2006 Pittsburgh Steelers season - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 2006
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...

Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

season began with the team trying to improve on their 11–5 record from 2005

2005 NFL season

The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...

and trying to defend their Super Bowl XL

Super Bowl XL

Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...

championship.

Offseason

On March 3, 2006, backup quarterback Tommy Maddox

Tommy Maddox

Thomas "Tommy" Alfred Maddox is a former football quarterback in the National Football League, the XFL and the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.-Early years:At L. D...

and cornerback Willie Williams

Willie Williams (football player)

Willie James Williams is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was drafted out of Western Carolina University by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1993 and spent 4 seasons in Pittsburgh. He was a key member of the 1995 Steelers team that played in Super Bowl XXX...

(a member of the Super Bowl XL

Super Bowl XL

Steelers team) were released for salary cap reasons. Later on, the team lost wide receiver Antwaan Randle El

Antwaan Randle El

Antwaan Randle El is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He attended Indiana University, after turning down a Major League Baseball draft selection by the Chicago Cubs in 1997...

, defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen

Kimo von Oelhoffen

Kimo K. von Oelhoffen is a retired American football defensive tackle. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Boise State....

, and free safety Chris Hope

Chris Hope

Chris Hope is an American football player who plays for the Tennessee Titans.-High school:...

to free agency, but picked up safety Ryan Clark

Ryan Clark (American football)

Ryan Terry Clark is an American football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

from the Washington Redskins

Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...

.

The team used the 2006 NFL draft

2006 NFL Draft

The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...

to fill in the remaining holes on the depth chart. In the first round, Pittsburgh traded up to select Ohio St. wide receiver Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Ohio State...

. Then, they used their next pick (acquired from the Vikings) on Syracuse Safety Anthony Smith. The rest of their picks included Florida St. wide receiver Willie Reid

Willie Reid

Willie Louis Reid is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft...

, Hofstra guard Willie Colon, Miami University (Fl.) defensive end Orien Harris

Orien Harris

Orien J. Harris is an American football defensive tackle for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.Harris has also been a member of the...

, Bowling Green quarterback Omar Jacobs

Omar Jacobs

Omar T. Jacobs is an American football quarterback, who is currently a member of the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...

, Purdue tight end Charles Davis

Charles Davis (tight end)

Charles Suonne Davis, Jr. is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...

, California center Marvin Philip, and Virginia Tech running back Cedric Humes

Cedric Humes

Cedric Akeem Humes is an American football running back who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the last round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Steelers placed Humes on the practice squad/injured reserve list, ending his season. He attended Virginia Tech and was instrumental in their 2005 ACC...

.

On June 2 members of the Super Bowl Champion Steelers were invited to the White House

White House

The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...

to meet the President Of The United States George Bush

George W. Bush

George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

in a celebration to honor the Steelers' successful season.

Ben Roethlisberger

In the offseason Ben Roethlisberger suffered a near death accident while riding his motorcycle in downtown Pittsburgh. He was not at fault, and an out of state vehicle failed to yield and hit him. Ben reportedly was moments away from dying due to a cut artery, however medics stopped the bleeding in time.

This set Ben back for training camp and the Preseason. However he did manage to play in part of the Preseason games.

Shortly after the Preseason however, Ben required an emergency appendectomy which caused him to miss the first game of the season. Between both of these events, Ben reportedly lost 15 pounds and was not up to form with the team due to lack of practice time and time spent in camp. His health early in the year is pointed to as the cause for a rough season. He experienced continued problems in the Atlanta Falcons game in Atlanta during the year. He was hit after throwing the ball by multiple defenders, one of which caused a helmet to helmet collision. Roethlisberger was diagnosed with a concussion and had to sit out the rest of the game and appeared to have difficulties in the next couple of games.

