Parker Asks The Coach To Start "The Bus" On Sunday !

The Pittsburgh Steelers starting running back, Willie Parker will ask coach Bill Cowher to start Jerome "the Bus" Bettis in his place on Sunday at Heinz Field against the Detroit Lions. This may be Jerome's last home game with the Pittsburgh Steelers. As the Steelers march toward the Super Bowl, they will play no games at home. Jerome Bettis is a Detroit native and is hoping to play in the Super Bowl in his hometown, but if that doesn't happen, the 5th leading rusher in NFL history would like nothing better than to play his last home game against his hometown team. Willie Parker has so much respect and confidence in Jerome Bettis that he's willing to step aside for the future Hall of Famer. Jerome expressed what an honor it is for Willie to do that. Hear and see Willie Parker and Jerome Bettis as they talk to reporters about Willie's tribute to Bettis. Hear Jerome Bettis as he speaks about the fact that this might be his last home game with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Play Audio

And The Winner Of The Steelers MVP Is Or Are ?

The Pittsburgh Steelers named co-MVPs for only the 2nd time since Bill Cowher has been coaching the team. The team selected defensive nose tackle, Casey Hampton and wide receiver Hines Ward as the players who made the biggest contributions to the success of the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers. This is the third time that Hines ward has been named MVP and the 2nd time as a co-MVP. He was a co-MVP with linebacker Joey Porter in 2002. Hines Ward leads all of the Steelers receivers in receptions, yards and touchdowns. He is 2nd in the league with 11 touchdowns. Casey Hampton is one of the main reason that the Pittsburgh Steelers are ranked 3rd in the NFL in total defense. Hampton has 42 tackles, 4 tackles for loss and forced a fumble. Congradulations to Hines ward and Casey Hampton! Get the rest of the story. That's Pittsburgh Steelers news.

It's Election Day For The Pittsburgh Steelers!

The (10-5) Pittsburgh Steelers will be voting for the teams 2005 MVP today. Who will be the most valuable player for the Pittsburgh Steelers? Will it be quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Willie Parker, wide receiver Hines Ward or someone on the defense like linebacker Joey Porter or strong safety Troy Polamalu? Speculation around the locker room indicates a lot of support for 2nd year quarterback, Big Ben Roethlisberger. The main reason most people feel Ben will be the MVP, is because of how the Pittsburgh Steelers play when Ben is under center and how differently they play when he's not. Ben Roethlisberger is 21-3 as a starter. In the 4 games he didn't start this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are only 2-2. Some of the other players mentioned have contributed a lot to the Pittsburgh Steelers success, but none have brought the confidence needed to win like Ben. Get the rest of the story. That's Pittsburgh Steelers news.

Listen To Bill Cowher Speak After The 41-0 Shut Out Of Cleveland!

The (10-5) Pittsburgh Steelers are on a roll with a 3 game winning streak. At this weeks news conference, coach Bill Cowher praises his team for the way they played when they shut out the (5-10) Cleveland Browns 41-0 on Christmas Eve. He seemed very focused on the game coming up on Sunday with the Detroit Lions, even to the point that he said "If we don't win, we go home." He's continuing to have focused practices with the team. Cowher gives an injury report that reflects the team getting healthier. The coach, when asked about the great play of the defense, commented on the efforts of Joey Porter, Troy Polamalu, James Farrior, Clark Haggans and Larry Foote. He was also concerned that the Steelers need to end the regular season on a high note and not get distracted by looking ahead to the playoffs. Hear all of coach Cowher's comments. Play Audio. That's Pittsburgh Steelers news.

The Steelers Control Their Own Playoff Destiny!

The (10-5) Pittsburgh Steelers have played the last three games as if they were their playoff games. That has resulted, with a little help, in them being in control of their own destiny. Now they know if they win the next game with the (5-10) Detroit Lions, they get into the playoffs. The Steelers are peaking at just the right time and can be a dangerous team in post season play. They're hungry and more aggressive on both offense and defense than they have been in a while. Coach Cowher set them into playoff mode after the 3 game losing streak to get them ready to defeat the Chicago Bears. They sliced through the league's #1 defense and gained back the confidence they had lost. Now they play with a sense of purpose and can see the goal before them. Get the rest of the story. That's Pittsburgh Steelers news.

