Pittsburgh steelers games 2012

Let me ask this gently: Have you seen the Steelers' home record on Monday Night Football in the last two decades? There has to be an odd score sometime, right?

Envision this: The Steelers struggle in the red zone but are able to move the football, leading The Chiefs finally break through for a late touchdown, going for two points to pull within one score. Trailing , K. It's hard to figure which loss was worse. The opening day shellacking or the last minute letdown at Heinz Field.

The latter was certainly the ultimate deciding factor in the AFC North race. One good news statistic for the Steelers this season relative to their second-place finish last year is that their schedule equates to Baltimore's, except for swapping out the Jets and Titans and replacing those two squads with the Patriots and Texans.

The Ravens face the fourth most difficult schedule as it stands right now in the NFL. Likewise, they face 11 Pro Bowl quarterbacks barring health and benchings, and Ben Roethlisberger represents part of that group.

On offense, the Ravens loss of Ben Grubbs does leave the offensive line in a mild flux, but the team is confident they have the piece s to replace him at guard. For Joe Flacco and a unit largely returning the same bodies, the season comes down to one more catch, one more play, one less drop cough The Ravens go as Ray Rice goes, and Pittsburgh hopes its pair of fast backs includes a candidate to help frustrate the Ravens defense in the same way the pesky Rice has frustrated their own.

The small, squirmy, speedy back has been the bane of the 'Burgh on more than one fourth down. Last year, Anquan Boldin made big play against the Black and Gold, but it was Torrey Smith who produced the dagger with his last-second deep catch on Sunday Night Football. Defensively, the loss of Terrell Suggs, a true Steelers killer and a man always in the face of the mobile Big Ben, certainly takes some of the swag away from an elite group.

However, the defense still returns heart and soul, Ray Lewis. Likewise, Haloti Ngata is the anchor at nose tackle, a position on their team the Steelers hope is solidified, but around which some questions do exist. Safety Ed Reed and corner Lardarius Webb, a hard-hitter and great cover man respectively, help keep things in lockdown in the defensive backfield. Don't make mistakes. Force Joe Flacco into a couple of missteps. And, be physical by taking the game to them and not allowing them to bring it to you!

Ben's mobility, particularly against his division foe, along with his uncanny knack for accuracy on the run has been a true source of frustration for Baltimore, who nearly lost last year's prime time affair when Roethlisberger showcased that skill set late. However, everyone remembers the Smith catch in the final seconds. While William Gay made opportune plays last year, many accurately describe him as a corner in the mold of a "zone guy," fast and athletic, able to adjust to the ball but hugely reliant on safety support and not very adept in man coverage.

His potential replacements, a race Keenan Lewis is favored to win, are heralded as more physical corners, better equipped for man coverage, less prone to giving up yardage allowances over the shoulder and ready to start due to offseason training and last year's experiences. As such, let's call this game a slightly more defensive repeat of last season minus the late catch that broke the heart of Steeler Nation. Playing Baltimore twice in three weeks, players and fans are not naive.

Everyone realizes the season's gambling money mostly rests in late November and early December. Sandwiched in between two high-stakes games against Baltimore is a road contest against the Browns, a "Dawg Pound" which will be charged and ready whether it remains a playoff hopeful or not. Last season, the Steelers were the superior team on paper in all phases; yet, they narrowly escaped the Browns twice, and Much of the blame for the underachievement against Cleveland was the health of Ben Roethlisberger, who suffered a grave ankle injury along the sideline against the Browns late last season.

Cleveland's defense is underrated, largely due to playing on a losing team with a paltry offense. They're not great, but not awful. They surrendered over yards rushing per game last season, but they were 10th in total yards allowed, bending but not breaking and playing well in the secondary.

In all, 10 of their 16 games last year saw the defense surrender 20 or fewer points, which is a respectable number, particularly considering the offense's complete inability to maintain time of possession. The Browns didn't make a huge free-agency splash, but they're hopeful that the draft acquisition of Trent Richardson gives them the boost at running back they wanted to continue getting from the newest man on the Madden cover curse gallery , Peyton Hillis. Likewise, they snagged quarterback Brandon Weeden, a selection with a lot to prove; but, hell — can he really be any worse than the gauntlet of QB calamities that have scorched Browns fans' hopes for the past decade plus?

