Week 13 Game Recap: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3, Pittsburgh Steelers 20

What you need to know

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It took Tampa Bay nearly three full quarters to get into scoring range and when they did, it resulted in an interception. QB Bruce Gradkowski’s homecoming to Pittsburgh started and ended on a sour note as the rookie generated very little offense. Of their 13 offensive possessions, the Buccaneers turned the ball over four times plus a fifth time on downs, punted six times and ran out the clock at halftime. It’s only scoring drive was when Matt Bryant kicked a meaningless field goal at the end of regulation.

Gradkowski completed seven of ten first half passes for 68 yards plus one interception, and went 13 for 20 for 107 yards with two more interceptions in the second half. He totaled 175 yards in all, but wasn’t able to lead a drive longer than 45 yards until the Tampa’s final possession (57 yards). Gradkowski was also sacked five times and had to scramble for 26 rushing yards under heavy pressure. His only real scoring chance ended with his second interception, when he threw a fade pattern just over WR Maurice Stovall and into CB Bryant McFadden’s hands in the end zone.

Gradkowski had little help from his running game as RB Cadillac Williams gained just 27 yards, 22 of which came in the first half. His 11 carries were his third lowest of the season and he only got four second half carries, despite his team being down just ten points through three quarters. He sat most of the fourth quarter and watched Earnest Graham run four times for 35 yards to lead the team in rushing.

WR Michael Clayton led the Buccaneers in receiving with four receptions and 57 yards with a long of 21, but he’ll be most remembered for his dropped pass that would have been good for a 39 yard touchdown in the third quarter. Williams also had four receptions for 30 yards and WR Joey Galloway added three for 37. Nine different players caught passes for Tampa Bay.

The Buccaneers’ defense put up a good fight, allowing just 267 total yards and shut down the Pittsburgh ground game (2.5 yards per carry). But it could not stop the Steelers from scoring inside the red zone, giving up two touchdown passes to tight ends and a field goal. LB Shelton Quarles led the team with ten tackles and a sack.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers were nearly as lethargic on offense as the Buccaneers were, but managed to take advantage of four turnovers and turned them into 17 points. Pittsburgh gained 144 first half yards despite having just 19 rushing yards on 11 carries from RB Willie Parker. QB Ben Roethlisberger made up for it with 138 first half passing yards. He threw a two yard touchdown pass to TE Jerame Tuman late in the first quarter.

Roethlisberger went three for nine in the second half for 60 yards, including a 16 yard touchdown strike to TE Heath Miller. Parker (22-61 overall) turned it up a bit with 42 yards on 11 second half carries even though he didn’t have a gain longer than three yards until two minutes left in the third quarter. Parker had 28 fourth quarter yards before giving way to RB Najeh Davenport (six carries, eight yards) in garbage time.

WR Nate Washington, starting in place of the injured Hines Ward, had only three receptions, but made them count for 78 yards. WR Cedrick Wilson started off well, with two early receptions for 26 yards, but left the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury and did not return. WR Santonio Holmes did not meet his higher expectations with Ward out, catching just one pass for 18 yards.

The Steelers’ defense saved the offense more headaches by forcing four turnovers, including three interceptions. They held Tampa Bay to 96 first half yards, and 101 second half yards, before giving up an additional 57 yards in mop up time (254 total). CB Bryant McFadden had 8 solo tackles and an interception and LB Joey Porter had two of the Steelers' five sacks.

What you ought to know

QB Bruce Gradkowski, Pass: 20 - 34 - 175 - 0 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 6 - 26 - 0

Gradkowski had a miserable start. He didn’t complete a pass until late in the first quarter and followed it up with his first of three interceptions. He was able to complete five of his final six pass attempts in the second quarter but went into the locker room with 68 yards. He came out more confident in the third quarter completing seven of his first 11 attempts but his 12th attempt was an interception on a fade pass from the four yard line. His throw was just out of the reach of WR Maurice Stovall along the far left side of the end zone. He only had two completions over 16 yards, although WR Michael Clayton dropped a potential 39 yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. His other two interceptions were to linebackers who were camped out in the passing lane and stepped right in front of his targets. He nearly threw a fourth, but CB Deshea Townsend dropped an easy screen pass that would have gone for six points the other way. Gradkowski had 26 rushing yards on QB scrambles.