The Steelers Pitch A 41-0 Shut Out Against The Browns !

The (10-5) Pittsburgh Steelers looked awsome on Christmas Eve as they demolished the (5-10)Cleveland Browns. They played like they could beat anybody. If they play like that next week and throughout the playoffs, they can be Super Bowl contenders! Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger threw for 226 yards and a touchdown and backup quarterback, Charlie Batch threw 1 pass late in the game for another touchdown. The Steelers running game accounted for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns. Running back, Willie Parker ran for 130 yards, including an amazing 80 yard scamper that put him over the 1000 yard mark for the sesson. But, it was the defense that put the clamps on the Browns. They sacked Browns quaterback, Charlie Frye 8 times and forced him to make some bad throws. They thoroughly manhandled Cleveland's offensive line and played one of the most physical games of the year. The Steelers dominated both sides of the ball and made a statement to the rest of the league that they want more than just a playoff spot! Get the rest of the story. That's Pittsburgh Steelers news.

The Steelers Have Hope And Roethlisberger On Christmas Eve !

Hear Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Chris Hope talk about the Steelers Christmas Eve match up with the (5-9) Cleveland Browns. Play Audio And listen as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger talks about the Browns quarterback, Charlie Frye who he played against in college and now will face on Saturday. Ben also gives some insight on the (9-5) Steelers attitude as they try to make the playoffs and about the condition of his injured thumb. Play Audio Pittsburgh Steelers news and more...

Four Steelers Get A Free Trip To Hawaii To Play In The Pro Bowl !

The Pittsburgh Steelers sent nine players to the Pro Bowl last year. At that time the 2004 Steelers were the AFC North Champions with a (15-1) record and home field advantage through the playoffs. This year they have about the same team, but they are scambling for one of the wildcard spots. The Steelers will send four players to the Pro Bowl. They are offensive guard Alan Faneca, center Jeff Hartings, linebacker Joey Porter and strong safety Troy Polamalu. Missing from the Pro Bowl this year will be the Steelers all time leading receiver, Hines ward. Get the rest of the story. Pittsburgh Steelers news.

Steelers Approach Each Game As Their Last !

The Pittsburgh Steelers know that the Cleveland Browns have nothing to lose and only pride to gain if they can knock off their division rivals. The last time these two teams played, the Steelers won 34 -21. Hines ward said we have to play every game as if it is our last. That's the attitude of the (9-5) Steelers as they try to make the playoffs. Linebacker James Farrior put it this way "We have no margin for error and that seems to bring out the best in this team." Bill Cowher said the Browns would like nothing less than to end our season. The Steelers best chance against (5-9) Cleveland is to pound them with the run. The Browns defense is 26th in the league against the run. Let's hope Willie and "the Bus" are ready to roll. Get the rest of the story.

Bill Cowher Says There's No Margin For Error If Steelers Want To Make the Playoffs!

Pittsburgh Steelers coach, Bill Cowher said in his weekly news conference that the Steelers could not afford any errors if they wanted to get into the playoffs. He opened the conference with an updated injury report. Then he talked about the Vikings game. He praised the defense and special teams, but was dissappointed that the offense managed only three points on four drives inside the "red zone". He lamented the fact that they were unable to finsh drives and score points. Then he fielded questions from the media. Get the rest of the story. Hear Cowher's comments. Play Audio

Playoff Hopes Abound In Steelers Town!

That game on Sunday has the whole town talking about the playoffs. By beating two quality teams in a row and having two sub 500 teams left, the Steelers hopes of getting into the playoffs improved by 200%. Pittsburgh's 18-3 victory over the Minnesota Vikings put the (9-5) Steelers ahead of the (9-5) Chargers for the AFC's sixth and final playoff spot. The defense and special teams played especially well. Offensively it was enough to win, but more offense may be needed to get to through the playoffs, should they win the remaining two games with Cleveland and Detroit. Right now I'm sure the Steelers will take the win and try to add to it as they make run for post season play. Get the rest of the story.

Steelers Defense Steps Up To Beat The Vikings 18-3 !

