GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NFL: PITTSBURGH (4-1) at DENVER (2-3)

NFL: PITTSBURGH at DENVER

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NFL
PITTSBURGH 28
DENVER 31 FINAL</div>

 

NFL: PITTSBURGH at DENVER

<div class="pre">NFL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PITTSBURGH 7 0 7 14 28
DENVER 7 14 7 3 31 FINAL

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: PIT - TD, HEATH MILLER 1 YD PASS FROM BEN
ROETHLISBERGER (JEFF REED KICK),
4:00. Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards in
4:00. Key plays: Roethlisberger
40-yard pass to Washington on
3rd-and-7 to Denver 17;
Roethlisberger 7-yard pass to
Miller on 3rd-and-4 to Denver 4.
PITTSBURGH 7-0
DEN - TD, BRANDON STOKLEY 15 YD PASS FROM JAY
CUTLER (JASON ELAM KICK), 8:43.
Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards in 4:43.
Key plays: Cutler 26-yard pass to
Scheffler to Pittsburgh 43; Cutler
12-yard pass to Stokley to
Pittsburgh 27. PITTSBURGH 7-7
2ND QUARTER: DEN - TD, CECIL SAPP 1 YD PASS FROM JAY
CUTLER (JASON ELAM KICK), 10:59.
Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards in 3:15.
Key plays: Williams interception at
Denver 39; Cutler 31-yard run plus
8-yard unnecessary roughness
penalty on Steelers' Polamalu to
Pittsburgh 7. DENVER 14-7
DEN - TD, TIM CROWDER 50 YD FUMBLE RETURN
(JASON ELAM KICK), 12:29. DENVER
21-7
3RD QUARTER: PIT - TD, SANTONIO HOLMES 13 YD PASS FROM BEN
ROETHLISBERGER (JEFF REED KICK),
6:50. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards in
4:11. Key plays: Foote 14-yard
interception return to Denver 41;
Roethlisberger 11-yard run on
3rd-and-8 to Denver 28; Parker
15-yard run to Denver 13. DENVER
21-14
DEN - TD, TONY SCHEFFLER 1 YD PASS FROM JAY
CUTLER (JASON ELAM KICK), 15:00.
Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards in 8:10.
Key plays: Cutler 19-yard pass to
Marshall to Denver 40; Sapp 3-yard
run on 3rd-and-1 to Pittsburgh 48;
Cutler 16-yard pass to Young on
3rd-and-14 to Pittsburgh 36;
Cutler 17-yard pass to Stokley to
Pittsburgh 27; Cutler 22-yard pass
to Marshall to Pittsburgh 1. DENVER
28-14
4TH QUARTER: PIT - TD, MATT SPAETH 13 YD PASS FROM BEN
ROETHLISBERGER (JEFF REED KICK),
4:50. Drive: 10 plays, 94 yards in
4:50. Key plays: Roethlisberger
10-yard pass to Holmes plus 15-yard
unnecessary roughness penalty on
Broncos' Lynch to Pittsburgh 34;
Roethlisberger 22-yard pass to
Parker to Denver 47; Parker
24-yard run to Denver 23;
Roethlisberger 1-yard run on
4th-and-1 to Denver 13. DENVER
28-21
PIT - TD, HEATH MILLER 12 YD PASS FROM BEN
ROETHLISBERGER (JEFF REED KICK),
13:50. Drive: 12 plays, 78 yards in
6:37. Key plays: Roethlisberger
16-yard pass to Ward on 3rd-and-8
to Denver 49; Roethlisberger
12-yard pass to Parker to Denver
37; Roethlisberger 12-yard pass to
Wilson on 3rd-and-10 to Denver 25.
PITTSBURGH 28-28
DEN - FG, JASON ELAM 49 YD, 15:00. Drive: 7
plays, 49 yards in 1:10. Key plays:
Cutler 16-yard pass to Scheffler to
Denver 36; Cutler 11-yard pass to
Martinez to Pittsburgh 39. DENVER
31-28

ATT: 77,038</div>

 

NFL: PITTSBURGH at DENVER

<div class="pre">NFL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PITTSBURGH 7 0 7 14 28
DENVER 7 14 7 3 31 FINAL

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER:

4:00 PIT - TD, HEATH MILLER 1 YD PASS FROM BEN ROETHLISBERGER (JEFF REED KICK).
Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards in 4:00.
Key plays: Roethlisberger 40-yard pass to Washington on 3rd-and-7 to
Denver 17; Roethlisberger 7-yard pass to Miller on 3rd-and-4 to Denver 4.
PITTSBURGH 7-0.
8:43 DEN - TD, BRANDON STOKLEY 15 YD PASS FROM JAY CUTLER (JASON ELAM KICK).
Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards in 4:43.
Key plays: Cutler 26-yard pass to Scheffler to Pittsburgh 43; Cutler
12-yard pass to Stokley to Pittsburgh 27. PITTSBURGH 7-7.

