The past two Super Bowl champions are set to meet this coming Sunday night in New Orleans when the Saints host the Pittsburgh Steelers in an intriguing inter-conference matchup.The Saints, like so many Super Bowl champions before them, look out of sorts in their title defense efforts. The Steelers meanwhile are off to an impressive 5-1 start to the year after missing the playoffs in '09. To get our coverage started this week in preparation for the Week 8 game on Sunday night, let's take a look at the series history, as well as the up-to-date season stats for both squads.
SERIES
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STEELERS |
SAINTS |
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SERIES LEADER |
7-6 |
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STREAKS |
3 of past 4 |
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COACHES VS. OPP. |
Tomlin: 0-0 |
Payton: 0-1 |
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LAST WEEK |
W 23-22 at Dolphins |
L 30-17 vs. Browns |
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LAST GAME |
11/12/06: Saints 31 at Steelers 38. Pittsburgh RB Willie Parker runs for 213 yards & 2 TDs as Steelers overcome 24-17 halftime deficit. |
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LAST GAME AT SITE |
10/6/02: Saints 32, Steelers 29. New Orleans RB Deuce McAllister rushes for 123 yards & 2 TDs, including 52-yard score, as Saints hold off late Steelers comeback attempt. |
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BROADCAST |
NBC (7:20 PM CT): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Andrea Kremer (Field reporter). Westwood One Radio: Dave Simms, James Lofton, Scott Kaplan (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 127 (WW1), 125 (Pit.), 126 (NO). XM: 104 (WW1), 102 (Pit.), 103 (NO). |
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STATS
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PASSING |
Roethlisberger: 35-54-559-5-1-122.4 |
Brees: 200-287-2,029 (1C)-14 (T1L)-10-91.4 (2C) |
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RUSHING |
Mendenhall: 131-532-4.1-5 |
Ivory (R): 59-325-5.5-0 |
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RECEIVING |
Ward: 24-350-14.6-3 |
Colston: 40-452-11.3-1 |
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OFFENSE |
300.7 |
371.9 |
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TAKE/GIVE |
+8 (T2L) |
-5 |
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DEFENSE |
299.3 (2C) |
288.4 (3L) |
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SACKS |
Harrison: 5 |
Ellis: 3 |
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INTs |
Polamalu: 2 |
4 tied: 1 |
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PUNTING |
Sepulveda: 46.8 (3C) |
Morstead: 47.6 (1C) |
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KICKING |
Reed: 47 (14/14 PAT; 11/15 FG) |
Hartley: 31 (13/13 PAT; 6/10 FG) |