FLASH RECAP:
Ben Roethlisberger accounts for four touchdowns and Pittsburg's revved-up defense has six sacks as the Steelers end Oakland's three-game winning streak before an announced crowd of 64,987 at Heinz Field on Nov. 21, 2010.
Roethlisberger is 18 of 29 for 275 yards and three touchdowns and has 55 rushing yards and a score. The Steelers (7-3) reel off 35 unanswered points after the Raiders take a 3-0 lead on a Sebastian Janikowski 41-yard field goal.
Linebacker James Harrison leads the Pittsburgh defense with five tackles, two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble.
The Raiders (5-5) have only 61 rushing yards against the Steelers' No. 1-ranked run defense. Oakland's Darren McFadden is held to 14 rushing yards on 10 carries. He enters the game with a league-leading 108.1 rushing yards per game average.
In winning their three previous games, the Raiders average 458 yards and 38.3 points. Against Pittsburgh, Oakland finishes with 182 total yards and is 2-of-13 on third-dowwn efficiency.
The Raiders' Jason Campbell is 7 of 19 for 70 yards and a 26.2 passer rating. Bruce Gradkowski, who replaces Campbell late in the third quarter, is 13 of 24 for 98 yards and a 46.9 rating.
Oakland defensive lineman Richard Seymour is ejected after striking Roethlisberger in the jaw with an open hand as the Steelers quarterback celebrates his TD pass to Emmanuel Sanders late in the second quarter.
"I haven't seen a quarterback get punched since I've been in a league, after a play like that," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin tells reporters after Pittsburgh ends a two-game losing streak to Oakland. "It was unfortunate. "... (The game) got away from us all (Sunday). I'm not going to let that play cloud my opinion of Richard Seymour."
Seymour said: "It was a lot of ongoing (stuff), and you're out there to protect yourself. It's still no excuse. I'm not sure exactly what happened on the play. I just turned around, and he just ran up on me quick. It was just natural reaction."
The Steelers have a franchise-record 163 penalty yards on 14 penalties.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
Steelers defense — The unit doesn't allow a touchdown, has six sacks and two interceptions against an Oakland offense that averaged 38.6 points the previous three games.
QB Ben Roethlisberger — Throws for three touchdowns and runs for another. Big Ben completes 62.1 percent of his passes (19 of 28) and has a sizzling 127.8 passer rating.
WR Mike Wallace — Has 116 receiving yards on four catches. His 52-yard TD catch on the first play of the fourth quarter puts Oakland in a 28-3 hole.
WR Johnnie Lee Higgins — Has a game-high four catches for 37 yards.
DE Lamarr Houston — Contributes a sack and four total tackles.
RB Michael Bush — Has 33 (on four carries) of Oakland's 61 rushing yards.
KEY STATS:
The Steelers hold the Raiders to a season-low 61 rushing yards on 16 carries. Oakland enters the game ranked second in the NFL in rushing offense (162.2 yards per game).
Pittsburgh allows only three points after surrendering 39 the previous game during a 39-26 loss to New England.
With 116 receiving yards, Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace reaches 100 yards for the third straight game and fifth time this season.
THEY SAID IT:
Steelers LB James Farrior
"It definitely was an old school, physical type game from back in the day. That’s the type of game we wanted to make it, a physical game, and improve from our performance of last week.”
"We played against a really tough defense today that got after us. “Once we got behind the 8-ball and they got all the momentum, they just kept bringing it and bringing it.”
Raiders QB Jason Campbell
“We didn’t worry about the calls. When you’re getting a lot of penalties against you, it brings you together.”
Steelers LB James Harrison
BY THE NUMBERS:
2.8: Raiders' average gain on 65 plays compared to 6.7 yards on 64 plays for the Steelers.
32: Largest margin of victory by the Steelers over the Raiders during their all-time series, which began in 1970. Pittsburgh's previous largest marin of victory over Oakland was a 27-7 win in 2003.
36-11: Ben Roethlisberger's win-loss record at home during his Steelers' career.
52: Oakland total yards in the first half, including 11 rushing yards, as Pittsburgh builds a 21-3 lead.
DID YOU KNOW?:
With the loss, the Raiders fall to 5-7 all-time against the Steelers in games in Pittsburgh, including 0-2 postseason. Oakland drops to 2-3 against Pittsburgh at Heinz Field.
The Raiders have lost their past eight games after their bye week.
The Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger (7)
reaches for the end zone on a
TD run against the Raiders.
By Peter Diana/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