Schedule

Week	Date	Kickoff (ET)	Opponent	Result	TV	Game Site	NFL Recap
1	Thursday September 7	8:15 PM	Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 28–17	NBC NBC The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...	Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...	Recap
2	Monday September 18	8:30 PM	Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 9–0	ESPN ESPN Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....	Alltel Stadium	Recap
3	Sunday September 24	1:00 PM	Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...	L 28–20	CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...	Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...	Recap
4	Sunday October 1	Bye Week Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
5	Sunday October 8	8:15 PM	San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 23–13	NBC NBC The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...	Qualcomm Stadium Qualcomm Stadium Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....	Recap
6	Sunday October 15	1:00 PM	Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...	W 45–7	CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...	Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...	Recap
7	Sunday October 22	1:00 PM	Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 41–38 (OT)	CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...	Georgia Dome Georgia Dome The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...	Recap
8	Sunday October 29	4:05 PM	Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 20–13	CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...	McAfee Coliseum McAfee Coliseum O.co Coliseum is a multi-purpose stadium, located in Oakland, California, in the Coliseum Industrial area...	Recap
9	Sunday November 5	4:15 PM	Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 31–20	CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...	Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...	Recap
10	Sunday November 12	4:15 PM	New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....	W 38–31	Fox Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...	Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...	Recap
11	Sunday November 19	1:00 PM	Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 24–20	CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...	Cleveland Browns Stadium Cleveland Browns Stadium -See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity...	Recap
12	Sunday November 26	1:00 PM	Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...	L 27–0	CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...	M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of...	Recap
13	Sunday December 3	4:05 PM	Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...	W 20–3	Fox Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...	Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...	Recap
14	Thursday December 7	8:30 PM	Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 27–7	NFLN NFL Network NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...	Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...	Recap
15	Sunday December 17	1:00 PM	Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...	W 37–3	CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...	Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...	Recap
16	Sunday December 24	1:00 PM	Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...	L 31–7	CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...	Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...	Recap
17	Sunday December 31	1:00 PM	Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...	W 23–17 (OT)	CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...	Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and...	Recap

Week 1 (Thursday September 7, 2006): vs. Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

The Steelers opened the regular season in the annual Thursday NFL Kickoff game

National Football League Kickoff game

The NFL Kickoff game, and related festivities, mark the start of the National Football League season. The first game of the season is currently scheduled for the Thursday following Labor Day. A single game is held, preceded by a concert and other ceremonies. Since the 2004 season, the defending...

at home against the Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

on September 7. The Steelers drew first blood in the second quarter with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Nate Washington

Nate Washington

Nate Washington is an American football wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2005...

. After the Dolphins tied the game up on a 1 yard touchdown run by Ronnie Brown

Ronnie Brown

Ronnie G. Brown, Jr. is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . After graduating from Cartersville High School in Georgia, Brown attended Auburn University to play college football for the Auburn Tigers...

, Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward

Hines Ward

Hines E. Ward, Jr. is an American football player who currently plays the wide receiver position for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, where he is the longest-tenured current player on the team. He was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL. He played college football at the University of Georgia...

caught a 7-yard TD pass in the back of the end zone. After a Miami field goal, the Steelers led 14–10 at halftime. In the second half, Miami running back Ronnie Brown

Ronnie Brown

scored on a four yard touchdown run for the Dolphins' second touchdown in the third quarter. The Steelers rebounded as tight end Heath Miller

Heath Miller

Earl Heath Miller, Jr. is an American football tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. He was selected as the 30th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Virginia.-Early years:...

caught an 87-yard pass for a touchdown and linebacker Joey Porter

Joey Porter

Joseph "Joey" Eugene Porter is an American football linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Colorado State.A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Porter earned a...

returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown to give the Steelers a 28–17 victory. Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch

Charlie Batch

Charles "Charlie" Batch is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft...

completed 15 of 25 passes for 209 yards, and threw 3 touchdowns and no interceptions in the absence of Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...

for Pittsburgh, while the Dolphins' Daunte Culpepper

Daunte Culpepper

Daunte Rachard Culpepper is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League . Prior to joining the UFL, Culpepper enjoyed a successful National Football League career after being drafted 11th overall in...

completed 18 of 37 passes for 262 yards, with two interceptions (the first interception by Troy Polamalu

Troy Polamalu

Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated...

