Even playing a fourth-string quarterback doesn’t seem to faze the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With two stingy defenses taking the field Sunday afternoon, the Steelers seek to dismantle the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a battle of unbeaten teams.
Pittsburgh, tied for the NFL lead with 20 points allowed, forced seven turnovers and recorded four sacks, including two by linebacker James Harrison, in last week’s 19-11 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
That effort covered up for an offense that had 21 yards passing and went a second straight week without an offensive touchdown. Charlie Batch relieved starter Dennis Dixon, who went down with a knee injury, and completed 5 of 11 passes for 25 yards and was sacked twice.
Pittsburgh’s lone TD was an 89-yard kickoff return by Antonio Brown to open the game.
Tampa Bay, which started 0-7 last season and is seeking its first 3-0 start since 2005, forced three turnovers in last week’s 20-7 triumph over Carolina, matching its takeaway total from a 17-14 come-from-behind victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 1.
The Bucs are right behind the Steelers and rank third in points allowed with 21.
Tampa Bay didn’t turn the ball over against Carolina as second-year quarterback Josh Freemen threw two touchdowns and posted a 102 passer rating after throwing five picks against the Panthers last season. The defense forced three turnovers and recorded four sacks, including a career-high two by defensive end Tim Crowder.
However, even with the Steelers going without suspended quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, former Bucs QB Byron Leftwich and Dixon, the Steelers represent a big step up in competition for the Buccaneers - especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Pittsburgh limited NFL rushing champ Chris Johnson to 34 yards on 16 carries last week after holding Michael Turner to 42 yards on 19 carries in Week 1, a 15-9 overtime victory secured on Rashard Mendenhall’s 50-yard TD run.
Freeman will be facing the stiffest challenge of his brief career. After throwing 13 interceptions in his final five games last season, the 2009 first-round pick has thrown four TDs against just one pick in the first two games this season.
He has completed 56 percent of his 52 passes for 360 yards and has been sacked three times, but the Steelers have gotten to the quarterback seven times and forced eight turnovers in two weeks.
Freeman has connected twice on TDs to rookie Mike Williams, who has seven catches for 84 yards and has been targeted a team-high 16 times. Tight end Kellen Winslow has eight receptions for 115 yards and will have a featured battle with Steelers All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu, who has an interception in both games this season.
Tampa Bay would like to control the clock by running the ball, but it doesn’t appear Cadillac Williams, who has averaged just 2.6 yards per carry, will have much room against this Steelers front. Freeman could help in this area. He rushed for 78 yards on six scrambles in the first two weeks.
Tampa Bay’s front has helped the Bucs start the season 2-0, limiting DeAngelo Williams to 54 yards on 17 carries last week. They also held Cleveland’s Jerome Harrison to eight carries for 13 yards after letting him loose for a 39-yarder in Week 1.
Mendenhall enters with a 4.2 average and 189 yards.
Tampa Bay’s defense will be without safety Tanard Jackson, who was suspended Wednesday for the rest of the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse program. Jackson, who missed the first four games of the 2009 campaign due to suspension, had 13 tackles in the first two games.
The Steelers have won seven of eight games and three straight in this series, including a 20-3 triumph in their last matchup in 2006.