If Weeden starts for the Browns, he'll be their fifth opening day starter in five years. Or, they get a fresh signal-caller, something the Steelers defense has licked its chops over. Long-term, the two draft selections could be the answer for a team that averaged just over 13 points per game last season, ranking among the worst offenses ever. However, more than just those two pieces, astonishingly, are needed to get Cleveland from afterthought to legit contender.

The streak speaks for itself, and the Steelers will hopefully be healthy enough to truly deliver against the Browns. While the Steelers have had a wonderful habit of winning the division title in the land of crab cakes, this seems a bit early in the season for the AFC North race to end. Up until last season, Pittsburgh played games in Baltimore like maestros, doing exactly what needed to be done to win. They rose above physical assaults i.

In , Santonio Holmes's controversial touchdown grab at the conclusion of a gutsy yard drive won the division-decider for the 'Burgh, Lastly, in , the AFC North was effectively decided with only a couple of weeks left to play when Troy Polamalu forced a Joe Flacco midfield fumble, which the defense returned to set up 1st-and-goal.

Isaac Redman rumbled to the end zone for the winning points, Last season, the Steelers opened the campaign and appeared completely out of sorts.

Unlike their Baltimore finales of the past, their premiere showing was an embarrassment, helping the Ravens to purge some home game demons from the series out of their collective psyches. However, Baltimore didn't get its chance for a home playoff game against the Steelers, leaving the Black and Gold with those undefeated bragging rights.

In a game that is known for being a bloodbath, can the Steelers get the win and take a huge edge in the battle for division supremacy? However, projecting two wins over the Ravens is simply irresponsible. A logical assessment for anyone analyzing the upcoming season series leaves only one credible conclusion. For years, self-proclaimed experts like myself have selected the Chargers as the projected winners of the AFC West.

They've been correct on occasions, but more often than not, Norv Turner and the Bolts remind us of what it's like to get struck down by lightning. Thankfully, the Steelers have returned the favor, striking down the Chargers and Philip Rivers at Heinz field in all three meetings at the venue.

In fact, "San Dog" has been beaten like a pooch in Pittsburgh since Heinz Field opened, going against the Steelers away from home since For the Chargers to have success, Rivers will need to cut down on mistakes; he committed 25 turnovers last year. Rivers will still have his primary target in tight end Antonio Gates, a nice luxury in a league where defenses are still trying to catch up to the hyper-dominant role of tight ends in the vertical passing game.

However, the loss of Vincent Jackson creates a big production deficit. Malcom Floyd returns, but will Robert Meachem or Eddie Royal be able to fill the statistical void felt by Jackson's loss? Not likely, at least not entirely. Ryan Mathews should have another fine season, particularly given that he will now run behind the blocking of Le'Ron McClain.

The Chargers return a questionable defense. Though they added Baltimore linebacker Jarret Johnson gasp! San Diego needs to hope that their attention to the defense in the draft a pays early dividends and b showcases their ability to choose the best players.

Otherwise, it could be another long season in SoCal. The Chargers offense will see its share of points, but it's also susceptible to its share of turnovers. Containing Rivers, Mathews, Gates and crew by controlling the line of scrimmage, stopping the run and getting hands on a ball or two is all that can be expected. While San Diego will find the end zone more than once, it can't be allowed to dictate play to a defense that prides itself on pressure or, at least, should.

The real challenge for San Diego is stopping a Steelers offense that has manhandled their defense. The Chargers have made few significant defensive upgrades, though their top trio of draft picks may be ready to contribute with some consistency as the season wears along. In their last two meetings, Ben has outplayed Rivers and company thoroughly, particularly doing so in the Steel City; and the Pittsburgh offense has controlled the tempo in all phases running, passing and gadgetry.

I expect the Chargers' streak of results at Heinz Field to continue in a fireworks display. For the second time in two weeks, the Steelers will take on a superbly talented team that has underachieved. One week earlier, the Chargers came to Pittsburgh, whereas the Black and Gold will travel to "Jerry's Palace," Dallas Cowboys Stadium, to take on the team of the same name. Something about that annoying star on the side of the helmet really riles Steelers Country up for these games.

In a rare interconference rivalry, Pittsburgh and Dallas have a serious high stakes history, making for a great backdrop to any of their rare meetings. Much of the Cowboys' malaise centers around giveaways, effectively snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, which just happens to be the same style in which they've lost to Pittsburgh in the last two meetings.

In , Dallas led , before Pittsburgh rallied in the fourth quarter thanks to a Vinny Testaverde fumble. In , "Big D" led in "Big P" by 10 points again in the final frame, only to see overconfidence and a Tony Romo interception get in the way of victory.