2ND QUARTER:

10:59 DEN - TD, CECIL SAPP 1 YD PASS FROM JAY CUTLER (JASON ELAM KICK).
Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards in 3:15.
Key plays: Williams interception at Denver 39; Cutler 31-yard run
plus 8-yard unnecessary roughness penalty on Steelers' Polamalu to
Pittsburgh 7. DENVER 14-7.
12:29 DEN - TD, TIM CROWDER 50 YD FUMBLE RETURN (JASON ELAM KICK).
DENVER 21-7.

3RD QUARTER:

6:50 PIT - TD, SANTONIO HOLMES 13 YD PASS FROM BEN ROETHLISBERGER (JEFF REED KICK).
Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards in 4:11.
Key plays: Foote 14-yard interception return to Denver 41;
Roethlisberger 11-yard run on 3rd-and-8 to Denver 28; Parker 15-yard run
to Denver 13. DENVER 21-14.
15:00 DEN - TD, TONY SCHEFFLER 1 YD PASS FROM JAY CUTLER (JASON ELAM KICK).
Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards in 8:10.
Key plays: Cutler 19-yard pass to Marshall to Denver 40; Sapp
3-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to Pittsburgh 48; Cutler 16-yard pass to Young on
3rd-and-14 to Pittsburgh 36; Cutler 17-yard pass to Stokley to Pittsburgh
27; Cutler 22-yard pass to Marshall to Pittsburgh 1. DENVER 28-14.

4TH QUARTER:

4:50 PIT - TD, MATT SPAETH 13 YD PASS FROM BEN ROETHLISBERGER (JEFF REED KICK).
Drive: 10 plays, 94 yards in 4:50.
Key plays: Roethlisberger 10-yard pass to Holmes plus 15-yard
unnecessary roughness penalty on Broncos' Lynch to Pittsburgh 34;
Roethlisberger 22-yard pass to Parker to Denver 47; Parker 24-yard run
to Denver 23; Roethlisberger 1-yard run on 4th-and-1 to Denver 13.
DENVER 28-21.
13:50 PIT - TD, HEATH MILLER 12 YD PASS FROM BEN ROETHLISBERGER (JEFF REED KICK).
Drive: 12 plays, 78 yards in 6:37.
Key plays: Roethlisberger 16-yard pass to Ward on 3rd-and-8 to
Denver 49; Roethlisberger 12-yard pass to Parker to Denver 37;
Roethlisberger 12-yard pass to Wilson on 3rd-and-10 to Denver 25.
PITTSBURGH 28-28.
15:00 DEN - FG, JASON ELAM 49 YD.
Drive: 7 plays, 49 yards in 1:10.
Key plays: Cutler 16-yard pass to Scheffler to Denver 36; Cutler
11-yard pass to Martinez to Pittsburgh 39. DENVER 31-28.

PITTSBURGH - DENVER Final Statistics

TEAM STATISTICS PITTSBURGH DENVER

FIRST DOWNS 24 21
Rushing 6 4
Passing 17 15
Penalty 1 2
THIRD DOWN EFFICIENCY 8-12-67% 7-10-70%
FOURTH DOWN EFFICIENCY 1-1-100% 0-0-0%
TOTAL NET YARDS 379 324
Total offensive plays 65 55
Average gain per play 5.8 5.9
NET YARDS RUSHING 119 90
Rushing attempts 26 24
Average gain per rush 4.6 3.8
Tackles for loss-yards 4-11 3-8
NET YARDS PASSING 260 234
Times sacked: Number-Yards 4-30 2-14
Gross passing yards 290 248
PASS ATTEMPTS-COMPLETIONS-HAD INTERCEPTED 35-24-2 29-22-2
Avg gain per pass play 6.7 7.5
KICKOFFS: Number-In End Zone-Touchbacks 5-4-2 5-1-0
PUNTS: Number and Average 2-38.0 3-51.7
Had blocked 0 0
Net punting average 30.0 51.7
TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE (Not including kickoffs) 30 0
Number-Yards: Punt Returns 1-16 0-0
Number-Yards: Kickoff Returns 4-67 3-78
Number-Yards: Interception Returns 2-14 2-0
PENALTIES: Number-Yards 3-23 2-20
FUMBLES: Number-Lost 1-1 2-0
TOUCHDOWNS 4 4
Rushing 0 0
Passing 4 3
Interceptions 0 0
Other (blocked kicks, etc.) 0 1
EXTRA POINTS: Made-Attempts 4-4 4-4
Kicking: Made-Attempts 4-4 4-4
Passing: Made-Attempts 0-0 0-0
Rushing: Made-Attempts 0-0 0-0
FIELD GOALS: Made-Attempts 0-1 1-1
FGs - PATs had blocked 0-0 0-0
RED ZONE EFFICIENCY 4-4-100% 3-3-100%
GOAL TO GO EFFICIENCY 1-1-100% 2-2-100%
SAFETIES 0 0
TIME OF POSSESSION 31:35 28:25


INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

PITTSBURGH DENVER

RUSHING ATT YDS AVG LG TD RUSHING ATT YDS AVG LG TD
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
W PARKER 21 93 4.4 27 0 T HENRY 17 51 3.0 8 0
B ROETHLIS 3 20 6.7 11 0 J CUTLER 3 41 13.7 31 0
N DAVENPOR 2 6 3.0 3 0 C SAPP 1 3 3.0 3 0
S YOUNG 2 1 0.5 2 0
B STOKLEY 1 -6 -6.0 0 0

PASSING CM-AT-YDS IN TD LG PASSING CM-AT-YDS IN TD LG
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
B ROETHLIS 24-35-290 2 4 40 J CUTLER 22-29-248 2 3 26

Sacked-Yards Lost: B ROETHLIS 4-30. Sacked-Yards Lost: J CUTLER 2-14.

RECEIVING NO YDS AVG LG TD RECEIVING NO YDS AVG LG TD
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
H WARD 7 78 11.1 18 0 B MARSHALL 6 77 12.8 22 0
S HOLMES 6 54 9.0 16 1 B STOKLEY 5 70 14.0 17 1
H MILLER 5 50 10.0 27 2 T SCHEFFLE 5 50 10.0 26 1
W PARKER 2 34 17.0 22 0 B CLARK 2 14 7.0 7 0
N WASHINGT 1 40 40.0 40 0 S YOUNG 1 16 16.0 16 0
M SPAETH 1 13 13.0 13 1 G MARTINEZ 1 11 11.0 11 0
C WILSON 1 12 12.0 12 0 D GRAHAM 1 9 9.0 9 0
C DAVIS 1 9 9.0 9 0 C SAPP 1 1 1.0 1 1

INTERCEPTIONS NO YDS AVG LG TD INTERCEPTIONS NO YDS AVG LG TD
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
L FOOTE 1 14 14.0 14 0 D BLY 1 0 0.0 0 0
A SMITH 1 0 0.0 0 0 D WILLIAMS 1 0 0.0 0 0

PUNTING NO YDS AVG T I LG PUNTING NO YDS AVG T I LG
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
D SEPULVED 2 76 38.0 0 1 46 T SAUERBRU 3 155 51.7 0 1 64

T = Touchbacks, I = Inside 20

PUNT RETURNS NO YDS AVG LG TD PUNT RETURNS NO YDS AVG LG TD
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
A ROSSUM 1 16 16.0 16 0

KICKOFF RETURNS NO YDS AVG LG TD KICKOFF RETURNS NO YDS AVG LG TD
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
A ROSSUM 3 48 16.0 24 0 S YOUNG 2 47 23.5 25 0
N DAVENPORT 1 19 19.0 19 0 G MARTINEZ 1 31 31.0 31 0

KICKING XP/XPA FG/FGA KICKING XP/XPA FG/FGA
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
J REED 4/4 0/1 J ELAM 4/4 1/1
Dist.: (65) Dist.: 49

O-D O-D
FUMBLES NO LOST FF REC FUMBLES NO LOST FF REC
------------------------------------ ------------------------------------
B ROETHLISBERGER 1 1 0 0-0 J CUTLER 1 0 0 0-0
L FOOTE 0 0 1 0-0 T HENRY 1 0 0 0-0
L WOODLEY 0 0 1 0-0 E DUMERVIL 0 0 1 0-0
T CROWDER 0 0 0 0-1
M LEPSIS 0 0 0 1-0
B MARSHALL 0 0 0 1-0

DEFENSE TK SO AS SK-YD DEFENSE TK SO AS SK-YD
------------------------------------ ------------------------------------
J HARRISON 9 9 0 1-3 D FOXWORTH 10 7 3 0-0
T POLAMALU 7 6 1 0-0 D WILLIAMS 9 7 2 0-0
L FOOTE 6 5 1 0-0 N FERGUSON 8 6 2 0-0
C HAGGANS 5 3 2 0-0 I GOLD 6 6 0 0-0
R CLARK 4 4 0 0-0 J LYNCH 6 4 2 0-0
J FARRIOR 4 3 1 0-0 N WEBSTER 5 2 3 0-0
I TAYLOR 3 3 0 0-0 E DUMERVIL 4 4 0 2-18
W GAY 3 3 0 0-0 A MCKINLEY 3 3 0 1-4
C HAMPTON 3 0 3 0-0 D BLY 3 2 1 0-0
D TOWNSEND 2 2 0 0-0 J ENGELBERGER 3 1 2 1-8
A SMITH 2 2 0 0-0 J SHOATE 1 1 0 0-0
N EASON 2 1 1 0-0 J MOSS 1 1 0 0-0
L WOODLEY 1 1 0 1-11
C HOKE 1 1 0 0-0
T KIRSCHKE 1 0 1 0-0
B KEISEL 1 0 1 0-0
A SMITH 1 0 1 0-0

