you guys better be carefull betting against this team. i have read that players from other teams say this field is a lot differtent than other that they have played on after the game. the bus even said there is a lot of soft spots on this field and we know all about them and the other teams have no idea how different this field is from other fields. plus offensive line is best in football and they open some huge holes for the 260lb bus to run. the buffalo game showed me they are the best team in football because they did a job on buff with the 3rd team running back but that was because of the 1st teams offense line that was opening those huge holes. they will run, run, and nobody has stoped them yet. ask buff, n.e, balt, and phil who knew they were going to run but couldnt stop them. this will also be 1st time bus and duce will be 100% since 3rd week of season. vegas wants you to bet against pgh. thats why they make odds the way they do.
They get to play on their turf, vexing and slippery and mucky as it is.
"Oh, yeah, it's awesome," bruising fullback Dan Kreider said. "Talk about a home-field advantage. You see that field out there? The field has been worn down. A lot of people don't know what they're getting into until they get out there."
"Playing on this field is important," cornerback Deshea Townsend said. "This is by far one of the best places to play. And the fans, they're here win, lose or draw."
Some 64,227 patrons -- the fifth-largest crowd in Steelers history and fourth-largest for a regular-season game -- came out in 26-degree weather that dropped snow on parts of Pittsburgh through the morning.
They watched the Steelers run their record to 14-1, tying the previous franchise highwater mark for victories, set by the 1978 Super Bowl champions at 14-2. They watched the Steelers run their 2004 home record to 8-0, only the second such perfect regular-season home schedule in the team's history, joining the 1979 champions.
They watched Roethlisberger run his spurt of consecutive victories as a starting quarterback to 26 since his Miami (Ohio) college days and a baker's dozen with the Steelers, meaning, yes, Big Ben struck 13 yesterday when he completed 14 of 19 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns. On a hit following the second scoring pass, Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs got a roughing-the-passer penalty, and Roethlisberger got injured ribs, the extent of which weren't known last night.
And the crowd watched Jerome Bettis run, run, run. In his sixth start for Duce Staley, out with a balky hamstring, Bettis compiled 117 yards on 27 carries. It was his 60th career 100-yard day, his 49th with the Steelers and, coinciding with his starts, his sixth this season.
Before anyone starts talking about the Super Bowl, remember this point: These Steelers have played four AFC championship games at home under coach Bill Cowher and lost three, most recently at Heinz Field to the eventual-champ New England Patriots three years ago.
Seven of the past 11 Super Bowl champions held home-field advantage in the playoffs. Eleven of the past 17 AFC championship games were won by the home side, even if these Steelers were responsible for half those home losses. On the flip side, it's also important to note that Cowher's clubs have gone 0-3 in the playoffs on the road.
"That's what's important, having home-field advantage," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "Teams have to come in here, with the weather, field, fans. ... That's to our advantage."
"This is Pittsburgh Steelers football weather," defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen said. "The colder it is, the more fun it is. You've got to run the ball in this weather, and that's what we do best."
"We're on the road to try to get to the Super Bowl," defensive end Aaron Smith said.
Even if that road, secured yesterday, is North Shore Drive.
<HR>(Chuck Finder can be reached at cfinder@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1724.)
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"Oh, yeah, it's awesome," bruising fullback Dan Kreider said. "Talk about a home-field advantage. You see that field out there? The field has been worn down. A lot of people don't know what they're getting into until they get out there."
"Playing on this field is important," cornerback Deshea Townsend said. "This is by far one of the best places to play. And the fans, they're here win, lose or draw."
Some 64,227 patrons -- the fifth-largest crowd in Steelers history and fourth-largest for a regular-season game -- came out in 26-degree weather that dropped snow on parts of Pittsburgh through the morning.
They watched the Steelers run their record to 14-1, tying the previous franchise highwater mark for victories, set by the 1978 Super Bowl champions at 14-2. They watched the Steelers run their 2004 home record to 8-0, only the second such perfect regular-season home schedule in the team's history, joining the 1979 champions.
They watched Roethlisberger run his spurt of consecutive victories as a starting quarterback to 26 since his Miami (Ohio) college days and a baker's dozen with the Steelers, meaning, yes, Big Ben struck 13 yesterday when he completed 14 of 19 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns. On a hit following the second scoring pass, Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs got a roughing-the-passer penalty, and Roethlisberger got injured ribs, the extent of which weren't known last night.
And the crowd watched Jerome Bettis run, run, run. In his sixth start for Duce Staley, out with a balky hamstring, Bettis compiled 117 yards on 27 carries. It was his 60th career 100-yard day, his 49th with the Steelers and, coinciding with his starts, his sixth this season.
Before anyone starts talking about the Super Bowl, remember this point: These Steelers have played four AFC championship games at home under coach Bill Cowher and lost three, most recently at Heinz Field to the eventual-champ New England Patriots three years ago.
Seven of the past 11 Super Bowl champions held home-field advantage in the playoffs. Eleven of the past 17 AFC championship games were won by the home side, even if these Steelers were responsible for half those home losses. On the flip side, it's also important to note that Cowher's clubs have gone 0-3 in the playoffs on the road.
"That's what's important, having home-field advantage," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "Teams have to come in here, with the weather, field, fans. ... That's to our advantage."
"This is Pittsburgh Steelers football weather," defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen said. "The colder it is, the more fun it is. You've got to run the ball in this weather, and that's what we do best."
"We're on the road to try to get to the Super Bowl," defensive end Aaron Smith said.
Even if that road, secured yesterday, is North Shore Drive.
<HR>(Chuck Finder can be reached at cfinder@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1724.)
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