, and the second to Joey Porter

Joey Porter

, who returned it for a touchdown) late in the fourth quarter. Batch dedicated the win to late Pittsburgh mayor Bob O'Connor, who was laid to rest earlier in the day. Stats

Week 2 (Monday September 18, 2006): at Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

The Steelers traveled to play the Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

on Monday night

Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...

on September 18. Despite not allowing a touchdown, the Steelers gave up three field goals to the Jaguars, with Kicker Josh Scobee

Josh Scobee

Joshua Taylor Scobee is an American football placekicker, who currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League . He began his college football career as kicker for the Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs, setting several school records...

making a 31, a 32, and a 41-yard field goal. The Steelers were defeated 9–0. It was the first time since 1985 that a defending Super Bowl champion team had been shut out, and it was the lowest scoring game in Monday Night Football history. Stats

Week 3 (Sunday September 24, 2006): vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

The Steelers went back home for an AFC North fight against the Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

. In the first quarter, running back Willie Parker

Willie Parker

"Fast" Willie Everette Parker Jr. is an American football running back for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at North Carolina...

scored on a 3-yard touchdown run. However, on the very first play of the second quarter, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

threw an interception and Cincinnati was able to score shortly after with quarterback Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...

completing a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Henry. On Cincinnati's next drive, the Bengals scored on a three yard touchdown pass to Henry. In the third quarter, the Steelers rallied a comeback, as kicker Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

kicked a 37-yard field goal. Shortly after, Parker scored on a one yard touchdown run to give the Steelers a 17–14 lead. Pittsburgh's lead deteriorated as Ricardo Colclough

Ricardo Colclough

Ricardo Sanchez Colclough is an American football cornerback for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft...

muffed a punt, allowing the Bengals to recover. Carson Palmer then helped put Cincinnati ahead on 9-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Cincinnati was able to increase their lead when Pittsburgh's running back, Verron Haynes

Verron Haynes

Verron Ulric Haynes is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...

lost a fumble, allowing Palmer to complete a 30 yard touchdown pass to Houshmandzadeh on the next drive. Reed would help Pittsburgh out with a 36-yard field goal. On the very last drive, the Steelers tried to fight back and tie the game, but the game ended as Roethlisberger was intercepted by DB Kevin Kaesviharn

Kevin Kaesviharn

Kevin Robert Kaesviharn is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Iowa Barnstormers as a street free agent in 1998...

, eliminating any hope of a comeback. The Steelers would head into their Week 4 Bye Week at 1–2. Stats

Week 5 (Sunday October 8, 2006): at San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Hoping to end their two-game skid, the Steelers traveled to Qualcomm Stadium

Qualcomm Stadium

Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....

for a Sunday Night match-up

NBC Sunday Night Football

NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...

with the throwback-clad San Diego Chargers

San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

. Pittsburgh was able to capitalize early, as running back Willie Parker

Willie Parker

scored on a nine yard touchdown run for the only score of the first quarter. In the second quarter, kicker Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

kicked a 39-yard field goal to give the Steelers a 10–0 lead. The Chargers cut the lead to a field goal when quarterback Philip Rivers

Philip Rivers

Philip Rivers is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League . He was one half of the Manning-Rivers draft trade which sent him to San Diego and the 1st overall pick, Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, to the New York Giants. Rivers played college...

completed a 9-yard TD pass to WR Malcom Floyd

Malcom Floyd

Malcom Floyd is an American football wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Wyoming...

. Reed would give Pittsburgh a 13–7 halftime lead with a 44-yard field goal. The Steelers continued their recent struggles in the third quarter, as Charger kicker Nate Kaeding

Nate Kaeding

Nathaniel James Kaeding is an American football placekicker who plays for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft in the 3rd round with a pick acquired from the Phillip Rivers-Eli Manning trade. He played college football at Iowa...

kicked a 28-yard field goal, while Rivers completed a 22-yard touchdown pass to tight end Antonio Gates

Antonio Gates

Antonio Gates is an American football tight end for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 after playing college basketball at Kent State University...

. In the fourth quarter, Kaeding sealed a Charger victory as he kicked a 33-yard and a 22-yard field. With their third-straight loss, the Steelers became the first team since the 1999 Denver Broncos to start a season 1–3 or 0–4 after winning a Super Bowl in the previous year. Stats

Week 6 (Sunday October 15, 2006): vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...

