Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2) at Tennessee Titans (1-4)Date: Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012Kickoff: 8:20 p.m., ETSite: LP Field (69,143) • Nashville, Tenn.Playing Surface: Natural GrassTV Coverage: NFL Network (locally WPCW-TV, channel 15)Announcers: Brad Nessler (play-by-play)*Mike Mayock (analyst) Alex Flanagan (sideline)Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970)Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline)National Radio: Dial Global Radio Sports Ian Eagle (play-by-play) Trent Green (analyst) Rocky Boiman (sideline)Spanish Radio: Grupo Imagen - Destrito Federal (Mexico City) *XEDA-FM 90.5
THE COACHES
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike TomlinOverall regular-season record: 57-27 (.679)/sixth seasonRegular-season record at Pittsburgh: 57-27 (.679)/sixth seasonPlayoff Record/Years: 5-3/four yearsTennessee Titans Head Coach Mike MunchakOverall regular-season record: 10-11 (.476)/second seasonRegular-season record at Tennessee: 10-11 (.476)/second seasonPlayoff Record/Years: n/a
SERIES HISTORYSeries History: Series began in 1970Overall: Pittsburgh leads 41-29At Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh leads 24-11At Tennessee/Houston:Tennessee leads 18-17Neutral Sites: n/aLast Regular-Season Meeting: Oct. 9, 2011(in Pittsburgh) Pittsburgh 38, Tennessee 17Postseason Series: Pittsburgh leads 3-1Last Postseason Meeting:Jan. 11, 2003 (in Tennessee)Tennessee 34, Pittsburgh 31 (OT) (Divisional Playoffs)(postseason record not included in overall series record)Pittsburgh is looking to win its fourth consecutive game in*the regular-season series…the Steelers have won at least four consecutive games in the series five separate times, with the most recent of those coming from 1994-1996 when Pittsburgh won five straight games…this will be the 13th meeting between these two clubs since 2000, with each team holding a 6-6 record in those games…the Titans hold the longest regular-season winning streak by either team in the series as they won seven straight games from 1997 to 2000…Pittsburgh's 21-point victory over the Titans last season was the Steelers largest margin of victory against Tennessee since a 34-7 win against the Titans in *2005.
STEELERS-TITANS CONNECTIONSLOCAL CONNECTIONS• Titans rookie defensive back Tommie Campbellwas born in*Aliquippa, Pa. Campbell played for the University of Pittsburgh from 2005-2006 and Edinboro University in 2007 before transferring to California (Pa.) University.• SteelersOG Ramon Foster was born in Henning, Tenn. And attended the University of Tennessee.• TitansWR Nate Washington was originally signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent out of Tiffin University in 2005. Washington played for the Steelers from 2005-2008, recording 104 receptions for 1,705 yards and 12 touchdowns in 49 games played in the regular season. Washington played in seven postseason contests, recording nine receptions for 83 yards and won a pair of Super Bowls with Pittsburgh.• TitansLB Patrick Bailey was originally signed by the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Duke prior to the 2008 season. Bailey appeared in 28 games for the Steelers in two seasons, recording one tackle and adding 35 special teams tackles. Bailey appeared in all three postseason contests for the Steelers in 2008, recording two special teams tackles and helped the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XLIII. Bailey was the winner of the Joe Greene Great Performance Award as the Steelers' *Rookie of the Year.
PRO CONNECTIONS
• Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeauand Titans defensive*coordinatorJerry Gray were on the Buffalo Bills coaching staff together in 2003.• Steelers offensive coordinatorTodd Haley andTE Leonard Pope were both in Arizona with TitansG Deuce Lutui from 2007 to 2008. Pope and Lutui also played for the Cardinals during the 2006 *NFL season.
• Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butlerwas on the Cleveland*Browns' staff with Titans offensive coordinatorChris Palmer from 1999-2000.• Steelers wide receivers coachScottie Montgomery played for the Denver Broncos from 2000-2002 when Titans linebackers coachFrank Bush was on the Broncos' staff.
• SteelersK Shaun Suisham played for the Dallas Cowboys in 2005-2006 when Titans quarterbacks coachDowell Loggains and offensive coordinatorChris Palmer were on the Cowboys' staff. Suisham also played for the Redskins from 2006-2009, when Titans defensive coordinatorJerry Gray was on the Redskins' staff. Titans offensive assistantArthur Smith was also on the Redskins' staff from 2007-2008.• SteelersCB DeMarcus Van Dyke and TitansDE Kamerion Wimbley were teammates with the Oakland Raiders for the 2011 *season.
