
completing a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver A.J. Green
. Cincinnati struck again the second quarter with kicker Mike Nugent
getting a 43-yard field goal, yet the Steelers responded with a 39-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
.
The Bengals would tie the game in the third quarter with Dalton completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jermaine Gresham
, yet Pittsburgh came right back with a 9-yard touchdown run from Mendenhall. Afterwards, the defense would prevent any comeback attempt from Cincinnati.
With the win, the Steelers went into their bye week at 7-3.
for a Week 12 Sunday night showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs
. Pittsburgh trailed early in the first quarter when Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop
kicked a 41-yard field goal. Pittsburgh would answer in the second quarter with a 21-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
following a Chiefs goal-line stand. The Steelers struck again when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
threw a 2 yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Weslye Saunders
. Succop and Shuisham each made 49 yard field goals before the end of the half to make it 13-6. The third quarter was scoreless, but in the 4th quarter Kansas City pulled closer when Succop booted a 40-yarder. This pulled the Chiefs to within 13-9. However, Pittsburgh's defense held on to preserve the victory as cornerback Keenan Lewis
sealed the deal with an interception late in the 4th quarter with 29 seconds remaining.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 8-3.
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
season will be the team's 79th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL). It is expected to be the twelfth season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert
Kevin Colbert
Kevin Colbert is the general manager of the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers since the start of 2000. He is widely credited with putting together the World Championship Super Bowl XL team in Pittsburgh along with owner Dan Rooney and coach Bill Cowher...
and the fifth under head coach Mike Tomlin
Mike Tomlin
Michael Tomlin is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Tomlin is the third youngest head coach in any of the four major North American professional sports. He is the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history, and first in Steelers history...
. The Steelers will attempt to return to the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
and defend their AFC championship from 2010
2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 78th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League and the eleventh season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the fourth under head coach Mike Tomlin...
, when they finished 12–4 and won the AFC North
AFC North
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions...
division. The Steelers will play all of their home games at Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
2011 NFL Draft
| Draft order | Player name | Position | Height | Weight | College | Contract | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Choice | Overall | |||||||
| 1 | 31 | 31 | Cameron Heyward Cameron Heyward -Pittsburgh Steelers:Heyward was drafted in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.On July 29, 2011, Heyward signed a four-year deal with an option of a fifth year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers... |
DE Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years... |
6'4" | 294 lbs. | Ohio State | ||
| 2 | 31 | 63 | Marcus Gilbert Marcus Gilbert Marcus Gilbert is a British actor, known for his roles in Jilly Cooper's Riders and Army of Darkness .... |
OT | 6'6" | 330 lbs. | Florida Florida Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it... |
Is currently starting at Right Tackle. | |
| 3 | 31 | 95 | Curtis Brown Curtis Brown (cornerback) Curtis Brown is an American football cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played collegiately at the University of Texas.-High School and Collegiate career:... |
CB Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position... |
6'0" | 184 lbs. | Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
||
| 4 | 31 | 128 | Cortez Allen Cortez Allen Cortez Allen is an American football cornerback with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played college football at The Citadel.-College and high school career:... |
CB Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position... |
6'1" | 197 lbs. | The Citadel | ||
| 5 | 31 | 162 | Chris Carter Chris Carter (linebacker) Chris Carter is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State.... |
LB Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... |
6'1" | 248 lbs. | Fresno State University | ||
