STEELERS VS. JAGUARS AFC WILD CARD PLAYOFF Saturday, January 5, 2008 Post-Game Notes
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Pittsburgh Team Notes:
• Pittsburgh 's four-game postseason winning streak was snapped with the loss to the Jaguars.
• The Steelers are now 28-20 (.583) all-time in the postseason, including a 16-10 mark at home.
• Pittsburgh is 4-3 all-time in Wild Card games.
• The Steelers are 0-1 all-time against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the postseason.
• Pittsburgh jumped out to a 7-0 lead on its first drive of the game as RB Najeh Davenportscored from one yard out with 10:03 remaining in the quarter. It was Davenport 's second career postseason touchdown and it marked the first time in 2007 that Jacksonville was scored upon on the opponents' opening drive. QB Ben Roethlisbergerwas 5-for-6 for 60 yards on the opening drive.
• The Jaguars responded though as KR/RB Maurice Jones-Drew returned the kickoff 96 yards to the Steelers' one-yard line and RB Fred Taylor scored on the first play of the drive to make it 7-7 with 9:39 left in the first quarter.
• Jacksonville took a 14-7 lead with just over 10 minutes to go in the first half as Roethlisberger's pass was picked off by Rashean Mathis and returned 63 yards for a touchdown.
• Following another Roethlisberger interception, the Jaguars went ahead 21-7 on the ensuing drive as QB David Garrard hit RB Maurice Jones-Drew for a 43-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter.
• The Steelers were threatening to score late in the first half but Roethlisberger was picked off for the third time in the game deep into Jacksonville territory.
• After LB James Farriorrecorded his second career postseason interception, the Steelers drove down and trimmed the lead to 21-10 as K Jeff Reedbooted a 28-yard field goal at the 9:24 mark of the third quarter.
• Jacksonville came right back and scored a touchdown on the next drive as Jones-Drew ran in from 10 yards out with 4:39 remaining in the third quarter to make it 28-10.
• Pittsburgh cut the lead to 28-17 on the first play of the fourth quarter as Roethlisberger his WR Santonio Holmesfor a 37-yard touchdown. It was Holmes' first career postseason touchdown.
• The Steelers scored on their next possession as Roethlisberger found TE Heath Millerfor a 14-yard touchdown to make it 28-23 with just over 10 minutes to go in the game. The two-point conversion try was unsuccessful. It was Miller's second career postseason touchdown.
• CB Ike Taylorintercepted a Garrard pass on the next series and returned it 31 yards that set up a Davenport touchdown seven plays later to make it 29-28. It marked Davenport 's second touchdown of the game, the first multi-touchdown game in his postseason career.
• Jacksonville came back with a game-winning drive on the ensuing possession as K Josh Scobee booted a 25-yard field goal with 37 seconds remaining in the game to give the Jaguars a 31-29 advantage. Garrard converted a fourth-and-two by scrambling for 32 yards down to the Steelers' 11-yard line on the drive.
• Pittsburgh 's final effort came up short as Roethlisberger lost a fumble deep in its own territory.
• Pittsburgh outgained the Jaguars 340-239 in total offense, including 297-104 in the air. Jacksonville finished with 135 yards rushing to the Steelers' 43.
• The Steelers had 24 first downs while Jacksonville finished with 14.
• Pittsburgh converted 7-of-14 (50%) of its third downs while the Jaguars were 4-of-11 (36%) on third downs.
• The Steelers finished with four sacks and Jacksonville had six.
• Pittsburgh was penalized five times for 50 yards while the Jaguars were flagged six times for 40 yards.
• QB Brian St. Pierre (3rd QB), WR Willie Reid, S Grant Mason, OT Jeremy Parquet, OT Jason Capizzi, OT Marvel Smith, TE Jon Dekkerand DE Ryan McBeanwere inactive.
Pittsburgh Individual Notes:
QB Ben Roethlisberger
• Finished 29-of-42 for 337 yards passing with two touchdowns and three interceptions (79.2 passer rating). His 29 completions, 42 attempts and 337 yards passing are all career highs in the postseason.
• Finished 5-for-6 for 60 yards and led the Steelers to a touchdown on their first drive of the game.
• Hit WR Santonio Holmes for a 37-yard scoring strike on the first play of the fourth quarter.
• Tossed a 14-yard touchdown to TE Heath Miller with 10:25 left in the game.
• Owns a 5-2 all-time record in the playoffs.
RB Najeh Davenport
• Finished with 25 yards rushing on 16 carries (1.6 avg.) with two touchdowns.
• Scored his second career postseason touchdown on the Steelers' first drive of the game.
• Added a one-yard touchdown run with 6:21 left in the game to give Pittsburgh a 29-28 lead. It was his first multi-touchdown game in his postseason career.
• Caught two passes for 23 yards (11.5 avg.), including a long of 18 yards.
• Returned five kicks for 83 yards (16.6 avg.).
RB Gary Russell
• Had three carries for two yards and caught one pass for six yards in his first postseason game.
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RB Carey Davis
• Had three carries for three yards and caught two passes for 14 yards.
• Added one special teams tackle.
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WR Santonio Holmes
• Finished with three catches for 49 yards (16.3 avg.) with one touchdown in his first postseason game.
• Scored his first career postseason touchdown as he hauled in a 37-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger on the first play of the fourth quarter.
WR Hines Ward
• Finished with a game-high 10 catches for 135 yards (13.5 avg.) His 10 catches tied a career high in the postseason as he also finished with 10 against the New York Jets in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game in 2005. His 135 yards are a new career high.
• It marked his fifth career postseason 100-yard receiving game and his second straight in the postseason (Super Bowl XL).
• Caught a 31-yard pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger on the Steelers' first drive of the game. It was his Ward's longest catch of the year.
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WR Cedrick Wilson
• Had one catch for 10 yards and one punt return for eight yards.
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TE Heath Miller
• Finished with eight catches for 85 yards with one touchdown. His 85 yards and eight catches are new career highs in the postseason.
• Hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger in the fourth quarter to pull Pittsburgh to within one score (28-23). It was Miller's second career touchdown reception in the postseason (Jan. 15, 2006 at Indianapolis ).
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DE Brett Keisel
• Had seven tackles (two solo) with one pass defensed.
LB Larry Foote
• Finished with six tackles (five solo).
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LB James Harrison
• Finished with eight tackles (four solo).
• Registered his first career postseason sack of minus five yards.
• Added a half-sack in the fourth quarter.
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LB James Farrior
• Picked off a Jaguars' pass in the third quarter, his second career interception in the postseason. His only other postseason interception was against the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2005 AFC Wild Card Game.
• Posted a half-sack in the fourth quarter, giving him 5.5 for his career in the postseason (4.5 with the Steelers and 1.0 with the New York Jets).
• Finished with a game-high nine tackles (four solo).
LB LaMarr Woodley
• Finished with three tackles and two sacks.
• Posted his first career postseason sack as he registered a 13-yard sack early in the second quarter.
• Added his second career postseason sack with one in the fourth quarter (six-yard loss).
CB Ike Taylor
• Finished with three tackles (one solo).
• Had his third career postseason interception in the fourth quarter, returning it 31 yards and setting up a touchdown.
P Daniel Sepulveda
• Punted four times for 177 yards (44.3 avg.) with a long of 48 yards.
K Jeff Reed
• Finished a perfect 2-for-2 in PATs and 1-for-1 in field goals for five points.
