Despite a few missteps - a Ben Roethlisberger misfire here, a Jonathan Scott holding penalty there - the Pittsburgh Steelers have totally dominated the Buffalo Bills through one half of action. Take a look at the statistical discrepancies:
| Steelers | Bills | |
| Total Yards | 225 | 51 |
| Rushing Yards | 74 | 6 |
| Third Down Conversions | 8-10 | 0-3 |
| Time of Possession | 23:55 | 6:05 |
Dominance aside, one facet of Pittsburgh's game that could definitely improve is Roethlisberger's pocket presence. He's hanging in there way too long, which has resulted in numerous coverage sacks and holding penalties, as his offensive linemen struggle to protect him for extended periods. This isn't anything new; Roethlisberger's been doing this all season. While I admire his patience, and this occasionally results in a big play, I wish he would check down to his hot read or scramble up the field for a short gain on the ground more often.
It's nice to see the Steelers feeding Rashard Mendenhall (65 yards, 3.6 ypc) against the worst rushing defense in the league (163 ypg going into today's contest). However, I hope Issac Redman will get more involved in the second half, since Mendenhall has already recorded 18 carries in one half of football. Pittsburgh needs their young star running back to stay healthy for the postseason.
The Steelers will kick off to the Bills after halftime and attempt to protect their 13-0 lead.