| 6 | 31 | 196 | Keith Williams Keith Williams (offensive lineman) Keith Williams is an American football offensive guard for the Buffalo Bills of the NFL. He was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.-Early years:... |
OG | 6'5" | 310 lbs. | University of Nebraska | Was released by the Steelers on September 2, 2011. | |
| 7 | 29 | 232 | Baron Batch Baron Batch Baron Batch is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played college football at Texas Tech University . Batch is from Midland, Texas.-College career:... |
RB Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
5'11" | 205 lbs. | Texas Tech University Texas Tech University Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the... |
Was placed on Injured Reserve (Foot). | |
Schedule
The Steelers' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011.| Week | | Date | | Kickoff (EDT North American Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... ) | | Opponent | | Results | | Game site | | TV | | NFL.com recap |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | August 12 | 7:30 p.m. | at Washington Redskins 2011 Washington Redskins season The 2011 Washington Redskins season will be the 79th season for the team in the National Football League and their 74th representing the District of Columbia . Their home games will be played at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland for the 15th consecutive year. Washington will play in the Eastern... |
L 7–16 | 0–1 | FedEx Field | KDKA KDKA-TV KDKA-TV, channel 2, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. KDKA-TV broadcasts from a transmitter located in the Perry North neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and its studios are located in downtown Pittsburgh at Gateway Center.... |
Recap |
| 2 | August 18 | 8:00 p.m. | Philadelphia Eagles 2011 Philadelphia Eagles season The 2011 Philadelphia Eagles season will be the 79th season for the team in the National Football League . The Eagles will play all of their home games at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Personnel changes:... |
W 24–14 | 1–1 | Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively... |
Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... |
Recap |
| 3 | August 27 | 7:30 p.m. | Atlanta Falcons 2011 Atlanta Falcons season The 2011 Atlanta Falcons season will be the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League and the fourth under head coach Mike Smith. After a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Falcons will attempt to defend its NFC South division... |
W 34–16 | 2–1 | Heinz Field | KDKA | Recap |
| 4 | September 1 | 8:00 p.m. | at Carolina Panthers 2011 Carolina Panthers season The 2011 Carolina Panthers season will be the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the first season for Ron Rivera as the head coach. In Week 16 of the 2010 season, the team clinched the NFL's worst record of the year and was given the #1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, with... |
W 33–17 | 3–1 | Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East... |
KDKA | Recap |
Schedule
| Week | | Date | | Kickoff (ET North American Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... ) | | Opponent | | Results | | Game site | | TV | | NFL.com recap |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | September 11 | 1:00 p.m. | at Baltimore Ravens 2011 Baltimore Ravens season The 2011 Baltimore Ravens season will be the 16th in the National Football League and city of Baltimore, Maryland, and the 14th to host home games at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens will seek to act upon their 12–4 record from 2010 and win the American Football Conference's North division title for... |
L 7–35 | 0–1 | M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Recap |
| 2 | September 18 | 1:00 p.m. | Seattle Seahawks 2011 Seattle Seahawks season The 2011 Seattle Seahawks season is the franchise's 36th season in the National Football League, the 10th playing their home games at CenturyLink Field and the second under head coach Pete Carroll... |
W 24–0 | 1–1 | Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively... |
Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... |
Recap |
| 3 | September 25 | 8:20 p.m. | at Indianapolis Colts 2011 Indianapolis Colts season The 2011 Indianapolis Colts season is the franchise's 59th season in the National Football League, the 28th in Indianapolis and the third under head coach Jim Caldwell. The Colts are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010 and a second consecutive AFC South championship, as well as a ninth consecutive... |
W 23–20 | 2–1 | Lucas Oil Stadium Lucas Oil Stadium Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to... |
NBC NBC Sunday Night Football NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color... |
Recap |
| 4 | October 2 | 1:00 p.m. | at Houston Texans 2011 Houston Texans season The 2011 Houston Texans season will be the team's 10th season in the National Football League . The Texans have improved on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to earn the franchise's first playoff berth... |
