Tampa Bay @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2010 ) Pittsburgh 38, Tampa Bay 13

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a lot of low points since joining the NFL, but their Week 2 debacle in Atlanta may have established an all-time low. The Buccaneers will try to regain some form of respectability and snap a 10-game September losing streak Sunday when they visit the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bucs, who dropped their first 26 games after joining the NFL in 1976 and were shut out six times in '77, were trailing 56-0 through three periods on Sept. 18 – the second-largest shutout margin through three quarters in the Super Bowl era - before scoring two meaningless touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

In the first quarter of last week's game against Carolina, Pittsburgh's passing game was almost as equally embarrassing. Ben Roethlisberger threw just one of his eight passes more than one yard downfield before opening it up in the second quarter by connecting on 11-of-13 for 127 yards. The Steelers added a ground-and-pound attack in the second half to snap the Panthers' regular-season home winning streak at eight games with a 37-19 victory.

TV: 1 p.m. FOX. Line: Steelers -7.5. O/U: 44.5

ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (0-3): With the injury to Josh McCown (thumb), Mike Glennon, who threw 19 touchdowns against nine interceptions in 13 starts last season and was 17-of-24 against the Falcons, takes over as the starting quarterback. Tampa Bay's defensive line, which has been decimated by injuries and hasn't put any pressure on the quarterback, will get back All-Pro tackle Gerald McCoy (broken hand). Bobby Rainey has run for 197 yards and a 5.3 average and has added 12 catches, 102 yards and a TD in the passing game in place of injured starter Doug Martin, but he has lost three fumbles.

ABOUT THE STEELERS (2-1): The Steelers haven't had much of a running game in recent seasons, but their 264 yards last week were the most since 2006. Le'Veon Bell, the AFC rushing leader with 315 yards and a 5.9 average, and LeGarrette Blount became the first Pittsburgh duo to top 100 yards in a game since 1986. The defense stepped up as well, yielding just 42 yards rushing against Carolina after surrendering 348 in the first two weeks to the running-challenged Browns and Ravens. It was a costly week, however, as Pittsburgh lost cornerback Ike Taylor (forearm/out indefinitely) and linebackers Ryan Shazier (knee) and Jarvis Jones (wrist), prompting the signing of 36-year-old James Harrison for a second stint in the Steel City.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Under defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin from 2001-08, the Bucs' defense ranked first in yards per game, second in points allowed and sixth in sack percentage. Since his departure, the Bucs rank 23rd, 28th and 31st, respectively.

2. With 19 consecutive games with at least five receptions, Steelers WR Antonio Brown has tied the all-time mark set by WR Laveranues Coles in 2002-03.

3. Tampa Bay's September losing streak is three shy of the 2007-10 Rams for the longest in the NFL over the last 25 years.

PREDICTION: Steelers 31, Buccaneers 14