FLASH RECAP:
Chris Carr’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown propels Oakland to a pulsating victory over Pittsburgh before an announced crowd of 62,385 at McAfee Coliseum on Oct. 29, 2006.
Carr’s interception return (second longest in franchise history) is the signature play of Oakland’s boffo defensive performance.
The Raiders have four interceptions, five sacks and stop the Steelers on two possessions inside Oakland's 10-yard line during the fourth quarter.
The Raiders (2-5) win their second straight despite having no offensive touchdowns and only 98 total yards.
Nnamdi Asomugha, Fabian Washington and Kirk Morrison also have interceptions for the Raiders. Asomugha returns a Ben Roethlisberger interception 24 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.
The defending Super Bowl champion Steelers (2-5) self-destruct with four turnovers, five sacks allowed and four personal foul penalties.
Roethlisberger is 25-of-37 passing for 301 yards and a touchdown, but his four interceptions doom the Steelers to their fourth straight road loss.
The Raiders offense generates putrid numbers: 17 net passing yards, six sacks allowed and an average of 2.0 yards on 49 plays. Quarterback Andrew Walter is 5-of-14 passing for 51 yards. His efficiency rating is an embarrassing 17.3.
For the fourth time in seven games this season, the Raiders don't score an offensive touchdown.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
Raiders defense — The unit has four interceptions, five sacks and doesn’t allow any points on two Steelers penetrations inside the Oakland 8-yard line during the fourth quarter.
DB/KR Chris Carr — Returns a Ben Roethlisberger interception 100 yards for a touchdown, preventing the Steelers from scoring a game-tying touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Carr's 50-yard kickoff return late in the first half helps set up the second of two Sebastian Janikowski field goals.
MLB Kirk Morrison — Deflects a Ben Roethlisberger pass (which falls incomplete) on fourth-and-goal from the Oakland 3-yard line with 1:38 left and the Raiders clinging to a 20-13 lead. Morrison also stops a Pittsburgh drive at the Oakland 36-yard line with an interception on the first play of the fourth quarter. He finishes with nine solo tackles, an interception and two passes defensed.
LB Joey Porter — Has two sacks, an interception and two passes defensed.
WR Hines Ward — Contributes eight catches for 81 yards.
RB Willie Parker — Scores the game’s only offensive touchdown on a 25-yard screen pass from Ben Roethlisberger.
KEY STATS:
The Raiders force four interceptions, two of which are returned for touchdowns by Nnamdi Asomugha and Chris Carr.
The Raiders hold the Steelers to only 89 rushing yards. Oakland entered the game ranked 26th in NFL rush defense (allowing 132.5 yards per game).
TURNING POINT:
On third-and-goal from the Raiders’ 7, Oakland’s Chris Carr returns a Ben Roethlisberg interception 100 yards for a touchdown, giving the Raiders a 20-6 lead with 9:32 left.
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders MLB Kirk Morrison
"That’s a playoff atmosphere. People in the stands were standing up. It was great. The only thing we want to do is keep going up."
"Chris (Carr) came up with the biggest play I’ve ever been around. We were on the ropes at that point."
Raiders DT Warren Sapp
"I'm embarrassed about the way I played. I'm letting the whole team down. It just seems like one guy makes mistakes and that's me. ... In my wildest dreams, I didn't think I'd be playing this bad."
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberber
BY THE NUMBERS:
2: Ben Roethlisberger interceptions returned for touchdowns by the Raiders’ Nnamdi Asomugha (24 yards) and Chris Carr (100 yards).
2: Sacks by Raiders DE Derrick Burgess, who has five sacks the past three games.
98: Oakland total yards, two fewer than Chris Carr totals on his 100-yard interception return.
197: Ben Roethlisberger passing yards after the Raiders build a 20-6 lead with 9:32 left.
DID YOU KNOW?:
Chris Carr’s 100-yard interception return ranks second in Raiders franchise history. The club record is Eddie Anderson’s 102-yard interception return against the Dolphins on Dec. 14, 1992.
With the victory, the Raiders have a 9-8 edge over the Steelers in their regular-season series, which began in 1970. The teams are 3-3 in postseason.
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (7) is
sacked by Raiders DE Derrick Burgess.
