Week 15 Game Recap: Pittsburgh Steelers 37, Carolina Panthers 3

What you need to know

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are finally playing up to their potential. Unfortunately, for them, it may be too late. With their dominating win against the Panthers, Pittsburgh has now won three in a row by a combined score of 84-13. However, in order to make the playoffs, they need to win their final two games and get lots of help.

Prior to Sunday’s performance, the Steelers had struggled on the road throughout the entire season, winning only once in Cleveland. It looked as if nothing was going to change early in the game. Pittsburgh netted minus one yard on their first three possessions and the defenses were dominating the game. However, the Steeler offense began to click on Pittsburgh’s fourth possession and marched on a 63 yard, nine play touchdown drive. An 18 yard screen pass to Najeh Davenport on a third down and 12 play set up the offense at the Panther one yard line. On the next play, Ben Roethlisberger faked a handoff to Willie Parker and then ran around the right end for an easy touchdown.

Pittsburgh’s run defense held Carolina to eight yards rushing in the first half and 43 yards for the game.

Like the Steelers, Willie Parker had struggled on the road, averaging only 46 yards rushing compared with 132 per game at Heinz Field. Parker must have thought this was a home game, because he finished with exactly 132 yards, including a 41 yard touchdown run. Parker is now one touchdown shy of the Steelers’ single season record of 15 by Louis Lipps in the 1985 season.

Hines Ward returned after sitting out the last two weeks with a knee injury. Ward looked good and led the Steelers in receiving with four catches for 59 yards.

Ben Roethlisberger played a solid, turnover free game. He finished 11 of 18 for 140 yards and one touchdown. He also ran for 12 yards and a score.

Carolina Panthers

Just like the Steelers, the Panthers have had a disappointing season. Once one of the favorites to play in the Super Bowl, Carolina has lost four in a row. Now, with a 6-8 record, the Panthers have little hope to make the playoffs.

With Jake Delhomme suffering from a torn ligament in his thumb, Chris Weinke started at quarterback for the second consecutive game. After winning his first career start, Weinke has now lost his last 17 games as a starter. Weinke didn’t get much help from his offensive line; he was sacked five times and was often forced to get rid of the ball quickly. Although he completed 18 of his 28 passes, he threw for only 170 yards. Weinke was intercepted once.

Carolina had little luck in the running game. At the half, they had eight yards on the ground. DeShaun Foster had a 29 yard run on the second play after halftime. For the rest of the game, the Panthers gained only 14 yards rushing.

Steve Smith was also frustrated by the Steelers’ defense and was held to 56 receiving yards on five catches.

Carolina lost every phase of the game and was especially hurt on special teams. The Steelers blocked a punt that set up a touchdown and returned another punt for a score after a Panthers’ penalty negated a muffed punt by Santonio Holmes.

What you ought to know

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 11 - 18 - 140 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 5 - 12 - 1

Roethlisberger played a safe, turnover free game. He completed 11 of his eighteen passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. Once the Steelers took control of the game, Roethlisberger did not have to throw often. Roethlisberger’s longest completion of the game was a 21 yard pass to Hines Ward. He barely overthrew Ward on another bomb and also just missed on a potential touchdown to Santonio Holmes. Holmes was slowed up on the play and may have been able to run down the deep pass. Instead, the Steelers got a pass interference call.

The Steelers called Roethlisberger’s number on running plays more frequently than in the past. He ran five times for 12 yards, including a one yard touchdown. On what was a designed play, Roethlisberger faked to Willie Parker, and then ran untouched around the right end for an easy score. He also had an eight yard gain on a naked bootleg.

QB Charlie Batch, Pass: 1 - 1 - 8 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - -1 - 0

Batch replaced Roethlisberger during the middle of the Steelers’ final scoring drive in the fourth quarter. He completed his only pass attempt, an eight yard gain to Santonio Holmes that converted a third down and seven. The drive stalled after three more running plays and the Steelers kicked a field goal.

Batch was credited with one yard lost on two kneel down plays.

