0 comments | Print

Raiders game plan vs. Pittsburgh

Published: Sunday, Sep. 23, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 7C
Last Modified: Sunday, Sep. 23, 2012 - 1:25 pm

RAIDERS GAME AT A GLANCE

Opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

Time: 1:25 p.m.

Line: Steelers by 4

Records: Raiders 0-2, Steelers 1-1

TV: Ch. 13 (Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts)

Radio: 1140

MATCHUP TO WATCH

Raiders cornerbacks vs. Steelers receivers

The Raiders are without both of their starting cornerbacks and facing a receiving corps that coach Dennis Allen said is probably the fastest they will see this season – not an ideal situation. Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown both topped 1,100 receiving yards last year and are deep threats for Ben Roethlisberger. Pat Lee and Joselio Hanson struggled against Miami's less-accomplished receiving corps last weekend but might get some reinforcement if safety Michael Huff lines up at corner.

THREE KEYS TO GAME

• Both teams want to be balanced on offense, which means running better than they have through two games (the Steelers rank 30th in rushing yardage, the Raiders 31st). The Raiders haven't been good about getting themselves into manageable third downs, and positive gains on the ground on early downs are one answer.

• Roethlisberger will stay in the pocket as long as possible and can be just as dangerous throwing on the run, so the Raiders need to apply pressure and make him get rid of the ball earlier than he wants.

• The Steelers finished 29th last year in turnover margin. Their offense has been the best this season converting third downs and sustaining drives, which the Raiders can cut off with takeaways. The next turnover they force this season, though, will be their first.

INJURY REPORT

RAIDERS

Out: T Khalif Barnes (groin), CB Shawntae Spencer (foot).

Questionable: TE David Ausberry (shoulder), CB Coye Francies (concussion), RB Mike Goodson (hamstring), K Sebastian Janikowski (left groin), RB Taiwan Jones (ribs), LB Rolando McClain (concussion, ankle), C Alex Parsons (shoulder), DT Richard Seymour (knee).

Probable: WR Juron Criner (ankle).

STEELERS

Out: LB James Harrison (knee), RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee), S Troy Polamalu (calf), LB Stevenson Sylvester (knee).

Questionable: T Mike Adams (back).

Probable: RB Jonathan Dwyer (toe), T Marcus Gilbert (groin), QB Byron Leftwich (illness), TE Heath Miller (abdomen), WR Emmanuel Sanders (knee), WR Mike Wallace (groin).

– Matt Kawahara

SCHEDULE

Date	Opponent	Result

Sept. 9 San Diego L, 22-14

Sept. 16 at Miami L, 35-13

Date Opponent Time

Today Pittsburgh 1:25 p.m.

Sept. 30 at Denver 1:05 p.m.

Oct. 14 at Atlanta 10 a.m.

Oct. 21 Jacksonville 1:25 p.m.

Oct. 28 at Kansas City 1:05 p.m.

Nov. 4 Tampa Bay 1:05 p.m.

Nov. 11 at Baltimore 10 a.m.

Nov. 18 New Orleans 1:05 p.m.

Nov. 25 at Cincinnati 10 a.m.

Dec. 2 Cleveland 1:25 p.m.

Dec. 6 Denver 5:20 p.m.

Dec. 16 Kansas City 1:25 p.m.

Dec. 23 at Carolina 10 a.m.

Dec. 30 at San Diego 1:25 p.m.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Read more articles by Matt Kawahara



About Comments

Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "Report Abuse" link below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.

What You Should Know About Comments on Sacbee.com

Sacbee.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can't play nice. (See our full terms of service here.)

Here are some rules of the road:

• Keep your comments civil. Don't insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines click the "Report Abuse" link to notify the moderators. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior.

• Don't use profanities, vulgarities or hate speech. This is a general interest news site. Sometimes, there are children present. Don't say anything in a way you wouldn't want your own child to hear.

• Do not attack other users; focus your comments on issues, not individuals.

• Stay on topic. Only post comments relevant to the article at hand.

• Do not copy and paste outside material into the comment box.

• Don't repeat the same comment over and over. We heard you the first time.

• Do not use the commenting system for advertising. That's spam and it isn't allowed.

• Don't use all capital letters. That's akin to yelling and not appreciated by the audience.

• Don't flag other users' comments just because you don't agree with their point of view. Please only flag comments that violate these guidelines.

You should also know that The Sacramento Bee does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "Report Abuse" link to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at feedback@sacbee.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa.

If you submit a comment, the user name of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them.

hide comments
Sacramento Bee Job listing powered by Careerbuilder.com
Quick Job Search
Buy
Used Cars
Dealer and private-party ads
Make:

Model:

Price Range:
to
Search within:
miles of ZIP

Advanced Search | 1982 & Older



Find 'n' Save Daily DealGet the Deal!

Local Deals