PITTSBURGH STEELERS–AFC NORTH (14-4) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS–NFC NORTH (13-6)
SERIES
STEELERS
PACKERS
LEADER (REG. SEASON)
18-14
STREAKS (REG. SEASON)
7 of past 9
COACHES VS. OPP.
(REG. & POSTSEASON)
Tomlin: 1-0
McCarthy: 0-1
COACHES PLAYOFF RECORD
5-1
4-2
VS. COMMON OPP.
(REG. SEASON)
Pit.: 3-2 (Atl. 1-0, Buf. 1-0, Mia. 1-0, NE 0-1, NYJ 0-1)
GB: 2-3 (Atl. 0-1, Buf. 1-0, Mia. 0-1, NE 0-1, NYJ 1-0)
PLAYOFF RECORD
33-19
28-16
LAST WEEK
W 24-19 vs. Jets
W 21-14 at Bears
LAST GAME (REG. SEASON)
12/20/09: Packers 36 at Steelers 37. Pit. QB Ben Roethlisberger completes game-winning TD pass to WR Mike Wallace as time expires. Roethlisberger (503, 3 TDs) & Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (383, 3 TDs) pass for combined 886 yds. & 6 TDs w/ 0 INTs.
LAST GAME AT SITE
(REG. SEASON)
N/A
LAST PLAYOFF
N/A
BROADCAST
FOX (5:00 PM CT): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Pam Oliver & Chris Myers (Field reporters). Westwood One Radio: Kevin Harlan, Boomer Esiason, Mark Malone & James Lofton (Field reporters). SIRIUS: 124 (WW1), 123 (Pit.), 125 (GB). XM: 124 (WW1), 102 (Pit.), 103 (GB).
REGULAR SEASON STAT LEADERS
PASSING
Roethlisberger: 240-389-3,200-17-5-97.0 (3C)
Rodgers: 312-475-3,922 (3C)-28 (T3C)-11-101.2 (1C)
RUSHING
Mendenhall: 324-1,273-3.9-13 (T2L)
B. Jackson: 190-703-3.7-3
RECEIVING
Wallace: 60-1,257 (3C)-21.0-10 (T3C)
Jennings: 76-1,265 (2C)-16.6-12 (T1C)
OFFENSE
345.3
358.1
TAKE/GIVE
+17 (2L)
+10 (2C)
DEFENSE
276.8 (2L)
309.1 (2C)
SACKS
Harrison: 10.5
Matthews: 13.5 (2C)
INTs
Polamalu: 7 (T2L)
T. Williams: 6 (T2C)
PR
Brown: 5.8
T. Williams: 8.0
KR
Sanders: 25.1
Nelson: 22.5
PUNTING
Kapinos: 41.9
Masthay: 43.9
KICKING
Suisham: 61 (19/19 PAT; 14/15 FG)
Crosby: 112 (46/46 PAT; 22/28 FG)
NOTES
STEELERS: Aim for NFL-best 7th SB title – Pit. defeated Cardinals in SB XLIII to surpass Dallas & San Francisco for league-best 6 SB titles (IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL, XLIII)…Steelers will make 8th SB appearance (XXX, XLV), tied w/ Cowboys for most in NFL history…With win, Steelers will surpass Cowboys (33) for most postseason wins…MIKE TOMLIN (38-years old) can become youngest head coach in NFL history to win 2 SB titles. Tomlin can also become 1st head coach ever to win 2 Super Bowls in his 1st 4 seasons as head coach. Has won 5 consecutive postseason games…With win in Super Bowl XLV, BEN ROETHLISBERGER (2) can join Pro Football HOF QBs TERRY BRADSHAW (4), JOE MONTANA (4) & TROY AIKMAN (3) & Patriots’ TOM BRADY (3) as only QBs in NFL history to win at least 3 Super Bowls. Roethlisberger has 2-0 record in SB. In SB XLIII, Roethlisberger completed 21 of 30 passes (70.0 pct.) for 256 yards w/ 1 TD vs. 1 INT & 93.2 passer rating. Roethlisberger has 133.9 4th quarter passer rating in 2 Super Bowls. Roethlisberger’s .833 winning pct. (10-2 record) in postseason ranks second in NFL history behind Pro Football HOFer BART STARR (.900; 9-1 record). In only meeting vs. GB, Roethlisberger completed 29 of 46 passes (63.0 pct.) for career-best 503 yards with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 121.9 passer rating…RB RASHARD MENDENHALL had career postseason-high with 121 rush yards in AFC Championship Game vs. NYJ. Has 3 rush TDs in 2 career playoff games…WR HINES WARD (81) needs 3 receptions to surpass REGGIE WAYNE (83) for 4th-most postseason catches in NFL history. Ward had 7 receptions for 126 receiving yards (18.0 avg.) in last game vs. Packers. Averages 23.7 yards per catch in SBs (7 receptions, 166 yards). WR MIKE WALLACE had 2 TD catches in only meeting vs. GB. Averaged an AFC-best 21.0 yards per catch in 2010 reg. season…TE HEATH MILLER has 4 postseason TD receptions. Miller had 7 catches for 118 yards in last game vs. Packers…Pit. has not allowed 100-yard rusher in 16 consecutive postseason games, 2nd-longest current streak (Redskins, 17)…LB JAMES HARRISON had100-yard INT-return TD in SB XLIII, longest play in Super Bowl history…LB LA MARR WOODLEY is 1st player since 1982 to post at least 1 sack in 6 straight postseason games. Has 10 sacks in 6 career postseason games…CB WILLIAM GAY had 19-yard FR-return TD in last game vs. Jets…CB IKE TAYLOR & S TROY POLAMALU each have 3 career postseason INTs.
