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Steelers tight end Heath Miller fights for a first down against the Bengals last month at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.
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History says 'Heeeath' underneath

Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

History says 'Heeeath' underneath

Since the National Football League began charting such statistics in 1991, no team has had more completions of 40 yards or longer in a season than the 2015 Steelers.

Their big-play offense has produced 21 pass plays of 40-plus yards -- eight of those to Antonio Brown, five each to Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton. Darrius Heyward-Bey, who caught a 66-yard pass Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, has three.

Two other teams -- the 2000 St. Louis Rams and 1998 Minnesota Vikings -- also had 21 completions of at least 40 yards. But, in the past 25 years, nobody has exceeded the amount generated by the Steelers.

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Those explosive plays, however, disappear against the Cincinnati Bengals, whose style of defense -- drop seven into coverage, play two deep safeties -- is designed to take away football's equivalent of the home run.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is able to get the ball off as he's pressured by the Bengals' Geno Atkins in November at Heinz Field.
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But what it does do is create lots of space in the middle of the field for tight end Heath Miller, who has put up big numbers and accounted for one-third of his total 2015 receptions in two regular-season games against the Bengals.

"They like to take away the deep ball, the big play," said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "They sit back in some high shell coverages to take away those things. It usually opens up underneath stuff and when you have a savvy veteran guy like Heath, he finds ways to get open."

In two games against the Bengals this season, Miller has 20 catches for 171 yards. He had 10 in each of the games at Heinz Field and Paul Brown Stadium, tying his career high.

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That means Miller had 33 percent of his 60 catches and 32 percent of his 535 receiving yards this season against one team. With nickel linebacker Emmanuel Lamur on injured reserve, the Bengals will use inside linebacker Vincent Rey to try to cover Miller.

"It's their game plan to defend our offense -- keep everything underneath," Miller said. "When they do that, there's more opportunity for shorter or intermediate routes."

The Bengals are among the league's stingiest teams when it comes to preventing big pass plays. They allowed a league-low 39 passes of 20 yards or longer and only six of 40 yards or longer, second fewest in the league.

In two games against the Steelers, the longest completion they surrendered was a 31-yarder to Markus Wheaton in the second meeting.

Steelers LB James Harrison intercepts pass in front of Browns TE Gary Barnidge in the third quarter Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
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"You never know how the game is going to unfold," Miller said. "Certainly, if we have to move the ball that way, then I certainly have to step up and make some plays. Maybe you still want to take a few shots to keep them honest, but you have to be patient. If you don't, their safeties are very good at playing deep. They're going to get interceptions."

That's one of the reasons Roethlisberger was so proficient in the most recent game at Paul Brown Stadium, completing 30 of 39 passes. However, he accounted for only 282 yards, his second lowest total since the first Cincinnati game (262).

Roethlisberger will likely have to rely on Miller again, something he has no problem doing. He has always referred to his 11-year tight end as the greatest teammate he has ever had.

First Published: January 9, 2016, 5:00 a.m.

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