If Saturday's 27-0 domination of the St. Louis Rams is the last time Hines Ward suits up for the Steelers in Heinz Field, he will go out on top -- of the Steelers' record books.

The 35-year-old Steelers receiver is the franchise's all-time leader in yards, receptions and receiving touchdowns. He is only five catches away from 1,000. If Ward makes it, he will become just the third player in NFL history with 1,000 catches and multiple Super Bowl wins. Jerry Rice and Art Monk are the others. Nice company.

If he can get those five catches Sunday in the season finale at Cleveland, Ward might guarantee his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That has been the big buzz for everyone in Pittsburgh -- there was a sign in the south end zone Saturday that counted down with each catch -- except Ward.

"All we gotta do is keep controlling what we can control," he said.

Though he only caught four passes against the Rams, Ward still played a crucial role in the Steelers' win as his receptions kept drives alive. He hasn't been the go-to guy much this season, especially in recent weeks when he's seen a drastic reduction in playing time.

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-- CHASE KENDERES
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The Cincinnati Bengals made it look easy. After forcing the Steelers offense to go three-and-out on the opening drive of the game, Andy Dalton and the Bengals offense took the ball at their own 37-yard line and proceeded to drive 59 yards down to the Steelers' 4-yard line. With second-and-goal at the 4, Bengals rookie WR AJ Green was flagged for a false start. An incompletion and a delay of game on a field goal attempt later and the Bengals lined up to take a 3-0 lead with a 33-yard field goal attempt.

That's where the momentum changed.

Steelers rookie defensive lineman Cameron Heyward reached up into the air and got a hand on the Mike Nugent kick to deflect it into the air.

"I just went straight and Ziggy [Hood] got great penetration which forced the guard to push out on him," Heyward explained after the game. "And it just opened up like the Red Sea."

Though the Steelers offense would not get on the board until the second quarter the blocked field goal was a momentum changer and the Steelers defense rallied on the following drives and would only allow one Cincinnati touchdown the entire game as the Steelers cruised to a 35-7 AFC North victory at home on Sunday.

"Huge play," said defensive end Bret Keisel a former special teams standout in his own right, of Heyward's blocked field goal. "Making a play on special teams like that can really change the outcome of a game."

"We went three and out on offense; that was no good," explained Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "They go down the field and go for a touchdown and they didn't get it. Then we get a blocked field goal. It brings a new energy to a team. I think it is what got us rolling."

The special teams dominance continued following Rashard Mendenhall's second touchdown run of the game when linebacker Stevenson Sylvester stripped the ball away from Bengals kick returner Brandon Tate. The ball was recovered by Steelers WR Emmanuel Sanders at the Cincinnati 23. Three plays later Roethlisberger found Mike Wallace in the end zone to make it 21-0 Steelers.

The Steelers went into halftime with a 28-7 lead thanks to yet another dynamic special teams play when emerging star wideout Antonio Brown returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown.

"I started in the middle and I took it left and I knew I was gonna break it out right and I was able to get it outside and my guy was in a great position," Brown said. "Bryant McFadden blocked the last guy for me to get around the edge and from there it was me and the punter."

The second half saw both starting quarterbacks removed from the game after another Roethlisberger to Wallace touchdown pass made it 35-7.

The Steelers had put together their most complete game of the season and in the process dominated a team that has had success in the recent past in Heinz Field and a division rival who was looking to stay in the AFC playoff hunt.

This type of play has become expected of the Steelers in December and January as the team seems to play their best football when the games mean the most.

"If we can play that way in all three phases, we'll be a tough team to beat here in December," Keisel said.

"These are the games that count. These are the games that put you in place to make your run," said linebacker James Farrior. "Right now, is our time. We can't afford to lose any games. So we're going to have to play every game like it's a playoff game. We already started our playoffs."

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has to love the urgency, even if he won't admit it.

"I'd like to think we are capable of having that sense of urgency in September, because we only get 16 opportunities to state our case," he said. "I was pleased but there are new and greater challenges that lie ahead. It's about sustaining it and improving it moving forward into December."

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-- CHASE KENDERES
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