Hoping to end their three-game losing skid, the Steelers went home for a Week 6 battle with the Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...

, who were visiting Pittsburgh for the first time since 1989

1989 NFL season

The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...

. Pittsburgh dominated the entire game, as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

completed 16 of 19 passes, with 238 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Willie Parker

Willie Parker

ran 21 times for 109 yards and 2 TD's, while running back Najeh Davenport

Najeh Davenport

Najeh Trenadious Monté Davenport is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...

ran 12 times for 78 yards and a TD. Wide receiver Nate Washington

Nate Washington

Nate Washington is an American football wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2005...

caught three passes for 68 yards and a touchdown, while receiver Hines Ward

Hines Ward

caught five passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. Kicker Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

nailed a 32-yard field goal for himself, while back-up LB Rian Wallace

Rian Wallace

Rian Wallace is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...

returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown. Chiefs running back Larry Johnson gave Kansas City their only score of the day on a two yard touchdown run. Pittsburgh broke its three-game losing streak and improved to 2–3. Stats

Week 7 (Sunday October 22, 2006): at Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

Hoping to build on their dominating win over the Chiefs, the Steelers flew to the Georgia Dome

Georgia Dome

The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...

to face the Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

. In the first quarter, a Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes

fumble on a punt return helped set up quarterback Michael Vick

Michael Vick

Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...

's 22-yard touchdown pass to tight end Alge Crumpler

Alge Crumpler

-Atlanta Falcons:Crumpler was drafted by the Falcons in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Crumpler made the first start of his NFL career against the Carolina Panthers on September 23, 2001. He caught his first two passes for a total of 13 yards. His first touchdown was scored against the...

. Afterwards, the Steelers took the lead with a 28-yard field goal by Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

and QB Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

completing an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Hines Ward

Hines Ward

. In the second quarter, Roethlisberger completed a one yard touchdown pass to Heath Miller

Heath Miller

. A fumble by Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lead to a second Vick touchdown pass to Crumpler. Then, a surprise onside kick recovered by the Falcons lead to Vick completing a 17-yard TD pass to receiver Michael Jenkins. The Steelers would respond with Roethlisberger completing a 10-yard touchdown pass to receiver Nate Washington

Nate Washington

Nate Washington is an American football wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2005...

. In the third quarter, things became grim for Pittsburgh. First, Roethlisberger was injured on a pass to Miller, which caused him to leave the game with a concussion. Second, Atlanta would retake the lead with running back Warrick Dunn

Warrick Dunn

Warrick De'Mon Dunn is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State...

completing a one yard touchdown run, which was started from a fumble by Willie Parker

Willie Parker

. The Steelers would respond as quarterback Charlie Batch

Charlie Batch

completed a 70-yard touchdown pass to Ward. However, the Falcons would retake the lead with Vick and Crumpler hooking up with each other for a third touchdown pass, this time for 31 yards. In the fourth quarter, Atlanta kicker Morten Andersen

Morten Andersen

Morten Andersen , nicknamed "The Great Dane", is a former National Football League kicker. He holds the distinction of being the all-time leading scorer in NFL history, as well as being the all-time leading scorer for two different teams; the New Orleans Saints, with whom he spent 13 seasons, and...

nailed a 25-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 7-point lead. Pittsburgh would resond with a 17 yard touchdown pass to Ward, his third touchdown. Near the end of regulation, things got complicated for Atlanta on a field goal attempt. Kicker Michael Koenen

Michael Koenen

Michael J. Koenen is an American football punter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Western Washington....

nailed a 56-yard field goal, but it got negated due to a late Steelers time-out. Koenan would rekick it. It was no good, yet safety Troy Polamalu

Troy Polamalu

was called for running into the kicker. The Falcons would bring in kicker Andersen to make a 52-yard field goal, yet it came up short. On the following drive, the Steelers could not score after a controversial false start call with the Steelers in field goal range prompted a 10-second runoff, which ended regulation. In overtime the Falcons won the coin toss. Falcons kicker Morten Andersen, after a 11 play 65 yard drive, won the game with a 32-yard field goal and gave the Steelers their fourth loss of the season. Stats