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense dropped a "steel curtain" over the Vikings offense. The Minnesota Vikings only managed to score a field goal and 185 total yards of offense. The Steelers defense forced two interceptions in the "red zone" , got a saftey for 2 points and disrupted Vikings quarterback, Brad Johnson's passing. The Steelers special teams shined as Antwaan Randle El returned a kick for 72 yards and the Steelers blocked a 32 yard field goal attempt. Offensively the Steelers were able to grind out over 100 yards rushing, kick 3 field goals and score on a 7 yard Ben Roethisberger scramble. Get the rest of the story.

Can Pittsburgh Run Enough To Beat The Vikings?

The (8-5) Pittsburgh Steelers win by running the football and that's what they'll try to do against the (8-5) Minnesota Vikings. It's not that the Steelers don't like to pass, but statistics prove that they win when they run for more than 100 yards a game, especially this year. The 8 games the Steelers have won , they rushed for over 100 yards. In their 5 losses they didn't have 100 yards. It doesn't matter how much they pass, the Steelers must get at least 100 yards to win the game. If they gan reach that milestone Sunday, the Vikings six game winning streak will come to an end and Pittsburgh will start their own winning streak. So, rev up "the Bus and turn "Fast Willie" loose, 'cause time is running out. Get the rest of the story.

Steelers Linebackers Want A Piece Of Viking's Quarterback!

Pittburgh Steelers linebacker, Clark Haggans remembers the last time the Steelers (8-5) faced the Viking's quarterback, Brad Johnson. It was in October of 2001 when Johnson was playing for Tampa Bay. He remembers that Steelers linebacker, Joey Poter had a field day sacking Johnson. He had 4 of the Steelers 10 sacks that day. Haggans who leads all NFL linebackers with 8 sacks, is hoping he and Porter can repeat that performance against the Vikings (8-5) on Sunday as they try to stay alive for the playoffs. Let's get physical Steelers Get the rest of the story.

Willie Parker Is Poised To Be The Steelers First 1000 Yard Rusher Since 2001!

Pittsburgh Steelers running back, "Fast" Willie Parker opened the season with two great rushing performances. After two weeks he led the NFL in rushing with 272 yards. After an ankle inury his production dropped off. With Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley often nursing injuries of their own, Willie Parker was the only ground game in town. He had little success up the middle and with injuries on the offensive line, teams were able to fill a lot of the holes he was supposed to run through. But, when the Steelers could get him into open space on a screens or outside the tackles, he was able to show his speed and gain yardage. Last week the combination of Willie's speed and Jerome's power gave the Steelers a convincing win over the Chicago Bears and their #1 defense. Willie has 856 yards and only needs 144 in the next three games to be the first Steelers runner since Jerome Bettis to rush for 1000 yars. "The Bus" did it in 2001 and came close last year with 941. Let's hope on Sunday they get Parker outside where he can really do some damage. Get the rest of the story.

Another Week And Another Team On A Winning Streak Faces the Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers will face another NFL team on a winning streak this Sunday. The (8-5) Minnesota Vikings are riding a six game winning streak and are trying to secure an NFC playoff berth. The (8-5) Steelers have faced three team in the last four weeks with winning streaks of six games or more, including the (15-0) Indianapolis Colts and the (9-4) Chicago Bears. After stopping the Bears streak at eight last week, the Steelers are in a must win situation in order to make the playoffs themselves. Both teams are fighting to stay alive for one more game. Pittsburgh will play two (4-9) teams, Cleveland and Detroit after the Vikings. This is a pivital game for both teams and the last time the Steelers played in a dome they lost to the Colts. Coach Cowher has the team practicing harder than ever and considers every game a playoff game. Because, if they lose, their season is over. Get the rest of the story.

Hear Bill Cowher's Weekly Steelers News Conference.

The Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Bill Cowher gives his weekly injury report and comments on the teams performance. He also speaks about the upcoming game with the Minnesota Vikings. While the coach fielded questions from reporters, he became a bit testy when asked about quaterback Ben Roethlisberger's thumb injury. Get the rest of the story. You can hear the entire 20 minute plus conference. Play Audio

Jerome Bettis, A Man Of Steel !

Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Jerome Bettis lifted the spirits of the fans and energized the city of Pittsburgh with his amazing performance against the Bears on Sunday. What was amazing to me, was the fact that he could run at all. If any of you saw the feature story on Bettis on the pre-game show, you know what I mean. They showed Jerome in his house trying to drag himself up an down the stairs while holding unto the railing. He looked like a feeble old man, not the NFLs 5th leading rusher of all time. They followed him as he tried to get himself ready to play on Sunday. He was asked what part on his body didn't hurt and he said one of his toes was not hurting that day. He spent more time in therapy than he did at home. He started early Monday to get rid of the pain so he could just walk without hurting. He sometimes wouldn't be able to practice until Wednesday or even Friday. And he admitted that this is the first year he was scared on Sunday's that he couldn't to do his job. That's what makes what he did against Chicago's #1 defense even more incredible! He ran for 101 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns, an almost 6 yards per carry average. Fantastic! All coach Bill Cowher could say when asked about Jerome'sperformace was "He's a Warrior." Well, all I can say is "If you can still run like that, don't park the Bus yet!" Get the rest of the story.

Steelers Plow Through Leagues #1 Defense And Win 21-9 !

The Pittsburgh Steelers teetering on playoff elimination, plowed through the snow and the Chicago Bears #1 defense to keep their hopes alive. They have to win the rest of the games on their schedule to even have a chance of getting into the post season. With a win over the Bears, they started on that quest today. So, as Steelers fans watched their team come roaring back in a physical game in nasty Steel City weather you could just feel their confidence returning. "The Bus", Jerome Bettis rushed for 101 yards in the mud and snow of Heinz Field and reminded us all of how the Pittsburgh Steelers play football. Ben's was 13-20 passing with a touchdown to Hines Ward, and drove "the Bus" to the goal line for two TDs. The Steleers defense also showed up and only allowed the Bears offense nine points. It looks like their ready to run the table and get one of those wildcard spots. Let's keep our "Terrible Towels" crossed. Get the rest of story.

Steelers Vs. Bears - Can The Steelers Change Direction ?

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive when they meet the Bears at Heinz Field Sunday. The Chicago Bears have won eight in a row with a defense ranked #1 in the league and an offense that's 30th out of 32 teams. Their defense only gives up an average of 11 points a game. Now the Steelers have an offense that averages 23 points a game and a defense that gives up 19 points a game. That's a slim margin to win with and the last three games have not produced a victory. For the Steelers to beat the Bears Sunday, they will have to score at least 17 points on a very stingy defense and keep Chicago's anemic offense from moving the ball. Get the rest of the story.

Charlie Batch Is Ready To Backup Ben!

Pittsburgh Steelers #2 quarterback, Charlie Batch is listed as probable for for Sunday's game with the Chicago Bears. Batch broke a bone in his right hand back on November 13th in the last game that the Steelers won before their current three game losing streak. He was able to salvage two wins for the Steelers while starting quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger was out with injuries. I'm sure most Steelers fans will feel better about having Charlie backup Roethlisberger than Tommy Maddox who has had trouble taking care of the pigskin. Get the rest of the story.

Bill Cowher Gives Vague Answer When Asked About Ben's Thumb During News Conference!

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, Bill Cowher gave his weekly news conference and injury report Tuesday. When asked about the condition of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's injured thumb, he refused to give any details. When specifcally asked "Is it broke?, Is it bruised? Is it sprained?, Cowher just said "He's playing, so really, what difference does it make?" Roethlisberger is listed as probable on the injury list. The coach also said he will start running back Willie Parker, despite his being benched after fumbling the ball twice against the Bengals. But if he loses the ball in the Bears game, he'll be standing beside the coach on the sidelines. Get the rest of the story. Hear Cowher's complete remarks Play Audio

Curtain Hasn't Come Down On The Steelers Season Yet, But It's Close!

