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Roethlisberger, Steelers dominate Raiders

Nov 22, 2010 - 2:28 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Ben Roethlisberger threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns, and the Pittsburgh defense stymied Oakland all day in a 35-3 rout at Heinz Field.

The Steelers (7-3) were coming off their worst home loss in nearly a half- decade, having lost to New England, 39-26. After giving up 453 yards to the Patriots last week, Pittsburgh allowed the Raiders just 182 total yards of offense on Sunday.

Roethlisberger completed 18-of-29 passes and also ran for a score to help Pittsburgh keep pace with Baltimore atop the AFC North standings after the Ravens beat the Panthers.

"I don't know how many yards were negated because of penalties, but it had to be a lot," Roethlisberger said. "That's not us. We killed ourselves too much today, but we were good enough in all phases to still win."

Mike Wallace caught three passes for 116 yards and a score, while Emmanuel Sanders also caught a touchdown pass. Rashard Mendenhall ran for 59 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.

Oakland's Jason Campbell struggled to find a rhythm, completing only 7-of-19 passes for 70 yards with an interception before being replaced in the third quarter.

"Today, they brought a lot of different blitzes," Campbell said. "They were bringing it. Their players stepped up and made plays. We just played against a really tough defense that got after us."

Bruce Gradkowski finished the game with 98 yards passing and an interception for the Raiders (5-5), who fell a game behind the Chiefs in the AFC West after Kansas City beat the Cardinals.

Sebastian Janikowski's 41-yard field goal in the first quarter gave Oakland the early lead, but it was all Pittsburgh in a three-touchdown second quarter.

The Steelers began a drive at their own 15 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the first and went the length of the field in 14 plays. On the third play of the second quarter, Mendenhall powered his way in from five yards away for a 7-3 contest.

Pittsburgh took over again at its own 44 midway through the quarter and traveled 56 yards in just seven plays. Roethlisberger completed passes of 19 yards to Wallace and 21 yards to Antonio Brown before scrambling for a 16-yard touchdown on 3rd-and-5. He ran to the right, juked one defender around the five-yard line and narrowly stretched the football across the plane of the end zone for an 11-point lead with four minutes left.

On Oakland's next drive, a defensive pass interference call converted a 3rd- and-14 from the six-yard line. However, Ike Taylor forced wide receiver Louis Murphy to fumble on the next play, giving the Steelers the ball on the Raiders' 35.

Roethlisberger's 22-yard touchdown pass to Sanders provided the home team with a 21-3 halftime margin.

The Raiders had more trouble in the third quarter. Their first drive ended after Campbell tripped over his own feet for a sack, and he was intercepted on the first play of the next Oakland series.

Pittsburgh couldn't convert the turnover into points, but Campbell was picked off again on the following drive. Taylor returned it 16 yards for a touchdown, but it was nullified on a questionable roughing the passer call on James Harrison.

The drive still ended in a punt, and Gradkowski replaced Campbell on the following series. His first drive ended in an interception deep in Pittsburgh territory.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Wallace took a short pass and turned it into a 52-yard touchdown. He juked a cornerback downfield before sprinting through several defenders en route to the end zone for a 28-3 contest.

Isaac Redman's 16-yard touchdown reception -- the first of his career -- in the closing moments accounted for Pittsburgh's final score.

Game Notes

Oakland's Richard Seymour was ejected in the first half for a hit placed on Roethlisberger...Roethlisberger is now 36-11 all-time at home...Mendenhall set a new career-high with his eighth rushing touchdown of the season...Wallace recorded his third straight game of 100 receiving yards or more...Pittsburgh came in with the top rushing defense, allowing 63.2 rush yards per game, and yielded only 61 to Oakland...The Steelers totaled 431 yards on offense.