Week 8 (Sunday October 29, 2006): at Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Falcons, the Steelers flew to McAfee Coliseum

McAfee Coliseum

O.co Coliseum is a multi-purpose stadium, located in Oakland, California, in the Coliseum Industrial area...

to take on the Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

. In the first quarter, Pittsburgh trailed early as Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha

Nnamdi Asomugha

Nnamdi Asomugha is an American cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders and played college football for the Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley...

returned an interception 24 yards for a touchdown for the only score of the quarter. In the second quarter, Pittsburgh came within one point when kicker Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

kicked two field goals, a 29-yarder and a 39-yarder. Oakland responded with kicker Sebastian Janikowski

Sebastian Janikowski

Sebastian Janikowski is a left-footed Polish placekicker who plays for the National Football League's Oakland Raiders. He is nicknamed The Polish Cannon because he is considered to have one of the strongest kicking legs in the league, and leads the NFL in kickoffs for touchbacks. He lives in...

kicking a 19-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Janikowski increased the Raiders lead with a 41-yard field goal for the only score of the quarter. In the fourth quarter Raiders defensive-back Chris Carr returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown. Pittsburgh would try and rally a comeback with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

completing a 25-yard touchdown pass to running back Willie Parker

Willie Parker

. The Raiders were able to hold off the Steelers in the closing seconds of the game, earning a victory. Stats

Despite the Steelers out-gaining the Raiders 360–98 in total offense, Roethlisberger threw four interceptions (two of which were returned for touchdowns), which led to Oakland's first back-to-back victory of the year.

Week 9 (Sunday November 5, 2006): vs. Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Hoping to rebound from their two-game losing streak, the Steelers came back home to host the 5–2 Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

. Despite Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

throwing for 433 yards and one touchdown, the Steelers had six fumbles and three interceptions in a 31–20 loss to the Broncos. The Steelers were trailing by four points at halftime, but in the third quarter, wide receiver Javon Walker

Javon Walker

Javon Lataff Walker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 20th overall of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....

scored on a 72-yard reverse to put the Broncos up 21–10. It looked like the Steelers would try to stage a comeback when receiver Hines Ward

Hines Ward

caught a pass and jumped towards the endzone, but the ball popped out and the Broncos recovered and were able to run out the clock. With a third-straight loss, the Steelers fell to 2–6. Stats

Week 10 (Sunday November 12, 2006): vs. New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....

The Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

hosted the New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....

on Sunday in a shoot out. Pittsburgh jumped to a 14–0 lead in the first quarter after Hines Ward

Hines Ward

caught a touchdown pass and when the Steelers capitalized on a Saints turnover with another touchdown pass to Heath Miller

Heath Miller

. Unfortunately for the Steelers, the Saints came marching back and took the lead with Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...

's rush TD on the double reverse and pulled further ahead with a Deuce McAllister

Deuce McAllister

Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

4-yd TD run near the end of the half. A Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

fumble, a missed field goal, and Willie Parker

Willie Parker

's two 70+ yard runs set up two scores, which allowed the Steelers to come back and take the lead to win. The Steelers went to 3–6 with the win while the Saints fell to 6–3. Stats

Week 11 (Sunday November 19, 2006): at Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Hoping to build off their victory over the Saints, the Steelers flew to Cleveland Browns Stadium

Cleveland Browns Stadium

-See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity...

for Round 1 of the Rust Belt series with the Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

. After a scoreless first quarter, the Steelers trailed as DB Daven Holly

Daven Holly

Daven Holly is an American football cornerback who is currently a Free Agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...

returned an interception 57 yards for a touchdown. Afterwards, kicker Phil Dawson

Phil Dawson

Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...

nailed a 23-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Pittsburgh would finally score as kicker Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

completed a 43-yard field goal for the only score of the quarter. In the fourth quarter, the reason for the rivalry told itself. Dawson would give Cleveland a 35-yard field goal, while the Steelers responded with QB Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

completed a 20-yard TD pass to rookie WR Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes

. However, things looked grim as Browns WR Joshua Cribbs

Joshua Cribbs

Joshua "Josh" Cribbs is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He played collegiately for Kent State University. He holds the NFL record with eight kickoff returns for touchdowns...

returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Fortunately, RB Willie Parker

Willie Parker

answered with a 1-yard TD run and a 4-yard TD reception. Afterwards, the Pittsburgh managed to hold off a late drive by Cleveland. With the win, not only did the Steelers get back-to-back wins for the first time this year, but they also got their first road win of the year. With the victory, Pittsburgh advanced to 4–6. Stats

Week 12 (Sunday November 26, 2006): at Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

Coming off a two-game winning streak, the Steelers flew to M&T Bank Stadium

M&T Bank Stadium

M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of...

for their AFC North fight with the Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

. However, the problems that had plagued Pittsburgh all season continued to haunt them. In the first quarter, QB Steve McNair

Steve McNair

Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....

completed a 20-yard TD pass to TE Todd Heap

Todd Heap

Todd Benjamin Heap is an American football tight end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State-Early years:At Mountain View High School, in Mesa, Arizona,...

for the only score of the quarter. In the second quarter, RB Jamal Lewis

Jamal Lewis

Jamal Lafitte Lewis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...

got a 1-yard TD run, while kicker Matt Stover

Matt Stover

John Matthew "Matt" Stover is a former American Football placekicker. As of the start of the 2009 NFL season, he was the third most accurate kicker in the history of the National Football League. He is of Greek origin. He has played for the New York Giants, the Cleveland Browns, and the Baltimore...

nailed a 37-yard field goal. In the third quarter, things worsened as QB Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

was hit and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Ravens OLB Adalius Thomas

Adalius Thomas

Adalius Donquail Thomas is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern Mississippi.-Early years:...

. Thomas returned it 57 yards for a touchdown and the only score of the quarter. In the fourth quarter, Stover put the game away with a 40-yard field goal. Stats

Not only did Baltimore's offense help contribute to the Steelers dropping to 4–7, the Ravens defense (anchored by the return of veteran LB Ray Lewis) was also a huge factor, as they sacked Roethlisberger nine times and forced two interceptions.

Week 13 (Sunday December 3, 2006): vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...

Following a humiliating road loss to the Ravens, the Steelers went home for a Week 13 fight with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...

, who were visiting Pittsburgh for the first time since 1983

1983 NFL season

The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...

. In the first quarter, the Steelers drew first blood with QB Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

's 2-yard TD pass to TE Jerame Tuman

Jerame Tuman

Jerame Dean Tuman is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....

for the only score of the quarter. In the second quarter, Pittsburgh increased its lead with kicker Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

's 50-yard field goal for the only score of the quarter. After a scoreless third quarter, the Steelers continued its dominance in the fourth quarter. Roethlisberger would complete a 16-yard TD pass to TE Heath Miller

Heath Miller

, while Reed nailed a 39-yard field goal. The only response from the Bucs would be on the final play of the game, when kicker Matt Bryant

Matt Bryant

Steven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Frankfurt Galaxy as a street free agent in 2002...

spolied Pittsburgh's chance for a shutout with a 27-yard field goal. The win improved the Steeler's record to 5–7. Stats

Week 14 (Thursday December 7, 2006): vs. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

After a rebounding win against the Bucs, the Steelers stayed at home for a Thursday night fight in Round 2 of the Rust Belt rivalry against the Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

. In the first quarter, the Steelers started off strong with QB Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

completing a 49-yard TD pass to WR Nate Washington

Nate Washington

Nate Washington is an American football wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2005...

for the only score of the quarter. In the second quarter, Pittsburgh continued its domination with kicker Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

nailing a 23-yard field goal for the only score of the quarter. In the third quarter, the Steelers had its breakout with Roethlisberger getting a touchdown on a 2-yard QB sneak, while RB Willie Parker

Willie Parker

got a 3-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh managed to wrap the game up with Reed kicking a 28-yard field goal. The Browns would manange to get their only score of the game with QB Derek Anderson

Derek Anderson (American football)

Derek Matthew Anderson is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...

completing a 45-yard TD pass to WR Braylon Edwards

Braylon Edwards

-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....

