On top of becoming the first Steelers player to catch two touchdown passes and return a punt for a score in a game, Brown also became the first player in team history to reach 6,000 career receiving yards and 1,500 career punt return yards.
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When going for two this season, Pittsburgh has 14 points on 10 plays.
Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had had a quiet start, but he began to exert his influence on the game in the second quarter and after he found both Martavis Bryant and Brown with fine passes, he played in Brown to restore Pittsburgh’s advantage. At the age of 40, Hasselbeck is trying to manage football games and not let mistakes cost his team wins.
-PASSING OFFENSE: A-plus. The Steelers tortured the Colts pass defense for a second year in a row.
Kansas City (7-5) and the Jets (7-5) now hold the two wildcard spots in the AFC based on tiebreakers over the Steelers, who travel to AFC North-leading Cincinnati (10-2) Sunday.
Brown has had multiple touchdowns in two of the last three games he played in, and is tied with Antonio Gates for the most multi-touchdown games over the last two seasons (they each have six).
Some other things to glean from another scoreboard tilting effort by an offense that has topped 30 points in each of the last four games.
‘AB is. I just don’t want him to get hurt.
“I did get X-rays, and I’m in a little bit of pain”, Hasselbeck said Sunday, via the team’s website. Linebacker James Harrison led the way with three, while safety Will Allen and linebacker Arthur Moats added one apiece.
Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger started despite sustaining a concussion in the loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week.
BUCCANEERS 23, FALCONS 19: In Tampa, Florida, Jameis Winston threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans with 1:39 remaining to lift Tampa Bay. To get there, the flashes the Steelers have shown in pockets – thanks in large part to injuries to Roethlisberger and running back Le’Veon Bell – will have to become a full-fledged flame.
Roethlisberger provided the exclamation point with a 48-yard pass to Brown, three plays before the wide receiver hauled in his second touchdown catch.
In the aftermath of Sunday night’s 45-10 loss at Pittsburgh, there were not a lot of happy people in the Indianapolis Colts locker room at Heinz Field.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) is helped by trainers after being shaken up on a … Just because Jones turned out to be not as good at returning footballs as he used to be doesn’t mean that releasing Dri Archer was a mistake.
-RUSHING OFFENSE: C-minus. Gore had 45 yards rushing in 13 carries and averaged 3.5 yards per carry. Brown possibly reclaimed the job full-time after sprinting 71 yards for the fourth punt return score of his career. The Steelers already cut one kick returner this season.
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THE DEFENSE RESPONDED, TOO: Tomlin and defensive coordinator Keith Butler tinkered with personnel and schematics after Russell Wilson lit the Steelers up for five touchdown passes last week.