L 10–17 | 2–2 | Reliant Stadium Reliant Stadium Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface.... |
CBS | Recap |
| 5 | October 9 | 1:00 p.m. | Tennessee Titans 2011 Tennessee Titans season The 2011 Tennessee Titans season will be the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League , the 52nd overall and the 15th in the state of Tennessee. It will also mark the first season under new head coach Mike Munchak, replacing longtime head coach Jeff Fisher, who resigned on January 27... |
W 38–17 | 3–2 | Heinz Field | CBS | Recap |
| 6 | October 16 | 1:00 p.m. | Jacksonville Jaguars 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars season The 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars season is the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the 9th under head coach Jack Del Rio, who was fired on November 29 and replaced on an interim basis by defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. The team had hoped to improve on their 8–8 record from... |
W 17–13 | 4–2 | Heinz Field | CBS | Recap |
| 7 | October 23 | 4:05 p.m. | at Arizona Cardinals 2011 Arizona Cardinals season The 2011 Arizona Cardinals season will be the franchise's 92nd season in the National Football League and the 24th season in Arizona. For Ken Whisenhunt, this will be his fifth season as the head coach of the Cardinals; he has compiled an overall record of 32–32 in the regular season and 4–2 in... |
W 32–20 | 5–2 | University of Phoenix Stadium University of Phoenix Stadium University of Phoenix Stadium, opened August 1, 2006, is a multipurpose football stadium located in Glendale, Arizona. It is the home of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League and the annual Fiesta Bowl... |
CBS | Recap |
| 8 | October 30 | 4:15 p.m. | New England Patriots 2011 New England Patriots season The 2011 New England Patriots season is the 42nd season for the team in the National Football League and 52nd season overall.The Patriots dedicated their 2011 season to the memory of Myra Kraft, the wife of owner Robert Kraft, who died on July 20, 2011 after a long fight against cancer... |
W 25–17 | 6–2 | Heinz Field | CBS | Recap |
| 9 | November 6 | 8:20 p.m. | Baltimore Ravens | L 20–23 | 6–3 | Heinz Field | NBC | Recap |
| 10 | November 13 | 1:00 p.m. | at Cincinnati Bengals 2011 Cincinnati Bengals season The 2011 Cincinnati Bengals season will be the team's 44th season as a professional sports franchise and its 42nd season as a member of the National Football League . The team has improved on its 2010 season, where it finished with a record of 4–12 and placed fourth in the AFC North. This marks... |
W 24–17 | 7–3 | Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and... |
CBS | Recap |
| 11 | Bye Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing... |
|||||||
| 12 | November 27 | 8:20 p.m. | at Kansas City Chiefs 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season The 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 52nd overall and the third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Todd Haley and Scott Pioli. The Chiefs are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010, in which the team won its first AFC West... |
W 13–9 | 8–3 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
NBC | Recap |
| 13 | December 4 | 1:00 p.m. | Cincinnati Bengals | Heinz Field | CBS | |||
| 14 | December 8 | 8:20 p.m. | Cleveland Browns 2011 Cleveland Browns season The 2011 Cleveland Browns season will be the team's 65th season as a professional sports franchise and its 61st season as a member of the National Football League . The team will attempt to improve on its 2010 season, where it finished with a record of 5–11 and placed third in the AFC North... |
Heinz Field | NFLN NFL Network NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation... |
|||
| 15 | December 19 | 8:30 p.m. | at San Francisco 49ers 2011 San Francisco 49ers season The 2011 San Francisco 49ers season is the franchise's 66th season overall, and 62nd in the National Football League . It is the first season under head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke... |
Candlestick Park | ESPN Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
|||
| 16 | December 24 | 1:00 p.m. | St. Louis Rams 2011 St. Louis Rams season The 2011 St. Louis Rams season will be the team's 74th season in the National Football League, the 17th overall in St. Louis and the third under head coach Steve Spagnuolo. The Rams are coming off a 2010 season, in which they compiled more victories than in the previous 3 years combined... |
Heinz Field | Fox | |||
| 17 | January 1 | 1:00 p.m. * | at Cleveland Browns | Cleveland Browns Stadium Cleveland Browns Stadium -See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity... |
CBS | |||
COLOR KEY & NOTES:
- Bold indicates division games.
- Yellow indicates that the game time is subject to change as a result of flexible scheduling.