RB Willie Parker, Rush: 23 - 132 - 1 (2 targets)

Prior to the game, Parker averaged only 46 rushing yards per game away from Pittsburgh and 132 yards at home. Parker hit his home average in this game. He averaged 5.7 yards on his 23 carries. Parker broke free through the left side of the line for a 41 yard touchdown late in the third quarter. The touchdown was his fourteenth of the season and leaves him one shy of Pittsburgh’s single season record.

RB Najeh Davenport, Rush: 11 - 14 - 0, Rec: 2 - 31 - 1 (2 targets)

Davenport was ineffective on the ground with eleven rushes for only fourteen yards. His long gain was a six yard run. Davenport’s impact came on his two receptions. Both came on screen passes in third and long situations. Davenport gained 18 yards and was stopped just short of the end zone on the first catch and scored a 13 yard touchdown on the second reception.

Davenport returned one kickoff for 21 yards.

RB John Kuhn, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (1 targets)

Kuhn had the second carry of his career for a two yard gain. His first career pass reception netted 15 yards.

RB Dan Kreider (1 targets)

Kreider dropped a swing pass on the first play of the game.

WR Hines Ward, Rec: 4 - 59 - 0 (6 targets)

Ward returned after a two week absence with a knee injury. He showed no ill affects and led the Steelers in receiving. Ward had two 21 yard receptions. Roethlisberger barely overthrew him on another bomb attempt.

WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 3 - 25 - 0 (5 targets)

With Hines Ward returning from injury, Holmes remained in the starting lineup. He caught three passes for 25 yards. Holmes was open on a deep pass attempt that could have resulted in a 31 yard touchdown. Instead, he was slowed by a Carolina defender and pass interference was called. Holmes did a nice job gaining yardage after his receptions. He was hit at the two yard line on a third down and goal play and was nearly able to stretch the football across the goal line. Later, Holmes fought though a tackle to gain the extra four yards he needed to make a first down.

Holmes muffed a punt that was recovered by the Panthers. The play was nullified by a Carolina penalty. Holmes returned the re-kick for a 65 yard touchdown.

WR Nate Washington, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0, Rec: 1 - 14 - 0 (1 targets)

Washington had one catch for 14 yards. He was given a rushing attempt on an end around that resulted in no gain.

WR Cedrick Wilson, Pass: 1 - 1 - 21 - 0 TD / 0 INT

Wilson, who was a high school quarterback, completed his first career pass. He took a handoff on an end around, stopped and gunned a 21 yard strike to Hines Ward. The pass had zip that any quarterback would be proud of.

TE Heath Miller, Rec: 2 - 25 - 0 (3 targets)

Miller had receptions for five and 20 yards.

PK Jeff Reed 3 - 3 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 13 points

Reed had a perfect day. He hit field goals of 19, 45, and 26 yards and converted all four of his extra point tries.

PIT Rush Defense

The Steelers held the Panthers to eight yards rushing in the first half and 43 yards for the game. DeShaun Foster had a 29 yard run on the second play after halftime. With the exception of that play, The Steel Curtain yielded only 14 rushing yards. James Farrior led the defense with seven solo tackles, an assist, and a sack.

PIT Pass Defense

The Steelers held the Panthers under 200 yards of net passing on 39 attempts. Chris Weinke was under pressure throughout the game and rarely had time to try to stretch the defense. The Steelers sacked him five times. Anthony Smith intercepted a Weinke deep pass attempt. Ike Taylor added an interception of a Brett Basanez pass late in the game. Brett Keisel led the Pittsburgh pass rush and had one and one half sacks. James Farrior and Larry Foote also had sacks. Clark Haggans chipped in with a half sack. Troy Polamalu missed his third game in a row with a knee injury.

QB Chris Weinke, Pass: 18 - 28 - 170 - 0 TD / 1 INT

Weinke started for the second consecutive game due to Jake Delhomme’s thumb injury. Weinke often found the Pittsburgh pass rush in his face. He was sacked five times. Weinke frequently lacked the time to go deep downfield and usually settled for short routes, often to his checkdown receivers. Weinke’s longest completions were two 19 yard passes. One was caught by Steve Smith, the other by Michael Gaines. Weinke was intercepted once on a deep pass attempt to Taye Biddle. Joey Porter dropped another potential interception.

Weinke won his first career start in 2001. He has lost seventeen straight since then.

