Steelers defeat Carolina Panthers, 33-17

[SteelCityMom]

Steelers defeat Carolina Panthers, 33-17
Thursday, September 01, 2011
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Steelers accomplished their goal by making it through their final preseason game without serious injury.

No injuries tonight, but the trauma will happen for many over the next two days; coach Mike Tomlin must pare his roster to 53 players by 4 p.m. Saturday. Many of those cuts will come Friday, only hours after the Steelers wrapped up their 3-1 preseason with a 33-17 victory against the Carolina Panthers.

The game was typical for a preseason finale, in which the only outcome any coach cares much about is his team's health.

Because of that, Tomlin rested more than a few starters -- 12 of the 22 regulars did not play, some because of injuries. Those starters who did not play included Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Rashard Mendenhall, James Harrison, James Farrior, Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, and the injured -- Bryant McFadden, Maurkice Pouncey and Ike Taylor.

All but possibly McFadden should be ready to go for the regular season opener Sept. 11 in Baltimore.

The Steelers not only came out of the game healthy, they added wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and rookie cornerback Cortez Allen to the list of returnees.

Sanders, out since early in camp from a slow-to-heal foot injury, played for the first time and caught four passes for 60 yards, all in the first half. Allen, who had not yet played because of a hamstring injury, had good coverage and tipped a deep Jimmy Clausen pass away from receiver Armanti Edwards and into the hands of safety Will Allen for an interception.

The Steelers scored touchdowns on a David Johnson fumble recovery in the end zone when Mike Wallace caught a 10-yard pass and lost the ball trying to stretch it over the goalline, on Jonathan Dwyer's 50-yard run, on rookie tight end Weslye Saunders' 15-yard reception from Dennis Dixon and on four field goals -- two by Shaun Suisham of 52 and 31 yards, and two by Swayze Waters of 22 and 53 yards.

Carolina scored on rookie Cam Newton's first pro touchdown pass of 10 yards to veteran tight end Jeremy Shockey, on David Clowney's 41-yard reception from Derek Anderson and on Adi Kunalic's 20-yard field goal.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11244...#ixzz1Wno65CNc

[Moose]

I have to wait for the game on the NFL channel replay. Thanks for the info. though.