PACKERS: Aim for 13th NFL championship. Their 12 NFL titles are most all-time. Make 5th SB appearance. Are 3-1 in previous 4 SBs. Team has 28-16 (.636) playoff record, best mark in NFL history. Club’s 28 postseason victories are 3rd most in all-time. Are 1st No. 6 seed in NFC to advance to SB since 1990 when NFL instituted 12-team playoff format. Join 2005 Pitt. as only No. 6 seeds to reach SB since 1990. Have advanced to postseason in 3 of past 4 seasons under head coach MIKE MC CARTHY. McCarthy was born & raised in Pitt. Packers have 26 postseason berths, tied for 4th most in NFL history. Team leads NFL in 2010 postseason with 90 points scored & 12 TDs. In Div. win at Atl., scored club postseason record 48 points, 2nd most by road playoff team in NFL history (73, Chicago, 1940 NFL Championship). Packers are 1st team in NFL history to score 45+ points in game in back-to-back postseasons. Club had 6 players selected to Pro Bowl: T CHAD CLIFTON (2nd), S NICK COLLINS (3rd), WR GREG JENNINGS (1st), LB CLAY MATTHEWS (2nd), CB TRAMON WILLIAMS (1st) & CB CHARLES WOODSON (7th)…QB AARON RODGERS has completed 94 of 135 (69.6 pct.) for 1,213 yards with 10 TDs vs. 3 INTs for 113.0 rating in 4 postseason starts. His 113.0 rating is highest in NFL postseason history (min. 100 att.). In 2010 playoffs, leads QBs in pass yards (790), att. (93), comp. (66), comp. pct. (71) & rating (109.2). In 4 career playoff starts, has 3 games with 120+ rating & 3 games with 3+ TD passes. Is only player in NFL history to throw for 3+ TDs & rush for TD in each of 2 different postseason games. Led NFC with 101.2 rating. Is 1st Packers QB with consecutive seasons with 100+ rating (103.2 in 2009). Has 2 of top 3 marks in franchise history, trailing HOFer BART STARR’s 105 rating in 1966. Had 3,922 pass yards & his 12,394 yards since becoming starter in 2008 are 2nd most by QB in 1st 3 years as starter (KURT WARNER, 12,612). Passed for 383 yards, 3 TDs & 101.3 rating in only start vs. Pitt…Rookie RB JAMES STARKS is NFL postseason leader with 263 rush yards & 87.7 rush yards per game. RB JOHN KUHN was member of Pitt. practice squad in 2005 & played 9 games with Steelers in 2006…Packers had 3 WRs with 50+ catches each for 1st time in franchise history: Jennings (76), DONALD DRIVER (51) & JAMES JONES (50). Jennings tied for NFC lead with 12 rec. TDs. Aims for 3rd playoff game in row with 100+ yards. Leads NFL this postseason with 17 catches & 239 rec. yards. Had 5 catches for 118 yards & TD (83 yards) in last game vs. Pitt. Driver has longest TD catch (90 yards) in team postseason history (2007 NFC Champ vs. NYG). Jones has TD in 3 of past 4 playoff games. Had TD catch in last meeting. WR JORDY NELSON is averaging 73 yards per game in past 2 playoff contests…CB Williams has 3 INTs (1 TD) in 2010 playoffs, tied for most by Packer in single postseason (JOE LAWS, 1994 & CRAIG NEWSOME, 1996). Leads NFL with 9 INTs in reg. season & playoffs. Since joining GB in 2006, CB Woodson leads NFL with 8 INT-TDs. Has INT-TD in each of 5 years with GB & is only player in NFL history with INT-TD in 5 consecutive seasons. S Collins ties for 2nd with 4 INT-TDs in that span. DT B.J. RAJI had 18-yard INT-TD last week, 1st career INT & TD. Is 1st Packers DL with INT-TD in postseason. GB has 2 INT-TDs in single postseason for 1st time in franchise history (Williams & Raji). Rookie CB SAM SHIELDS had sack, FF & 2 INTs last week in NFC Champ. Is 1st rookie with sack & 2+ INTs in playoff game. Became 1st Packer with sack & 2+ INTs in postseason game & 5th NFL player to accomplish feat. LB Matthews has 4.5 sacks in 4 playoff games & has 0.5+ sack in all 4 contests. Finished 2nd in NFC with 13.5 sacks & is 1st Packer to start career with consecutive 10-sack seasons (10 in 2009). Had 2 sacks in only meeting vs. Pitt.
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