Best Steelers offence since the '70s? Ward wonders if it's so
By Alan Robinson, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PITTSBURGH - Hines Ward, the leading receiver in Steelers history, isn't ready to say this is the best offence he's played on in his 10 NFL seasons.
Maybe he doesn't have to. With the Steelers (7-2) positioning themselves for another high seeding in the playoffs, there are significant differences between this Mike Tomlin-coached team and any of the previous 15 teams coached by Bill Cowher.
Namely, they're running the ball as effectively as ever, but they're throwing it better than they have since Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw was at quarterback.
Tomlin hasn't exactly turned Ben Roethlisberger loose to throw it 40 times every game, but this Steelers offence could be developing into the most diverse and difficult to stop since the Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth and Franco Harris days.
While NFL statistics can be difficult to compare given the major differences in strength of schedule, the Steelers go into Sunday's game at the Jets (1-8) with the league's second-leading rusher in Willie Parker (873 yards) and the No. 2-rated quarterback in Roethlisberger, who has 22 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
Only New England's Tom Brady (33 touchdowns, four interceptions) has more scoring passes and fewer interceptions, and only Brady has a higher QB rating, 131.8 to Roethlisberger's 110.2.
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