QB Brett Basanez, Pass: 6 - 11 - 56 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0

Basanez, a rookie quarterback from Northwestern, saw the first action of his NFL career late in the game. He completed six of eleven passes for 56 yards. Basanez tried to hit Steve Smith in the end zone on a fourth and goal play. However, Smith was well covered and the pass should have been thrown deeper to the corner of the end zone to have a chance. As a result, Ike Taylor was able to intercept the pass and ice the game.

Basanez scrambled once for a two yard gain.

QB Jake Delhomme

Delhomme has a torn ligament in his thumb. With the Panthers’ playoff chances on life support, it is questionable whether he will play again this season.

RB DeShaun Foster, Rush: 7 - 42 - 0, Rec: 3 - 5 - 0 (4 targets)

Foster had only seven rushing attempts and averaged six yards on them. However, 29 of his yards came on one run early in the third quarter. Trailing most of the game, the Panthers elected to put the ball in the air and Foster did not get many touches. Foster had an eight yard reception. His other two catches resulted in no gain and a loss of three yards.

RB DeAngelo Williams, Rush: 2 - 2 - 0, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (3 targets)

Williams had two rushing attempts that each gained one yard. He also caught two passes for 11 yards. Williams returned five kickoffs for 91 total yards.

RB Eric Shelton, Rush: 1 - -3 - 0, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets)

Shelton lost three yards on his lone attempt. The run was only the eight carry of the season for Shelton. Shelton caught his first career pass for a six yard gain.

RB Brad Hoover, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets)

Hoover had an eight yard reception on his only target. He returned one kickoff or 21 yards.

WR Steve Smith, Rec: 5 - 56 - 0 (10 targets)

Smith led the Panthers in targets, receptions, and yardage, but was visibly frustrated by their struggles on offense. Smith’s long reception was a 19 yard catch. He was targeted deep on one occasion, but had to settle for short and medium routes. Smith was the target in the end zone on the Panthers’ final offensive play of the game, but Brett Basanez’s pass was intercepted.

WR Keyshawn Johnson, Rec: 4 - 45 - 0 (6 targets)

Johnson had four catches for 45 yards. He now has caught a pass in 165 straight games. Johnson nearly made a spectacular leaning grab along the sideline, but was unable to keep both toes down.

WR Karl Hankton, Rec: 2 - 20 - 0 (2 targets)

Hankton had only one reception on the season prior to the game. He added a two yard grab from Chris Weinke and hauled in an 18 yard pass from Brett Basanez.

WR Drew Carter, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (1 targets)

Carter had his best career game last week with eight receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown. He was targeted only once in this game and had a 15 yard grab before injuring his ankle. He did not return.

WR Taye Biddle, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (3 targets)

Biddle had his third career reception for a six yard gain. He was targeted on a deep Chris Weinke pass that was intercepted. Biddle returned two punts for 11 yards.

TE Michael Gaines, Rec: 4 - 54 - 0 (5 targets)

Gaines was targeted five times and caught four passes for 54 yards. His 19 yard catch tied for the Panthers’ longest reception of the game.

TE Jeff King (3 targets)

King was targeted three times by Brett Basanez late in the game. He is still looking for his first NFL reception, however.

PK John Kasay 1 - 2 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 3 points

Kasay missed a field goal for only the third time all season. It was a 50 yard attempt that sailed just wide to the left. He later nailed a 37 yard try for Carolina’s only points of the contest.

CAR Rush Defense

The game started off as a defensive battle, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at the scoreboard. Once the Steeler offense got rolling, The Panthers could do little to slow them. The Steelers rushed for 159 yards. Willie Parker had a big game with 132 yards, including a 41 yard touchdown. Richard Marshall led the defense with nine solo tackles.

CAR Pass Defense

The Steelers had only 147 net passing yards. That figure is mostly the result of having a comfortable lead throughout the game. Najeh Davenport twice burned the Carolina defense on screen passes. The first set up a one yard touchdown run. The second was a 13 yard touchdown. The Panther defense sacked Roethlisberger three times, but did not create any turnovers. Chris Gamble and Al Wallace both had sacks, while Mike Rucker and Chris Jenkins shared a sack. Rucker later left the game with what may have been a serious knee injury.