RB Cadillac Williams, Rush: 11 - 27 - 0, Rec: 4 - 30 - 0 (5 targets)

History has shown this season that when Williams does not get 20 carries, he fails to get 80 or more yards while the Buccaneers never fail to lose. True to form, Tampa lost and Williams logged in another disappointing effort with 27 yards on 11 carries. 22 of his yards came in the first half and he only had four carries in the second, despite Tampa Bay being down only 10 points through three quarters. He had a long gain of ten and added 30 receiving yards on dump off passes from QB Bruce Gradkowski, but fumbled twice (one was reversed on a challenge) and sat almost the entire fourth quarter as the team trailed by 17 points. Williams also dropped a pass on third and two for an easy first down pick up.

RB Mike Alstott, Rush: 6 - 13 - 0, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (3 targets)

Alstott was ineffective as a short yardage runner, failing to gain a first down on third and short, and losing a yard on first and goal from the three yard line. He had 13 yards on six carries and caught one pass for six yards.

RB Earnest Graham, Rush: 4 - 35 - 0 (1 targets)

Graham had twice the number of carries he’s had all season and led the team with 35 yards, all during garbage time in the fourth quarter, including 33 yards on his final three carries.

RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets)

Pittman fumbled his only carry, but fell on top of it for minus one yard, and caught one pass for seven yards. He added a kick return for 12 yards and four punt return yards.

WR Michael Clayton, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0, Rec: 4 - 57 - 0 (5 targets)

Clayton was the recipient of QB Bruce Gradkowski’s first completion for 21 yards late in the first quarter over the middle but the drive ended on an interception the very next play. He also had catches of 16, 11 and nine yards, but should have had a 39 yard touchdown pass had he not let the perfect pass bounce right off his hands in stride in the third quarter. His 11 yarder helped make up for it to put Tampa at the Steelers’ three yard line, but Gradkowski was intercepted in the end zone two plays later. Clayton also picked up a first down with a three yard run on a pseudo end around / pitch out.

WR Joey Galloway, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0, Rec: 3 - 37 - 0 (7 targets)

Galloway had Tampa’s long reception of the day on a 24 yard catch in the third quarter but could only manage three receptions for the third consecutive week. His first two receptions and a seven yard end around were in the second quarter and he was the target of QB Bruce Gradkowski’s first interception in the first quarter.

WR Ike Hilliard, Rec: 2 - 13 - 0 (7 targets)

Hilliard had just two receptions for 13 yards. He was targeted twice late in the game during the two minute drill, once just shy of the end zone and he dropped a touchdown pass on the next play. He was also the target of QB Bruce Gradkowski’s third interception.

WR Maurice Stovall, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (2 targets)

Stovall caught an 11 yard out pass in the two minute drill as time was winding down, and was the target of QB Bruce Gradkowski’s second interception when a fade pass was just out of his reach in the end zone.

TE Anthony Becht, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (2 targets)

Becht caught two short passes for ten yards.

TE Alex Smith, Rec: 2 - 4 - 0 (3 targets)

Smith caught two even shorter passes than Becht and was gang tackled both times for a total of four yards.

PK Matt Bryant 1 - 1 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 3 points

Bryant sheepishly kicked a 27 yard field goal as time expired to save the team from getting shut out.

TB Rush Defense

The Buccaneers did an admirable job, shutting down RB Willie Parker (61 yards) and held the Steelers to just 2.5 yards per carry. Parker did not have a gain of more than three yards until two minutes left in the third quarter and only once allowed him to gain any significant yardage with a 14 yard jaunt in the fourth quarter.

TB Pass Defense

This unit fared relatively well, but gave up 16.5 yards per completion and could not keep the Steelers off the board three times in the red zone. Both of the Steelers' touchdowns were passes to the tight ends, one inside the five yard line on play action, and the other on a broken play. LB Shelton Quarles had ten tackles and a sack and Derrick Brooks had an interception.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pass: 12 - 25 - 198 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 2 - 0

Roethlisberger got off to another rocky start, tossing his 20th interception of the season on his second pass of the game. The pass was a quick timing pattern to WR Nate Washington, but Roethlisberger didn’t see LB Derrick Brooks drop into coverage and was therefore able to step in front of the pass. He did complete nine of 14 first half attempts for 138 yards and found TE Jerame Tuman in the back of the end zone for a two yard score in the second quarter. He was only three of nine in the second half, but his three completions totaled 60 yards, including his long of 36 yards to WR Nate Washington down the left sideline. On the next play, he scrambled to his left, directed TE Heath Miller off of his post pattern and the two connected on a 16 yard touchdown pass to start the fourth quarter. Roethlisberger appeared to be injured in the second quarter favoring his right foot, but seemed okay after an injury timeout to a Tampa player. With the game in hand, he sat the majority of the fourth quarter and watched backup QB Charlie Batch finish the game.

