Steelers GameDay Cheat Sheet: Wild Card vs the Buffalo Bills

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on January 13, 2024

Steelers GameDay Cheat Sheet is a weekly series featuring a quick glance at the upcoming Steelers game, including odds, records, things to watch for, and how to watch/listen to the game.

Series Notes

All-Time Steelers lead, 17-12
- Last: Bills Win, 38-3 (Oct. 9, 2023)
Home Steelers lead, 10-3
- Last: Bills Win, 17-10 (Dec. 15, 2019)
Away Bills lead, 9-7
- Last: Bills Win, 38-3 (Oct. 9, 2023)
Playoffs Steelers lead, 2-1
- Last: Steelers Win, 40-21 (Jan. 6, 1996)

The Coaches

Steelers: Mike Tomlin
- At Franchise: 172-100-2 (17)
- Overall: 172-100-2 (17)
- Versus Opponent: 18-15
Bills: Sean McDermott
- At Franchise: 73-41-0 (7)
- Overall: 73-41-0 (7)
- Versus Opponent: 4-5

Gameday Information

UPDATED: Date: Monday, Jan. 15
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Location: Highmark Stadium
Orchard Park, NY
Capacity 71,608 // A-Turf Titan 50
TV: CBS // Locally KDKA-TV
- Jim Nantz (play-by-play)
- Tony Romo (analysis)
- Jay Feely (analysis)
- Tracy Wolfson (field reporter)
Satellite Radio
- Steelers Broadcast: Sirius 82, XM/SXM 225
- Bills Broadcast: Sirius 158, XM/SXM 226, Internet 803
- National Broadcast: Sirius 88, XM/SXM 88, Internet 88
National Radio: Westwood One Sports
- Tom McCarthy (play-by-play)
- Tony Boselli (analysis)
- Ryan Leaf (analysis)
Locally: 102.5 WDVE-FM (Pittsburgh) & 970 WBGG-AM (Pittsburgh)
(48 affiliates – see below)
- Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play)
- Craig Wolfley (analysis)
- Max Starks (field reporter)
- Missi Matthews (field reporter)
Referee: Carl Cheffers

SCU Steelers Coverage

Team Leaders

	Steelers		Bills
Passing	Kenny Pickett	201/324, 2070 yds, 6 TDs	Josh Allen	385/579, 4306 yds, 29 TDs
Receiving	George Pickens	63 rec, 1140 yds, 5 TDs	Stefon Diggs	107 rec, 1183 yds, 8 TDs
Rushing	Najee Harris	255 rush, 1035 yds, 8 TDs	James Cook	237 rush, 1122 yds, 2 TDs

Team Rankings

	PIT	BUF
Home Record	5-4-0	7-2-0
Away Record	5-3-0	4-4-0
Record vs. Spread	10-7-0	7-9-1
Points Scored/Game	17.9 (28th)	26.5 (6th)
Points Allowed/Game	19.1 (6th)	18.3 (4th)
Takeaway Diff.	+11 (3rd)	+2 (12th)
Pass Yds/Game	186 (25th)	244 (8th)
Rush Yds/Game	118 (13th)	130 (7th)
Def. Pass Yds/Game	227 (17th)	196 (7th)
Def. Rush Yds/Game	115 (19th)	110 (15th)