Week 1: at Baltimore Ravens
The Steelers opened up their regular season on the road against their old AFC North division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens scored quickly on their first drive, when only three plays into the game, Baltimore wide receiver Anquan Boldin caught a 27 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Flacco. The Ravens scored again on the ensuing drive when running back Ray Rice ran in a 1 yard touchdown, putting Baltimore on top 14-0 early in the first quarter. The Steelers battled back on the next drive, driving down to the Ravens 11 yard line. Pittsburgh scored on a third-and-goal play when wide receiver Emmanuel SandersEmmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
caught a touchdown in the back of the end zone from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Ravens responded by scoring again, this time on an 11 yard pass from Flacco to Rice. At halftime the Ravens led 21-7, just like in the 2010 playoffs. But unlike that game, the Ravens did not let up their dominance in the second half. On Pittsburgh's first play from scrimmage in the second quarter, Ravens defensive lineman Haloti Ngata
Haloti Ngata
-Baltimore Ravens:Ngata decided to leave Oregon a year early because his mother, 'Ofa, was in the early stages of kidney dialysis. She died from her illness on January 13, 2006....
stripped Roethlisberger of the football and recovered it at the Steelers 18 yard line. The Ravens scored yet again when tight end Ed Dickson
Ed Dickson
Edward James Dickson is an American football tight end for the Baltimore Ravens football team. He attended Bellflower High School.-Early years:...
caught an 18 yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco. A two point conversion by punter/holder Sam Koch
Sam Koch
Sam David Koch [pronounced Cook] is an American football punter for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
put the Ravens on top 29-7. The Ravens never looked back, and put up two more Billy Cundiff
Billy Cundiff
William A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
field goals to close out the game 35-7. The Steelers finished with 7 turnovers in the game. The loss marked the Steelers first opening day loss in 8 years, and left Pittsburgh at the bottom of the division with an 0-1 record.
Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Hoping to rebound from their Week 1 divisional loss to the Ravens, the Steelers played their home-opener against the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in a Week 2 intraconference duel. Pittsburgh delivered the game's first punch in the opening quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
. The Steelers added onto their lead in the second quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Isaac Redman
Isaac Redman
Isaac Redman is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland.-Early years:Redman played high school football...
, followed by a 20-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
. Pittsburgh's offense made one last score in the third quarter with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
finding wide receiver Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (American football)
-Pittsburgh Steelers:Wallace was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft with the 84th overall selection. Wallace was the 11th wide receiver chosen in the draft. On June 18, 2009, Wallace signed a three year contract with the Steelers worth $1.740 million which...
on a 2-yard touchdown pass. From there, the defense prevented any scoring attempt from Seattle's offense.
With the shutout win, the Steelers improved to 1-1.
Week 3: at Indianapolis Colts
Coming off their shutout home win over the Seahawks, the Steelers flew to Lucas Oil StadiumLucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to...
for a Week 3 intraconference duel with the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on Sunday night. Pittsburgh threw the opening punch in the first quarter with a 48-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
, followed by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
finding wide receiver Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (American football)
-Pittsburgh Steelers:Wallace was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft with the 84th overall selection. Wallace was the 11th wide receiver chosen in the draft. On June 18, 2009, Wallace signed a three year contract with the Steelers worth $1.740 million which...
on an 81-yard touchdown pass. The Colts answered in the second quarter with kicker Adam Vinatieri
Adam Vinatieri
Adam Matthew Vinatieri is an American football placekicker currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. He has played in six Super Bowls, four with the New England Patriots and two with the Colts, winning four. Vinatieri won a Super Bowl in 2006 with Indianapolis and won Super Bowls in 2001,...
getting a 21-yard field goal, followed by defensive end Jamaal Anderson
Jamaal Anderson
Jamaal Anderson is an American football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons eighth overall in the 2007 NFL Draft...
returning a fumble 47 yards for a touchdown, along with Vinatieri's 25-yard field goal. After a scoreless third quarter, the Steelers regained the lead in the fourth quarter with a 44-yard field goal from Suisham, followed by safety Troy Polamalu
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated...
returning a fumble 16 yards for a touchdown. However, Indianapolis replied with running back Joseph Addai
Joseph Addai
Joseph Addai, Jr. is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was selected in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University.-Early years:Addai's family hails from Ghana in West Africa...
getting a 6-yard touchdown run. Afterwards, Pittsburgh prevailed with Suisham's 38-yard field goal.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 2-1.
