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Steelers vs. Raiders match-ups: Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau vs. Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor

Quarterbacks making their first start against the Steelers have not fared well since LeBeau assumed his role in 2004.

By Neal Coolong
Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is 17-2 against rookie quarterbacks, and 26-11 against quarterbacks making their first career start against him since he assumed his position in 2004.

Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor will make his first start against LeBeau's defense at 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday as the Steelers take on Oakland in Week 8.

Judging by history, Pryor's first start isn't likely to be a good one.

Player Date Tm Opp Result (Opp) PIT record CMP ATT Cmp% Passing Yds TD INT Rating Y/A
Geno Smith 10/13/2013 NYJ @ PIT L 19-6 26-11 19 34 55.88% 201 0 2 48.8 5.91
Jake Locker 9/8/2013 TEN @ PIT W 16-9 25-11 11 20 55.00% 125 0 0 74 6.25
Thaddeus Lewis 12/30/2012 CLE @ PIT L 10-24 25-10 22 32 68.75% 204 1 1 83.3 6.38
Brandon Weeden 11/25/2012 CLE PIT W 20-14 24-10 17 26 65.38% 158 1 1 78.7 6.08
Robert Griffin III 10/28/2012 WAS @ PIT L 12-27 24-9 16 34 47.06% 177 1 0 72.8 5.21
Tyler Palko 11/27/2011 KAN PIT L 9-13 23-9 18 28 64.29% 167 0 3 40.9 5.96
Andy Dalton 11/13/2011 CIN PIT L 17-24 22-9 15 30 50.00% 170 2 2 61.8 5.67
Blaine Gabbert 10/16/2011 JAX @ PIT L 13-17 21-9 12 26 46.15% 109 1 0 70.8 4.19
Curtis Painter 9/25/2011 IND PIT L 20-23 20-9 5 11 45.45% 60 0 0 62.7 5.45
Jimmy Clausen 12/23/2010 CAR @ PIT L 3-27 19-9 10 23 43.48% 72 0 1 33.2 3.13
Mark Sanchez 12/19/2010 NYJ @ PIT W 22-17 18-9 19 29 65.52% 170 0 0 81.1 5.86
Colt McCoy 10/17/2010 CLE @ PIT L 10-28 18-8 23 33 69.70% 281 1 2 80.5 8.52
Josh Freeman 9/26/2010 TAM PIT L 13-38 17-8 20 31 64.52% 184 0 1 67.1 5.94
Matt Ryan 9/12/2010 ATL @ PIT L 9-15 16-8 27 44 61.36% 252 0 1 67.6 5.73
Chad Henne 1/3/2010 MIA PIT L 24-30 15-8 16 20 80.00% 140 1 1 91.7 7
Brady Quinn 12/10/2009 CLE PIT W 13-6 14-8 6 19 31.58% 90 0 0 48.1 4.74
Jason Campbell 11/3/2008 WAS PIT L 6-23 14-7 24 43 55.81% 206 0 2 49.2 4.79
Joe Flacco 9/29/2008 BAL @ PIT L 20-23 13-7 16 31 51.61% 192 1 0 81.7 6.19
Troy Smith 12/30/2007 BAL PIT W 27-21 12-7 16 27 59.26% 171 1 0 90.2 6.33
John Beck 11/26/2007 MIA @ PIT L 0-3 12-6 14 23 60.87% 132 0 0 76.7 5.74
Kellen Clemens 11/18/2007 NYJ PIT W 19-16 11-6 14 31 45.16% 162 1 1 58.8 5.23
Jay Cutler 10/21/2007 DEN PIT W 31-28 11-5 22 29 75.86% 248 3 2 106.7 8.55
Matt Leinart 9/30/2007 ARI PIT W 21-14 11-4 7 14 50.00% 93 0 0 71.4 6.64
Alex Smith 9/23/2007 SFO @ PIT L 16-37 11-3 17 35 48.57% 209 1 1 65.1 5.97
Brett Basanez 12/17/2006 CAR PIT L 3-37 10-3 6 11 54.55% 56 0 1 30.9 5.09
Derek Anderson 12/7/2006 CLE @ PIT L 7-27 9-3 21 37 56.76% 276 1 1 78.2 7.46
Bruce Gradkowski 12/3/2006 TAM @ PIT L 3-20 8-3 20 34 58.82% 175 0 3 35.8 5.15
Andrew Walter 10/29/2006 OAK PIT W 20-13 7-3 5 14 35.71% 51 0 1 17.3 3.64
Philip Rivers 10/8/2006 SDG PIT W 23-13 7-2 24 37 64.86% 242 2 1 90.1 6.54
Charlie Frye 12/24/2005 CLE PIT L 0-41 7-1 20 39 51.28% 183 0 0 64.4 4.69
Kyle Orton 12/11/2005 CHI @ PIT L 9-21 6-1 17 35 48.57% 207 0 0 67.2 5.91
Eli Manning 12/18/2004 NYG PIT L 30-33 5-1 16 23 69.57% 182 2 1 103.9 7.91
Byron Leftwich 12/5/2004 JAX PIT L 16-17 4-1 16 27 59.26% 268 1 0 105.2 9.93
Patrick Ramsey 11/28/2004 WAS @ PIT L 7-16 3-1 19 34 55.88% 138 1 1 63.1 4.06
Carson Palmer 10/3/2004 CIN @ PIT L 17-28 2-1 20 37 54.05% 164 1 2 52.1 4.43
A.J. Feeley 9/26/2004 MIA PIT L 3-13 1-1 13 27 48.15% 137 0 2 32.5 5.07
Kyle Boller 9/19/2004 BAL PIT W 30-13 0-1 10 18 55.56% 98 0 0 71.1 5.44

Quarterbacks making their first start against LeBeau average a 56.7 completion percentage (593-for-1,046) with 23 touchdowns and 34 interceptions.

Granted, there's something to be said about the standard level of performance for quarterbacks making their first start against anyone. And Pryor's season numbers aren't heads-and-tails above those marks (five touchdowns and five picks averaging 186 passing yards a game while completing 64.5 percent of his passes).

Still, the learning curve is steep against a defense with as many exotic looks as LeBeau's. Jets rookie QB Geno Smith looked confused for much of the Steelers' Week 6 win, having tossed two interceptions and failed to lead his team to the end zone.

Pryor has a bit more NFL experience than Smith does, so there's something to be said about him being more like the rookie performances of Jay Cutler and Eli Manning as opposed to former Raiders QB Andrew Walter (17.3 rating) or something called Bruce Basanez.

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