Steelers Notes

STEELERS made playoffs for 3rd time in 4 seasons & secured 20th-consecutive season with .500-or-better record, 2nd-longest such streak in NFL history. Seeking 1st playoff win since 2016. Ranked tied-3rd in NFL with +11 turnover differential this season.
MIKE TOMLIN makes 11th postseason appearance as HC. Led Pit. to SB XLIII championship in 2008.
QB MASON RUDOLPH is 3-0 with 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 120.4 rating in 3 starts this season. Has won or tied 5 of past 6 starts overall.
RB NAJEE HARRIS is 1 of 2 RBs (Joe Mixon) with 1,200+ scrimmage yards in each of past 3 seasons. Is 5th RB since 2000 with 1,000+ rush yards & 7+ rush TDs in each of 1st 3 seasons. Has rush TD in each of his past 3 & 120+ scrimmage yards in each of past 2.
RB JAYLEN WARREN has career-high 1,154 scrimmage yards (784 rush, 370 rec.) this season & ranked 5th among RBs with 61 catches. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 9 of past 10. Harris (1,205) & Warren were 1 of 2 pair of RB teammates each with 1,100+ scrimmage yards this season.
WR GEORGE PICKENS set career highs in catches (63), rec. yards (1,140) & rec. TDs (5) this season. Has 125+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. Had 6 catches for 83 yards in last meeting.
WR DIONTAE JOHNSON had 5th-straight season with 50+ catches (51) & 4th-career season with 5+ rec. TDs (5) in 2023. Finished season with TD catch in 4 of final 6 games. Had 50+ rec. yards in 5 of 6 road games this season. Had TD catch in last playoff game (1/16/22 at KC).
LB ELANDON ROBERTS led team with 101 tackles in 1st season with Pit., 2nd-straight 100-tackle season. Has TFL in 2 of his past 3 vs. Buf., incl. playoffs. Has 34 tackles in 11 career playoff games.
LB ALEX HIGHSMITH had 3rd-straight season with 6+ sacks (7). Has TFL in 2 of 3 career games vs. Buf. Had sack in last playoff game (1/16/22 at KC).
DT CAMERON HEYWARD aims for his 3rd in row vs. Buf. with FF.
CB PATRICK PETERSON tied for team lead with 11 PD in 1st season with Pit., 5th-career season with 10+ PD. Has 8 PD & 5 INTs in 4 career games vs. Buf, with INT in each game.
S MINKAH FITZPATRICK selected to 4th-career Pro Bowl this season.

Bills Notes

BILLS won AFC East title for 4th-straight season, tied-longest streak in franchise history (1988-91). Ranked 4th in NFL in scoring defense this season (18.3 points allowed per game).
SEAN MCDERMOTT can join HOFer Marc Levy (11 wins) as only Buf. HCs ever with 5+ playoff wins.
QB JOSH ALLEN ranked 4th in NFL with 4,306 pass yards this season & tied-5th with 29 TD passes, 4th-straight 4,000-yard season. Tied single-season record by QB with 15 rush TDs & is 1 of 2 in NFL (Derrick Henry) with 6+ rush TDs in each of past 6 seasons. Passed for 424 yards & 4 TDs in last meeting. Is 4-1 with 13 TDs (11 pass, 2 rush) vs. 3 INTs with 104.9 rating in 6 career home playoff starts. Has 3+ TDs in 3 of his past 4 playoff starts.
RB JAMES COOK made 1st-career Pro Bowl after ranking 3rd among RBs with 1,537 scrimmage yards in 2023, becoming 1st Buf. RB with 1,500-yard season since LeSean McCoy in 2017. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 3 of his past 4 at home. Had rush TD in last meeting.
RB LEONARD FOURNETTE has 10 TDs (9 rush, 1 rec.) in 9 career playoff games, with TD in 7 of his past 8 playoff games.
WR STEFON DIGGS led team with 107 catches for 1,183 yards & 8 TDs in 2023 & is 1 of 4 players all-time with 100+ catches in 4 straight seasons. Has 27 catches for 301 yards (100.3 per game) & 2 TDs in his past 3 vs. Pit.
WR GABE DAVIS had 7 rec. TDs in 2023. Davis & Diggs are 2 of 6 players with 6+ rec. TDs in each of past 4 seasons. Had 171 rec. yards & 2 rec. TDs in last meeting & has TD catch in each of 3 career games vs. Pit. Has 6 rec. TDs in his past 4 playoff games.
TE DALTON KINCAID ranked 2nd among rookie TEs with 73 catches & 673 rec. yards. Aims for 3rd in row with 80+ rec. yards.
LB TERREL BERNARD led team with 143 tackles in 2023, most by Buf. player in single season since 2017. Has sack in 2 of past 3.
DE LEONARD FLOYD led team with 10.5 sacks, 4th-straight season with 9+ sacks. Aims for 5th in row at home with TFL. Has 5 career playoff sacks, with sack in 2 of past 3 in playoffs.
DT ED OLIVER had career-best 9.5 sacks in 2023 & finished season with sack in 2 of past 3. Has sack in 2 of past 3 playoff games.
S JORDAN POYER had 3rd-career 100-tackle season (101).
CB RASUL DOUGLAS has 4 INTs since joining Buf. in Week 9.