Week 4: at Houston Texans
Coming off their Sunday night win over the Colts, the Steelers flew to Reliant StadiumReliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface....
for a Week 4 intraconference duel with the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Pittsburgh trailed in the first quarter with Texans quarterback Matt Schaub
Matt Schaub
Matthew Rutledge Schaub is the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.-College career:...
completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Owen Daniels
Owen Daniels
Owen Daniels is an American football tight end and emergency backup quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League...
. Houston would add onto their lead in the second quarter with kicker Neil Rackers
Neil Rackers
Neil William Rackers is an American football placekicker for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
getting a 25-yard field goal.
The Steelers would answer in the third quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run from running back Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
. Pittsburgh would tie the game in the fourth quarter with a 26-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
, but the Texans got the last laugh as running back Arian Foster
Arian Foster
Arian Foster , is an American football running back for the Houston Texans. He was signed by the Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and was added to their active roster from the practice squad on November 17, 2009. He played college football at Tennessee...
got a 42-yard touchdown run.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 2-2.
Week 5: vs. Tennessee Titans
Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Texans, the Steelers went home for a Week 5 intraconference duel with the Tennessee TitansTennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. Pittsburgh trailed early in the first quarter as Titans kicker Rob Bironas
Rob Bironas
James Robert Douglas "Rob" Bironas is an American football placekicker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Auburn University and Georgia Southern.Bironas was an All-Pro...
got a 29-yard field goal, yet the Steelers answered with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
finding tight end Heath Miller
Heath Miller
Earl Heath Miller, Jr. is an American football tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. He was selected as the 30th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Virginia.-Early years:...
on an 8-yard touchdown pass. Pittsburgh would add onto their lead in the second quarter with Roethlisberger hooking up with wide receiver Hines Ward
Hines Ward
Hines E. Ward, Jr. is an American football player who currently plays the wide receiver position for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, where he is the longest-tenured current player on the team. He was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL. He played college football at the University of Georgia...
and fullback David Johnson
David Johnson (American football)
David Johnson is an American former college football quarterback. He played for the Golden Hurricane at the University of Tulsa, where he was the starting quarterback for the 2008 season, after several years as a backup. Johnson finished his senior season as the second-most efficient passer in the...
on a 7-yard and a 1-yard touchdown pass.
The Steelers continued their dominating day in the third quarter with Roethlisberger connecting with Ward again on a 5-yard touchdown pass. Tennessee responded with running back Chris Johnson
Chris Johnson (running back)
Christopher Duan Johnson is an American football running back for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Afterwards, the Steelers would pull away in the fourth quarter with a 19-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
. The Titans tried to rally with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a National Football League quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and traded to Seattle in 2001. After becoming the starter in 2003, Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances and...
completing a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Damian Williams (wide receiver)|Damian Williams, yet Pittsburgh closed out the game with Roethlisberger fiding wide receiver Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (American football)
-Pittsburgh Steelers:Wallace was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft with the 84th overall selection. Wallace was the 11th wide receiver chosen in the draft. On June 18, 2009, Wallace signed a three year contract with the Steelers worth $1.740 million which...
on a 40-yard touchdown pass.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 3-2.
Week 6: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Coming off their home win over the Titans, the Steelers closed out their intraconference schedule at home in a Week 6 duel with the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter with an 8-yard touchdown run from running back Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
. The Steelers would add onto their lead in the second quarter with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
finding wide receiver Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (American football)
-Pittsburgh Steelers:Wallace was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft with the 84th overall selection. Wallace was the 11th wide receiver chosen in the draft. On June 18, 2009, Wallace signed a three year contract with the Steelers worth $1.740 million which...
on a 28-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 21-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
. The Jaguars would close out the half with kicker Josh Scobee
Josh Scobee
Joshua Taylor Scobee is an American football placekicker, who currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League . He began his college football career as kicker for the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs, setting several school records...
making a 46-yard field goal.
Jacksonville crept closer in the third quarter with quarterback Blaine Gabbert
Blaine Gabbert
Blaine Gabbert is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Missouri Tigers before leaving early for the 2011 NFL draft after his junior year...
completing an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jason Hill
Jason Hill (American football)
Jason Hill is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football for Washington State University....