. With yet another season-sweep over Cleveland, not only would the Steelers improve to 6–7, but "Fast Willie" managed to set a franchise record for the most rushing yards by a Steelers RB with 223 yards and he became the very first Steelers RB to have a pair of 200-yard games in one season. Stats

Week 15 (Sunday December 17, 2006): at Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...

Following their season-sweep over the Browns, the Steelers flew to Bank of America Stadium

Bank of America Stadium

Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...

for a Week 15 interconference fight with the Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...

. After a scoreless first quarter, Pittsburgh began their dominance in the second quarter. It started with QB Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

's 1-yard TD run. Afterwards, kicker Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

nailed a 19-yard field goal, while Roethlisberger completed a 13-yard TD pass to RB Najeh Davenport

Najeh Davenport

Najeh Trenadious Monté Davenport is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...

. The Panthers would get their only score of the game with kicker John Kasay

John Kasay

John David Kasay is an American football kicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia...

's 37-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Reed improved the Steelers' lead with a 45-yard field goal, while RB Willie Parker

Willie Parker

got a 41-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, rookie WR Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes

(who was plagued all year with fumbles on special teams) returned a punt 65 yards for a touchdown. Afterwards, Reed helped Pittsburgh wrap the game up with a 26-yard field goal. With the win, the Steelers improved to 7–7. Stats

Week 16 (Sunday December 24, 2006): vs. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

The Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens

defeated the Steelers on December 24, 2006, therefore eliminating the Steelers from playoff contention, and ending their defense of their Super Bowl championship. The Steelers are the first Super Bowl champion since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003 to not reach the playoffs the following season. The team fell to 7–8 with the Ravens improving to 13–2. Stats

Week 17 (Sunday December 31, 2006): at Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

Hoping to end their season on a high note, the Steelers flew to Paul Brown Stadium

Paul Brown Stadium

Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and...

for an AFC North rematch with the Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals

. After a scoreless first quarter, Pittsburgh drew first blood in the second quarter with RB Willie Parker

Willie Parker

getting a 1-yard TD run. Afterwards, the Bengals would manage to salvage a 34-yard field goal by kicker Shayne Graham

Shayne Graham

Michael Shayne Graham is an American football placekicker. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and most recently played with the New England Patriots...

. After a scoreless third quarter, Cincinnati took the lead by getting a Willie Parker fumble and ending it with QB Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer

completing a 66-yard TD pass to WR Chris Henry. Fortunately, Parker managed to make amends with another 1-yard TD run. However, the Bengals went back into the lead with Palmer completing a 5-yard TD pass to TE Tony Stewart

Tony Stewart (American football)

Tony Alexander Stewart is an American football tight end, who is currently a free agent.Stewart was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 5th round of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Penn State....

. The Steelers would manage to tie the game late in the game with kicker Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

nailing a 35-yard field goal. Cincinnati quickly managed to get into field goal range, yet fortunately, Graham's 39-yard field goal went wide right. In overtime, Pittsburgh took full advantage and won with QB Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

's 67-yard TD pass to rookie WR Santonio Holmes

Santonio Holmes

. With the win, not only did the Steelers end their season at 8–8, but they also wiped out any hope that the Bengals had of reaching the playoffs. Stats

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Offseason

Ben Roethlisberger

Schedule

Week 1 (Thursday September 7, 2006): vs. Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 5 (Sunday October 8, 2006): at San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 7 (Sunday October 22, 2006): at Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 8 (Sunday October 29, 2006): at Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 9 (Sunday November 5, 2006): vs. Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 10 (Sunday November 12, 2006): vs. New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....

Week 11 (Sunday November 19, 2006): at Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 14 (Thursday December 7, 2006): vs. Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 1 (Thursday September 7, 2006): vs. Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 5 (Sunday October 8, 2006): at San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 7 (Sunday October 22, 2006): at Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 8 (Sunday October 29, 2006): at Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 9 (Sunday November 5, 2006): vs. Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 10 (Sunday November 12, 2006): vs. New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....

Week 11 (Sunday November 19, 2006): at Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Week 14 (Thursday December 7, 2006): vs. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...