STEELERS vs BROWNS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2008
KICKOFF -- 1:00 P.M.
Steelers (11-4) vs. Browns (4-11)
Pittsburgh Steelers (11-4) vs. Cleveland Browns (4-11)
Date: Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008
Kickoff: 1 p.m. (ET)
Site: Heinz Field (65,050) • Pittsburgh, Pa.
Playing Surface: Grass/DD Grassmaster
TV Coverage: CBS (locally KDKA-TV, channel 2)
Announcers: Gus Johnson (play-by-play) Steve Tasker (color analyst)
Local Radio: Steelers Radio Network WDVE-FM (102.5)/WBGG-AM (970)
Announcers: Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play) Tunch Ilkin (color analyst) Craig Wolfley (sideline)
A Look at the Coaches
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin
Overall Regular-season Record: 21-10 (.677)/second season
Regular-season Record at Pittsburgh: 21-10 (.677)/second season
Playoff Record/Years: 0-1/one year
Cleveland Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel
Overall Regular-Season Record: 24-39-101 (.381)/fifth season
Regular-Season Record at Cleveland: 24-39 (.381)/fifth season
Playoff Record/Years: n/a
Series History
Series History: Series began in 1950
Overall: Pittsburgh leads 56-55
At Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh leads 34-21
At Cleveland: Cleveland leads 34-22
Neutral Sites: n/a
Last Regular-Season Meeting: Sept. 14, 2008 (in Cleveland) Pittsburgh 10, Cleveland 6
Postseason Series: Pittsburgh leads 2-0
(postseason record not included in overall series record)
Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 56-55 and looks to sweep the season series with the Browns for the fifth straight year...the Steelers are 49-24 against the Browns since 1970, including a 31-6 record (including two playoff victories) in Pittsburgh and a 17-18 mark on the road...the Steelers are 7-1 (including postseason) against the Browns at Heinz Field...the Steelers are looking for their 11th straight victory over the Browns...the Steelers are 9-1 against the Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium, which opened in 1999...the Steelers defeated the Browns, 43-0, in the first game at Cleveland’s new stadium on Sept. 12, 1999...Pittsburgh is 2-0 versus Cleveland in the postseason, defeating the Browns, 36-33, in the 2002 AFC Wild Card playoffs, and 29-9 in the AFC Divisional Playoffs at Three Rivers Stadium (Jan. 7, 1995)...Pittsburgh has played more games against Cleveland than against any other team in the NFL...the 113 games played between the Steelers and the Browns are the most between any two AFC teams...the Steelers have won 16 of their last 17 games against the Browns, and 23 of the last 26 contests...Pittsburgh’s last loss to the Browns came on Oct. 5,2003, ending a six-game Steelers’ winning streak...that game is also the last time the two teams met on Sunday Night...the Steelers have not been swept by the Browns since 1988 but have swept Cleveland five of the past six years.
Steelers-Browns Connections
Steelers-Browns Connections: Several Steelers have ties to the Browns and the Cleveland area. Steelers with direct ties to the Browns and Cleveland/Ohio include assistant head coach/defensive line coach John Mitchell, who began his NFL coaching career as the Browns’ defensive line coach from 1991-93. Linebackers coach Keith Butler coached the Browns linebackers from 1999-02. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians was the Browns’ offensive coordinator from 2001-03. Steelers DE Nick Eason played with the Browns from 2004-06. DE Orpheus Roye also played for the Browns from 2000-07. Steelers players from Ohio include QB Ben Roethlisberger (Findlay, played at Miami, Ohio), RB Gary Russell (Columbus), LB James Harrison (Akron, played at Kent State), WR Nate Washington (Toledo, played at Tiffin) and S Anthony Smith (Hubbard). WR Santonio Holmes played at Ohio State.
Browns with Steelers/Western Pennsylvania connections include TE Darnell Dinkins, who played at Pitt. OL Hank Fraley played collegiately at Robert Morris and originally signed with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent while LB Kris Griffin played at IUP. Quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer began his coaching career at Penn State (1974-75). Strength and conditioning coach Tom Myslinksi played for the Steelers for three seasons (1996-97, 2000) and was an assistant strength coach at Pitt. Assistant defensive backs coach Richard McNutt coached at W&J (2004-05).
What To Look For
PITTSBURGH TEAM NOTES
• The Steelers look to improve to 59-55 all-time (including the postseason) against the Browns.
• Pittsburgh looks for its 11th straight win over the Browns and its 16th win in the last 17 games (including playoffs) against Cleveland.
• The Steelers look to improve to 50-24 (including playoffs) against the Browns since the NFL merger in 1970.
• The Steelers look to improve to 6-2 at home this year.
PITTSBURGH INDIVIDUAL NOTES
WR Hines Ward
• Needs 27 yards receiving to reach 1,000 yards for the season. It would be his fifth 1,000-yard season and his first since 2004.
• Needs five receptions to reach 80 for the year, the most since he had exactly 80 in 2004. It would mark the fifth time in his career he has posted at least 80 receptions.
• Needs six receptions for 800 in his career.
WR Santonio Holmes
• Needs one reception to break his career high for receptions in a season. Holmes has 52 catches on the year, the same as 2007.
RB Willie Parker
• Needs one rushing touchdown to move into sole possession of eighth place for rushing touchdowns on the team’s all-time list with Rocky Bleier. Parker currently has 23 rushing touchdowns.
TE Heath Miller
• Needs five receptions to break his career high for catches in a season. Miller currently has 43 receptions on the season and had a personal-best 47 in 2007.
K Jeff Reed
• Needs six points to surpass Roy Gerela for second place on the team’s all-time scoring list. He currently has 726 career points while Gerela finished with 731 career points.