Officials: Referee-Bill Carollo, Umpire-Bill Schuster, Head
Linesman-Paul Weidner, Line Judge-Gary Arthur, Field Judge-Bill
Lovett, Side Judge-James Coleman, Back Judge-Phil Luckett.

Att: 77,038 Time of Game: 3:02</div>

 

By Tony Desiere
PA Sportsticker Contributing Writer


DENVER (Ticker) - It appears the Denver Broncos put their byeweek to good use.


Jason Elam kicked a 49-yard field goal as time expired to liftthe Broncos to a 31-28 triumph over the Pittsburgh Steelers onSunday.


Jay Cutler completed 22-of-29 passes for 248 yards and threetouchdowns for Denver, which entered its week six bye with three<div class="pre">consecutive losses to Jacksonville , Indianapolis , and San</div>Diego.


Starting at their own 20-yard-line with 1:10 left in regulation,Cutler orchestrated a seven-play, 49-yard drive to set upElam's heroics. The second-year signal called completed 4-of-5passes on the final drive for 45 yards.


"I get nervous in practice," Elam said. "If you don't there issomething wrong with you. You just have to stay calm and trustyour swing."


"It's always nice to find a way to win," Broncos coach MikeShanahan said. "Both teams fought and it is always nice to makesome plays at the end of the game and find a way to win."

Trailing, 28-21, with 7:47 remaining, Ben Roethlisberger wasable to march the Steelers down the field to tie the game. Heconnected with Heath Miller on a 12-yard touchdown pass to knotthe score at 28-28 with 70 ticks left.


It was not the first time they hooked up on the night.Roethlisberger also hit Miller for a one-yard touchdown on thegame's opening drive to give the Steelers an early 7-0advantage.


Denver came right back with their own touchdown drive, going 68yards in nine plays, ending with a 14-yard touchdown pass fromJay Cutler to Brandon Stokely.


Then the Broncos defense showed up.


After Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams intercepted aRoethlisberger pass, the Broncos drove 61 yards in six plays fortheir second touchdown, a one-yard touchdown pass from Cutler toCecil Sapp to make the score 14-7.


The drive included a 31-yard scramble by Cutler that was aidedby an unnecessary roughness call by Steelers safety TroyPolamalu after a hit to Cutler's helmet.


After Pittsburgh took over on the ensuing kickoff, Roethlisbergerwas sacked and lost the football. Denver defensive end TimCrowder picked it up and raced 50 yards to end zone, to giveDenver a 21-7 lead.


"We were all trying to get it," Crowder said. "I thought when Igot the end zone that it was going to be called back orsomething. It feels great to win a game like this."

"We have to get turnovers," Shanahan said. "Fortunately we wonthe turnover battle today and had a big touchdown on thatreturn."


The Steelers got back on the scoreboard in the third quarterafter Larry Foote intercepted Cutler' pass, setting thePittsburgh offense up at the Denver 41-yard line. Roethlisbergerdrove Pittsburgh down the field, hitting Santonio Holmes for a13-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 21-14.


"I'm really proud of the way the guys came out in the secondhalf," Roethlisberger said. "The offensive line did a great job.The receivers got open for me, and when they weren't open theymade plays."


Denver answered right back, scoring on a long 13-play, 79-yarddrive that ate up the over eight minutes of game time. Cutler,who threw two interceptions, tossed this third touchdown pass ofthe game, a one-yard score to tight end Tony Scheffler. On thedrive, the Broncos converted two third downs of 14 yards.

"We were confident," Cutler said. "Our guys stepped up and didwell today. Hopefully this gets us rolling again."

"We need to stop people on third down," Pittsburgh linebackerFoote said. "We dug ourselves a hole a bit. In the end, we needto get off the field and give our offense a chance."

With the Steelers down 28-14, the Pittsburgh offense drove 94yards, finishing with a 13-yard touchdown strike fromRoethlisberger to tight end Matt Spaeth.


"Ben's play mirrored our offense tonight," Steelers coach MikeTomlin said. "Our offense learned a lot about ourselves tonightto come back out in the second half and get us back in thefootball game."


Roethlisberger finished with 290 yards passing and fourtouchdowns but he was intercepted twice and committed a crucialfumble.