. The Jaguars tried to rally in the fourth quarter with Scobee getting a 45-yard field goal, yet Pittsburgh's defense held on to preserve the victory.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 4-2.
Week 7: at Arizona Cardinals
Coming off their win over the Jagaurs, the Steelers flew to the University of Phoenix StadiumUniversity of Phoenix Stadium
University of Phoenix Stadium, opened August 1, 2006, is a multipurpose football stadium located in Glendale, Arizona. It is the home of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League and the annual Fiesta Bowl...
for a Week 7 interconference duel with the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, in a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII
Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals to decide the National Football League champion for the 2008 season. The game was played on February 1, 2009,...
. Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
found tight end Heath Miller
Heath Miller
Earl Heath Miller, Jr. is an American football tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. He was selected as the 30th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Virginia.-Early years:...
on a 12-yard touchdown pass. The Steelers would add onto their lead in the second quarter with Roethlisberger hooking up with wide receiver Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (American football)
-Pittsburgh Steelers:Wallace was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft with the 84th overall selection. Wallace was the 11th wide receiver chosen in the draft. On June 18, 2009, Wallace signed a three year contract with the Steelers worth $1.740 million which...
on a 95-yard touchdown pass. The Cardinals would answer with running back Alfonso Smith
Alfonso Smith (running back)
Alfonso Smith is an American football running back for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
getting a 1-yard touchdown run. Pittsburgh would close out the half with a 41-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
.
Arizona began the third quarter with quarterback Kevin Kolb
Kevin Kolb
Kevin Benjamin Kolb is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Houston....
completing a 73-yard touchdown pass to running back LaRod Stephens-Howling
LaRod Stephens-Howling
LaRod Stephens-Howling is an American football running back and kickoff returner for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, yet the Steelers responded with Roethlisberger connecting to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
on a 4-yard touchdown pass, along with Kolb getting called for intentional grounding in his endzone, resulting in a safety. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers continued to pull away with a 33-yard and a 39-yard field goal from Suisham. The Cardinals tried to rally with Kolb completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Early Doucet
Early Doucet
Early Joseph Doucet, III is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State.-Early years:Early Doucet prepped at St. Martinville...
(with a failed two-point conversion), yet Pittsburgh held on to preserve the victory.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 5-2.
Week 8: vs. New England Patriots
Coming off their road win over the Cardinals, the Steelers went home for a Week 8 duel with the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
found running back Mewelde Moore
Mewelde Moore
Mewelde Jaem Cadere Moore is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
on a 5-yard touchdown pass. The Steelers would add onto their lead in the second quarter with a 33-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
. The Patriots answered with quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deion Branch
Deion Branch
Anthony Deion Branch, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville.He has also played for the Seattle Seahawks...
, yet Pittsburgh struck back with Roethlisberger connecting with wide receiver Antonio Brown on a 7-yard touchdown pass. New England would close out the half with kicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
got a 46-yard field goal.
The Steelers began the third quarter with a 21-yard field goal from Suisham, followed by his 23-yard field goal in the fourth. The Patriots tried to rally as Brady completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez
Aaron Hernandez
-New England Patriots:Hernandez was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was drafted, The Boston Globe reported Hernandez had admitted to marijuana use and had failed multiple drug tests while in college, causing his draft stock to drop...
, yet Pittsburgh's defense held with safety Troy Polamalu
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated...
forcing a New England fumble out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 6-2.
Week 9: vs. Baltimore Ravens
Following their victory over the Patriots, the Steelers remained at home the next week for their second match-up of the season against division rivals the Baltimore RavensBaltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. The Ravens scored first with an 18-yard field goal by kicker Billy Cundiff
Billy Cundiff
William A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
, the only points scored in the first quarter by either team. Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
answered with a 36-yard field goal early in the second quarter, and a 30-yard field goal near the end, but both of these were quickly matched by Baltimore's Cundiff with a 43-yard and 51-yard field goal, respectively, giving Baltimore a 9-6 lead at halftime. The Ravens then increased their lead in the third quarter when Ray Rice
Ray Rice
Raymell Maurice Rice is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. He is currently ranked as the Baltimore Ravens third all-time rusher in...
