Steelers ready to start winning streak at Titans

The Steelers have dominated this series between the former AFC Central rivals, winning three straight and six of their last nine with Tennessee.

Having Mendenhall back after a knee injury in January should help. He debuted against Philadelphia and averaged 5.8 yards a carry.

Roethlisberger has thrown for 1,111 yards with nine touchdowns and only one interception, and he has been fine on the road, too, with six TD passes and his only interception. Roethlisberger is a big reason the Steelers convert an NFL-best 53.2 percent of their third downs, and now he gets to face a defense giving up an NFL-worst 36.2 points per game.

"I don't think that their defense is an indication of their record," Roethlisberger said. "I think they're a lot better than that. We have to prepare accordingly, because I think they are a good defense."

The Titans have gotten little help from the offense. Tennessee trailed 14-7 at halftime before losing 38-14 in Houston, and 13-0 at halftime in Minnesota.

"It all comes down to one simple thing," Johnson said. "We're not making plays. We're not staying on the field, not sustaining drives. And at the end of the day, no matter how good our defense does ... they can't keep going out there and making plays when we keep leaving them on the field like that. We have to do our job as an offense."

The Steelers routed Tennessee 38-17 last season in Pittsburgh and forced seven turnovers in their last trip to Nashville in a win in 2010.

Titans coach Mike Munchak said he knows from experience the Steelers likely will have 30,000 fans in the stands. Needing a win playing Pittsburgh is never easy.

"It's been a couple of weeks, and it's been two long weeks," Munchak said. "Hopefully this week will change that."

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