COLLEGE CONNECTIONS
• Titans defensive line coach Tracy Rockerwas coaching for the*University of Mississippi in 2008 when SteelersWR Mike Wallace was a senior.• Steelers wide receivers coachScottie Montgomery coached wide receivers at Duke University from 2006-2009 when former Steelers LB and current TitansLB Patrick Bailey played there. The two spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons together with the Blue Devils.• SteelersLB Larry Foote and TitansG Steve Hutchinson were teammate at the University of Michigan from 1999-2000. • SteelersLB Lawrence Timmons and TitansDE Kamerion Wimbley played together at Florida State University from 2004-2005.• SteelersDE Ziggy Hood and TitansLS Beau Brinkley were teammates at the University of Missouri in 2008.• SteelersWR Jerricho Cotchery and TitansC/G Leroy Harris were teammates at North Carolina State University in 2003.• SteelersRB Jonathan Dwyer and TitansDE Derrick Morgan played together at Georgia Tech from 2007-2009.• SteelersCB Keenan Lewis and TitansS Al Afalava were teammates at Oregon State University from 2005-2008.• SteelersWR Emmanuel Sanders andG Kelvin Beachum and TitansTE Taylor Thompson were all teammates at Southern Methodist University from 2008-2009. Beachum and Thompson played together through the 2011 season.• SteelersNT Alameda Ta'amu and TitansQB Jake Locker were teammates at the University of Washington from 2008-2010.• SteelersS Ryan Mundy andFB Will Johnson were teammates with TitansRB Darius Reynaud at West Virginia University for the 2007 season.• SteelersCB DeMarcus Van Dyke and TitansLB Colin McCarthy were teammates at the University of Miami from 2007-2010. • SteelersTE Leonard Pope and TitansC/G Fernando Velasco were teammates the University of Georgia from 2003-2005. SteelersP Drew Butler and Velasco played together for the Bulldogs in 2007.• Titans defensive assistantArthur Smith and SteelersLS Greg Warren were teammates at the University of North Carolina from *2001-2004.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES• With a win, Pittsburgh will be 42-29 against Tennessee during*the regular season, including 18-18 on the road.• With a win, the Steelers would improve to 8-1 in their last nine Thursday night games.• The Steelers look to improve to 334-211-1 all-time against AFC opponents, including the postseason.• A win would give Pittsburgh it's first road victory in a Thursday *night game since 12/20/07 at St. Louis (41-24).
PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Head Coach Mike Tomlin• With a win, will improve to 58-27 during the regular season.• Looks to improve his regular season road record to 25-18.• Has a chance to improve to 43-21 against AFC opponents during*the regular season.• Looks to improve to 19-8 in primetime games, including 10-5 on the road and 6-1 on Thursday Night Football.QB Ben Roethlisberger• Needs 300 passing yards to pass Terry Bradshaw (27,989) for the most in franchise history.WR Antonio Brown• Looking for his sixth consecutive game with at least 70 yards receiving, dating back to the 2011 regular season.• If he registers at least seven receptions it will mark the fourth straight week he has recorded at least seven receptions.WR Mike Wallace• If he records at least 100 yards receiving, it will mark the 14th 100-yard game of his career.• With one more reception of 25 or more yards he will pass WR Plaxico Burress (41) for the second most (Hines Ward, 81) 25 yard receptions by a Steelers' player, dating back
to 1991.TE Heath Miller• Needs two receiving touchdowns to tie Elbie Nickel (37) for the most receiving touchdowns by a Steelers' tight end.• Three receptions away from passing Louis Lipps (358) for the fourth-most receptions in franchise history.SS Troy Polamalu• Needs one interception to become the ninth Steelers' player to record 30 career interceptions.• With one fumble return for a touchdown, will tie Jason Gildon (3) for the most fumbles returned for touchdowns in franchise history.|• Is one defensive touchdown shy of tieing Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff and Jack Butler (5) for the second-most defensive touchdowns in Steelers history (Rod Woodson, 6).• Needs one interception return for a touchdown to tie Carnell Lake, Dwayne Woodruff, Deshea Townsend and Tony Campagno *(3) for the fourth-most in franchise history.
LB James Harrison• Needs one sack to tie Keith Willis (59.0) for fifth place on the Steelers' all-time list (includes players who played before 1982).
LB Jason Worilds
• Needs one sack to tie his single-season career high of three, set in 12 games last season.