A three game losing streak, two games behind the divsion leaders and trailing in the wildcard race is not where the 2004 (15-1) Pittsburgh Steelers thought they would be at this point in the 2005 season. But, that's reality! They still have a chance to make the playoffs, but the'll have to have help to get there. This is basically the same Steelers team that went (15-1) last year and now finds themselves in a must win situation and that may not be enough. Even if they can win the remainder of their games, their not guaranteed a playoff berth. The one game that could have made it easier, they blew 38-31 to the Cincinnati Bengals (9-3). The Steelers (7-5) find it almost impossible to repeat as champions of the AFC North division. The Bengals now hold all the cards and are the class of their division. The Steelers must now scramble to salvage the rest of their season which has been marred with injuries to key players. Get the rest of the story.

Ben Has Best Passing Game But Bad Thumb And Bad Decisions Lead To 38-31 Loss!

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger threw for a career high 386 yards passing against Carson Palmer and the Bengals Sunday. The only problem is, he had three interceptions that lead to two touchdowns and the Steelers 3rd loss in a row. Although the Steelers defense gave up a season high 38 points, they often had to work with a short field because of some of Ben's bad decisions. Roethlisberger reinjured an already painfull thumb on his throwing hand in the 2nd quarter and promptly threw the first of three interceptions. This forced him into a shoot-out with Palmer which he won statisically, but was too late to save the Steelers. After the game Ben acknowledged his own mistakes and offered no excuses, including the banged up thumb. Get the rest of the story.

Can Ben Go the Distance?

After watching the Sunday NFL pregame shows and listening to their interviews with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, I wonder if he can even play to a level good enough to beat the (8-3) Bengals. Ben says this is the Steelers (7-4) biggest game and they must win it to make the playoffs. He also said his thumb is still sore and besides not being able to grip the ball without pain, it even hurts when he hands off. Roethlisberger was given the choice of wearing a cast and being out for the rest of the season or a splint which would allow him to play, but would be cumbersome and painfull. He chose the splint. This is the first anyone had mentioned a season ending injury. So, when asked if his thumb was broken he said he wasn't able to disclose that information. That curious comment makes me wonder if this injury isn't worse than we've been made to believe by team sources. Waitng in the wings is Tommy Maddox and with his resent record you have to hope Ben is up to the task.

Are The Steelers Ready To Play Football, Yet!

The Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4) have had a bad few weeks, mainly because of injuries, but also bad play and poor coaching. They have to concentrate on winning to ensure a spot in the playoffs. If the AFC playoffs started today, they would barely beat out the Kansas City Chiefs for the final "wild card" spot. They must beat Cincinnati (8-3) Sunday to climb back in the driver's seat in the AFC North division. Pittsburgh has been out of sync ever since Ben Roethlisberger went down with a knee injury. Ben is back, but he is not 100%. The Steelers must focus as a team and perform up to their capabilities. They looked great early in the season and it's time to return to the kind of physical team that went (15-1) in 2004. They defeated the Bengals once this year and they can do it again. They have to go all out and hold nothing back this week or they'll fall two games behind Cincinnati. Get the rest of the story.

Ben's Latest Injury Has Him Ready To Put On The Gloves For Cincinnati!

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger still has pain in the thumb on his throwing hand affter injuring it in the Monday night game against the Indianapolis Colts. After practice Thursday, he said the trainers were trying to come up with something that would make it more comfortable to throw. He will probably wear some kind of glove with whatever contraption they devise. Let's hope the gloves don't make him play as bad as he did last year when he wore them against the New York Jets in the playoffs. The Steelers won, but Ben didn't play well and got rid of the gloves. His passing wasn't very good against the Colts, so let's hope it doesn't get worse! Get the rest of the story.

Monday's Game Showed A Lot Of Flaws, But None Bigger Than Play-Calling!

What were they thinking? The Pittsburgh Steelers were losing 23-7 early in the 4th quarter and lined up to go for it on the Colts 26 yard line. What play would you call to make 4 yards and a 1st down to keep the drive going? Through the course of the game, running backs Willie Parker, Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley had little success. There was success with the tight end, screen passes and quick throws to the wideouts. Taking that into consideration, the best call would be a "quarterback draw"?!!! There goes any chance of getting back into the game. Where did that stroke of genius come from. If the Colts could have called a play for the Steelers, I'm sure they would have sent a banged up Ben Roethlisberger up the middle on a draw. Get the rest of the story.