QB Charlie Batch

Batch did not attempt a pass while playing much of the fourth quarter in relief of Roethlisberger.

RB Willie Parker, Rush: 22 - 61 - 0, Rec: 1 - 25 - 0 (2 targets)

Parker’s struggles continued since his Week 10 performance as he gained just 19 first half yards and salvaged his day with 86 total yards (61 rush, 25 receiving) all the while failing to reach 3.0 yards per carry. In fact Parker’s first 14 carries gained three yards or less, until he gained five yards on consecutive carries late in the third quarter. He gained 28 fourth quarter yards which included his long of 14 yards on a counter right handoff, and added one reception for 25 yards when he took a dump pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger in the second quarter to help set up a Jeff Reed field goal. He was replaced by RB Najeh Davenport midway through the fourth quarter.

RB Najeh Davenport, Rush: 6 - 8 - 0, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (3 targets)

Davenport was of little use to the running game, gaining eight yards on six carries, five of which were in mop of time late in the fourth quarter. He had two receptions for 22 yards and dropped another short pass on third and 10. He had one kick return for 21 yards.

RB Dan Kreider, Rush: 1 - 5 - 0

Kreider got his first carry of the year and plowed ahead for five yards early in the second quarter.

WR Nate Washington, Rec: 3 - 78 - 0 (7 targets)

Washington replaced WR Hines Ward in the starting lineup and, like Ward, led the team in receiving. He only had three receptions, but averaged 26 yards a catch, thanks to his 36 yard over the shoulder catch on the final play of the third quarter to set up the Steelers second touchdown. He also had a 21 yard reception down the right seam in the second quarter and an 18 yard reception on the next drive to help set up a field goal. Washington caught two other passes from Roethlisberger, that could have put him over 100 yards, but both passes were ruled out of bounds.

WR Cedrick Wilson, Rec: 2 - 26 - 0 (2 targets)

Wilson got off to a solid start catching two passes for 13 yards each on the team’s second drive but sprained his left ankle on his second catch and had to be helped off the field. He was later carted to the locker room and did not return to the game. With a short week ahead for the Steelers, Wilson is unlikely to play when they host the Cleveland Browns, Thursday night.

WR Santonio Holmes, Rec: 1 - 18 - 0 (6 targets)

Holmes caught a first quarter pass for 18 yards to help set up the Steelers first touchdown, but did not factor in the offense from that moment on, outside of a dropped pass on third and 10 that would have gained nine. He had two punt returns for a total of 12 yards. He figures to play a significant role this Thursday with receivers Hines Ward and Cedrick Wilson likely out with injuries.

TE Heath Miller, Rec: 2 - 27 - 1 (3 targets)

Miller caught the first pass of the day for Pittsburgh for 11 yards and hauled in the Steelers’ second touchdown in the third quarter. He was directed off his post pattern by QB Ben Roethlisberger and reversed his direction to corral a 16 yard pass in the left side of the end zone. Miller might line up in the slot in four WR sets this weekend with injuries likely preventing Hines Ward and Cedrick Wilson from playing.

TE Jerame Tuman, Rec: 1 - 2 - 1 (1 targets)

Tuman caught one pass for two yards which was good for six points in the second quarter.

PK Jeff Reed 2 - 3 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points

Reed kicked a 50 yard field goal, the longest NFL field goal in Heinz Field six year history. He then followed it up by hooking a 32 yard attempt in the fourth quarter, but made up for it with a 39 yarder on the next drive. He made both of his extra points.

PIT Rush Defense

The Steelers stifled the Tampa rushing attack, holding RB Cadillac Williams to 22 first half yards and 27 overall. They gave up 35 yards to fourth string RB Earnest Graham in garbage time and forced QB Bruce Gradkowski out of the pocket for 26 rushing yards on QB scrambles. LB James Farrior had 12 total tackles.

PIT Pass Defense

The Steelers swarmed QB Bruce Gradkowski sacking him five times, twice by LB Joey Porter, and forced him into throwing three interceptions which resulted in 17 points. CB Bryant McFadden led the team with 8 solo tackles and made a touchdown saving interception on a fade pass – a play in which the Steelers have had issues with in the past. S Ryan Clark suffered an injured groin, which likely leaves the Steelers with two backup safeties to start this Thursday when they host the Cleveland Browns. S Troy Polamalu is still recovering from a second-degree MCL tear in his left knee.