Or, will the mistakes and untimely letdowns against key opponents cost them a win at home? The Cowboys have had trouble sealing the deal late in the season, going last season and losing to seemingly outmatched competition. They can look like gangbusters one contest and complete "ball busters" the next.

On defense, the Cowboys also sport a slew of talent, including DeMarcus Ware, who recent ranked in the top 10 of NFL Network 's players countdown of the Top athletes in the game today. The rest of the defense is stout upfront against the run, but they are not great pass-rushers like Ware, who had 13 more sacks than the entire front four combined. However, the team has high hopes for budding All-Star Sean Lee last year's leading tackler. Dallas's secondary struggled last season.

They addressed the need emphatically, signing Brandon Carr right out of the free-agency gates, and they also drafted Morris Claiborne in the first round of the NFL draft.

Those moves, coupled with physical safety Brodney Pool, should escalate Dallas from subpar to all-star in the defensive backfield. Who wants to step up and take it? Like Pittsburgh, Dallas invested in guards to improve the offensive line. This may be the biggest x-factor in a close game at the end of the season.

Or, will Pittsburgh's hopefully healthy group of linebackers force Romo into the erratic decisions that have cost their team football games? With an improved line hopefully gelling, the Steelers will be far better equipped to produce against a talented defense in December than in September.

Another key matchup will be an improved Dallas secondary against the rockets and retrievers that the Steelers have at receiver. Call me a biased sentimentalist, but the Black and Gold would be charged up for their game against "America's Team," a vibe that still doesn't sit well in blue collar country. My gut feeling tells me to expect a bitter ending and a bit of Romo redemption. At least this time, Tony won't be huddling up next to the space heaters on the sidelines during every timeout, his snow leopard arms turning beat red from the arctic blast he chose to so bravely stand up to.

Their last meeting took place in a freezer called Heinz Field, and Romo's attempt at machismo, opting out of long sleeves, proved pathetic.

The theme will be "home for Ohio," a scheduling quirk that I find ideal for a team that will be seeking momentum heading toward the NFL playoffs. Having already played the Bengals on the road, the Steelers will be seeking redemption for a tough loss to their division rival. And, well, the Cleveland Browns have played the Steelers in the season finale a few other times, and the outcomes have been particularly grim for the frowny Brownies:. But, I would be remiss not to mention this beatdown over the Browns, a game that featured James Harrison pummeling a drunkard and Browns fan who decided to play a dangerous form of freeze tag on the field see video.

And, lastly, the season ended with a Pittsburgh win along the shore of Lake Erie, where the results of Steelers-Browns games are always "eerily" familiar, just as they are at the confluence of the three rivers. Will it be enough to earn a coveted bye week? Manning overcame Pittsburgh's minute advantage in time of possession and led a hurry-up offense that helped the Broncos beat the Steelers on Sunday night in his Denver debut.

I try to keep it in perspective," Manning said. I know how much help that I've gotten along the way, from a lot of people. I'm very grateful for that.

It's special. I will definitely say it's special. The four-time MVP coming off four neck surgeries that wiped out his final season in Indianapolis last year completed 19 of 26 passes for yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked twice and bounced up both times without trouble.

Manning got a big assist from another big-time free agent, cornerback Tracy Porter , whose yard interception return of Roethlisberger's pass with 2 minutes left and the Broncos clinging to a six-point lead sealed the victory. I should've. We were kind of all over the place. I already told my teammates and coaches that it's my fault. It's on me. It's disappointing. I hate to let my team down, my coaches, the fans. That loss is squarely on my shoulders.

I'll take that and get better and learn from it. Manning, jettisoned by the Colts in March after missing all of last season with a nerve injury that weakened his throwing arm, took just two snaps in the third quarter. But one was a yard touchdown throw to Demaryius Thomas , Manning's first as a Bronco and the th of his career.

He reached the milestone in his th career game. Denver Broncos Broncos. Loss L 19 - Sun, Sep 16, Sun, Sep Sun, Sep 23, Sun, Sep Oakland Raiders Raiders. Loss L 31 - Sun, Oct 7, Sun, Oct 7. Thu, Oct 11, Thu, Oct Tennessee Titans Titans. Loss L 23 - Sun, Oct 21, Sun, Oct Cincinnati Bengals Bengals. Sun, Oct 28, Sun, Oct Sun, Nov 4, Sun, Nov 4.