scored the first touchdown of the game on a 4-yard run. The Steelers rallied hard in the fourth quarter, with running back Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
making a 1-yard run to score a touchdown, and then taking the lead for the first time in the game when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
made a successful 25-yard pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (American football)
-Pittsburgh Steelers:Wallace was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft with the 84th overall selection. Wallace was the 11th wide receiver chosen in the draft. On June 18, 2009, Wallace signed a three year contract with the Steelers worth $1.740 million which...
in the endzone for a second touchdown. On their final drive of the game, the Steelers were ready to potentially increase their lead with a 47-yard field goal kick by Shaun Suisham, but a 5-yard delay of game penalty put them out of field goal range and they were instead forced to punt the ball to the Ravens. The Ravens then began a 92-yard drive, culminating in a 26-yard touchdown pass by quarterback Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
to wide receiver Torrey Smith
Torrey Smith
James Torrey Smith is an American wide receiver and kickoff returner in the National Football League. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2011 NFL Draft. Smith attended Stafford Senior High School in Stafford, Virginia, where he played basketball and football. He accepted a scholarship...
in the endzone with just 8 seconds remaining, giving them the game.
With the loss, the Steelers fell to 6-3.
Week 10: at Cincinnati Bengals
Hoping to rebound from their season-sweeping loss to the Ravens, the Steelers flew to Paul Brown StadiumPaul Brown Stadium
Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and...
for a Week 10 AFC North duel with the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
. Pittsburgh delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
finding wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery
Jerricho Cotchery
Cotchery was selected by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL draft.-New York Jets:In 2004, Cotchery caught 6 passes for 60 yards in 12 games as the team's 5th receiver...
on a 16-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 2-yard touchdown run from running back Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Mendenhall
Rashard Jamal Mendenhall is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers 23rd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois....
. The Bengals would answer with quarterback Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton
Andrew Grant Dalton is an ex-All Blacks rugby union player who captained the side 17 times in tests...
completing a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver A.J. Green
A. J. Green
Adriel Jeremiah "A. J." Green is an American football wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was selected fourth overall by the Bengals in the 2011 NFL Draft...
. Cincinnati struck again the second quarter with kicker Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent
Mike Nugent is an American football placekicker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
getting a 43-yard field goal, yet the Steelers responded with a 39-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
.
The Bengals would tie the game in the third quarter with Dalton completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jermaine Gresham
Jermaine Gresham
Jermaine Gresham is an American football tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was drafted by the Bengals with the 21st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, despite the fact that he had missed all of the previous season with a knee injury....
, yet Pittsburgh came right back with a 9-yard touchdown run from Mendenhall. Afterwards, the defense would prevent any comeback attempt from Cincinnati.
With the win, the Steelers went into their bye week at 7-3.
Week 12: at Kansas City Chiefs
Coming off their bye week, the Steelers flew to Arrowhead StadiumArrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....
for a Week 12 Sunday night showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. Pittsburgh trailed early in the first quarter when Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop
Ryan Succop
Ryan Barrow Succop is an American football placekicker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He is the 2009 Mr. Irrelevant after being selected by the Chiefs with the final pick of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Carolina.-Early years:Succop attended...
kicked a 41-yard field goal. Pittsburgh would answer in the second quarter with a 21-yard field goal from kicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
following a Chiefs goal-line stand. The Steelers struck again when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
threw a 2 yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Weslye Saunders
Weslye Saunders
Weslye Saunders is an American football tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2011...
. Succop and Shuisham each made 49 yard field goals before the end of the half to make it 13-6. The third quarter was scoreless, but in the 4th quarter Kansas City pulled closer when Succop booted a 40-yarder. This pulled the Chiefs to within 13-9. However, Pittsburgh's defense held on to preserve the victory as cornerback Keenan Lewis
Keenan Lewis
Keenan Lewis is an American football cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State.-External links:**...
sealed the deal with an interception late in the 4th quarter with 29 seconds remaining.
With the win, the Steelers improved to 8-3.