TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (0-3) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-1)
SERIES LEADER: Steelers 8-1.
STREAKS: Steelers have won four straight.
TOMLIN VS. TAMPA BAY: 1-0
SMITH VS. PITTSBURGH: 1-1
LAST GAME: 9/26/10: Steelers 38 at Buccaneers 13: Pittsburgh RB Rashard Mendenhall rushes 19 times for 143 yards (7.5 avg.) with one touchdown. Steelers WR Mike Wallace adds 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
**NOTES
STEELERS: In past 9 vs. NFC,QB BEN ROETHLISBERGERhas 2,516 pass yards & 19 TDs vs. 6 INTs for 99.3 rating, incl. 2 TDs & 112.6 rating vs. Car. Pit. is 52-6 (.897) when he has 100 rating. Needs 117 yards to reach 35,000.RB LE'VEON BELLleads NFL with 461 scrimmage yards (315 rush, 146 rec.). Aims for 4th in row with 100 scrim. yards. Rushed for career-high 147 yards on 21 att. last week. Pit. is 7-0 when Bell has 20 att.RB LE GARRETTE BLOUNTspent 3 seasons with TB (2010-12) & rushed for 1,939 yards & 13 TDs. In past 5 vs. NFC,WR ANTONIO BROWNhas 44 rec. for 626 yards & 6 TDs, incl. team-high 10 rec. for 90 yards & 2 TDs last week. Has 5 rec. & 50 yards in 19 in row, tied for longest streak in NFL history (LAVERANUES COLES).LB JASON WORILDShas sack in 3 of past 4 at home.LB ARTHUR MOATShad sack last week.LB LAWRENCE TIMMONS** leads team with 24 tackles.
BUCCANEERS: QB JOSH MCCOWN has won 3 of past 5 starts vs. AFC (min. 10 att.). Last week, QB MIKE GLENNON completed 17 of 24 (70.8 pct.) for 121 yards with 1 TD vs. 0 INTs for 96 rating. RB DOUG MARTIN has 792 scrimmage yards (132 per game), 604 rush yards (100.7 per game) & 5 TDs in 6 games vs. AFC. RB BOBBY RAINEY has 279 scrimmage yards (139.5 per game) in past 2…In 2008 AFC Div. (1/11/09 with SD), WR VINCENT JACKSON had 41-yard TD. Among active players (min. 300 catches), has NFL-best 17.3 rec. avg. Since 2013, LB LAVONTE DAVID is only player in NFL with 150 tackles (169), 5 sacks (7) & 5 INTs (5). Had FF & FR last week. DT GERALD MC COY has 8.5 sacks in past 10. Aims for 3rd in row vs. AFC with sack. CB ALTERRAUN VERNER had INT last year vs. Pit. (9/8/13 with Ten.). S DASHON GOLDSON had INT in last game vs. Pit. (12/19/11 with SF). S MARK BARRON is 1 of 5 S with 100 tackles (110), 2 INTs & 2 sacks since 2013. LB DANNY LANSANAH had 27-yard INT-TD last week.
CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-1) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (2-1)
SERIES LEADER: Carolina 3-1.
STREAKS: Carolina has won 3-of-last-4.
HARBAUGH VS. PANTHERS: 1-0.
RIVERA VS. RAVENS: 0-0
LAST GAME: 11/21/10: Ravens 37 at Panthers 13: Baltimore LB Ray Lewis and S Dawan Landry each returned an interception for a touchdown. QB Joe Flacco passed for 301 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown to WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
NOTES
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PANTHERS: QB CAM NEWTONis only player in NFL history with 10,000 pass (11,830) & 2,000 rush (2,058) yards in 1st 50 starts. Only player in NFL history with 50 pass (66) & 25 rush (28) TDs in 1st 50 starts. Has won 5 of past 7 vs. AFC.RB JONATHAN STEWARTleads team with 88 rush yards.RB DE ANGELO WILLIAMSaverages 4.8 yards per carry in career. RookieWR KELVIN BENJAMINleads NFL rookies with 253 rec. yards. Had 8 catches for 115 yards & TD last week.TE GREG OLSEN has TD in 4 of past 5 vs. AFC, incl. 37-yard TD last week. Has 5 catches in 7 consecutive games vs. AFC.WR JERRICHO COTCHERY had TD in last game vs. Bal. (11/28/13 with Pit.). Had career-high 165 yards (7 catches) vs. Bal. (9/16/07 with NYJ). Club has 4 turnover differential, tied for 1st in NFC. Since entering NFL in 2012,LB LUKE KUECHLYleads league with 354 tackles.DE CHARLES JOHNSONhad sack in last meeting.DE MARIO ADDISONhas 3.5 sacks in past 2 & aims for 3rd in row with sack. Had 3.5 sacks in career entering 2014.CB CHARLES GODFREY** had 9 tackles & FF in last game vs. Bal.
RAVENS:In only meeting (11/21/10), QB JOE FLACCOpassed for 301 yards with 1 TD for 110.8 rating. Ravens are 29-4 (.879) when Flacco has 100 rating. RB JUSTIN FORSETThas AFC-best 6.3 rush avg. (30 att., 189 yards). Last week, rookie RB LORENZO TALIAFERRO (Rd. 4, No. 138 overall) rushed for 91 yards on 18 att. (5.1 avg.) & TD. RB KYLE JUSZCZYKscored 1st career TD last week & had 3 receptions for 54 yards (18 avg.). WR STEVE SMITH, SR.finished 13-year Carolina career as club's all-time leader in catches (836), rec. yards (12,197) & total TDs (75). Has most catches yards (290) of any player through 1st 3 games with Ravens. Led team with 101 yards on 5 rec. last week & has 100 yards in 2 of past 3. LB TERRELL SUGGS has 5 sacks in past 6 at home vs. NFC. Since 2003, has 94.5 sacks, 3rd most in AFC. LB ELVIS DUMERVIL had sack in last meeting (11/11/12 with Den.). Since 2013, LB DARYL SMITH is 1 of 4 players in NFL with 5 sacks & 3 INTs.
