A terrible field and dreadful weather caused the Dolphins and Steelers to rewind to a different NFL era, a time when points came at a premium and one field goal could decide a game. They trudged through the quagmire of Heinz Field, nearly going all night without scoring. Nearly. Jeff Reed's 24-yard field goal with 17 seconds left Monday night gave Pittsburgh a 3-0 victory over winless Miami, the first time in 64 years an NFL game went that long without any points.

Steelers' strong safety Troy Polamalu and wide receiver Santonio Holmes seem certain to miss at least one game and possibly more with injuries from a surprise loss to the New York Jets. Polamalu sprained a knee and Holmes injured ankle ligaments during a 19-16 overtime loss Sunday, one of the NFL's biggest upsets this season. Both are listed as doubtful for Monday night's home game against Miami (0-10). Although Coach Mike Tomlin wouldn't list either player as out, he talked Tuesday as if neither would play. Both injuries are the type that can sideline players for multiple games. Tomlin called them "two significant injuries."

The Cleveland Browns did almost everything possible to beat the rival Steelers. They seized a 15-point lead, forced a key turnover and twice got long kickoff returns from Joshua Cribbs even as Pittsburgh tried to kick away from him. What the Browns couldn't defend was, of all things, Ben Roethlisberger's legs in Pittsburgh's 31-28 win Sunday. Roethlisberger scrambled 30 yards for a key touchdown during Pittsburgh's second-half comeback, then set up his own go-ahead 2-yard TD pass to Heath Miller with an important third-down run as the Steelers rallied. In a game that meant a two-game swing in the AFC North -- the Browns (5-4) would have tied the Steelers (7-2) by winning -- Roethlisberger's big second half overcame Cleveland quarterback Derek Anderson's huge first half.

Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger passed for a career-high five first-half touchdowns in a 38-7 rout of the Ravens on Monday.

For a guy who was supposed to be another all-purpose-type player when the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in 1998, wide receiver Hines Ward has been more than a reasonable facsimile of John Stallworth and Lynn Swann. Fittingly, the two Hall of Fame receivers known for their playmaking ability in four Steelers Super Bowl victories will be in the stands tonight when the Steelers (5-2) host the Ravens (4-3) in a key AFC North game. Because of Ward, Stallworth and Swann are finding their names less and less often in the Steelers' record book. Ward's two touchdown catches during a 24-13 victory Oct. 28in Cincinnati gave him 61 for his career, two short of Stallworth's team-record 63. Ward also needs 445 yards to break Stallworth's club record of 8,723 receiving yards in a career. "It is a great feeling to have my name up there with players like Swann and Stallworth," Ward said. "To have the Steelers' record for most TDs would be a huge accomplishment."

Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca returned to practice Saturday, but Aaron Smith did not practice; it looks like the defensive end will miss his second-straight game because of a sprained knee. Free safety Ryan Clark (spleen) and tight end Jerame Tuman (back) also didn't practice, but they too had already been ruled out for the Steelers' Monday night game against the Ravens. Smith is officially listed as doubtful for the 8:30 P.M. game at Heinz Field, but it appears the Steelers are erring on the side of caution when it comes to the the ninth-year veteran, as they did earlier this season with wide receiver Hines Ward after he had sprained his knee.

Rejuvenated after resting his banged-up body, Ravens quarterback Steve McNair plans to be back under center Monday for the first time in nearly a month. Since missing two starts and recuperating from back and groin injuries during Baltimore's bye week, McNair is preparing to start Monday night against the Steelers for his first action since an Oct. 7 victory over the 49ers.