.TURNING THE CORNER: Pittsburghs rejuvenated secondary held the Giants in check last week thanks in part to cornerback Ross Cockrell . Draft

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Receiver Antonio Brown is well aware of the Pittsburgh Steelers track record of successfully mounting late-season playoff pushes.When December rolls around, the Steelers traditionally heat up.The goal is to continue to get hot, Brown said. We know whats at stake. We know whats expected of us. And we want to finish strong.Following a four-game swoon, the Steelers (7-5) are on a roll in having won three straight to move into a tie with Baltimore atop the AFC North in preparing to travel to play the Buffalo Bills (6-6) on Sunday.This is no time for a letdown, especially after an efficient 24-14 win over the New York Giants .You know how important these games are for us in terms of positioning, coach Mike Tomlin said. Like we talked about openly last week, December football: Getting into that mentality and understanding what December football is like.Since 2000, the Steelers have combined to go 46-18 over their final four games of a season. And theyve only twice had two or fewer wins over the seasons final quarter, going 1/3 in both 2012 and 2007.Thats not been the case in Buffalo, where the Bills inability to produce a finishing kick has been a contributing factor to their 16-season playoff drought, the NFLs longest active streak.Since 2000, the Bills are a combined 25-39 in the seasons final quarter, and have won more than two of their final four games once. That happened in 2004 when Buffalo was on a 6-0 roll before being eliminated from contention with a season-ending home loss to a Steelers team that rested its starters after having already secured its playoff spot.This experience right here could be the start of something new, Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said. Thats what were trying to do, is to take seize of it right now, this opportunity that we have.The Bills have left little margin for error in having to win out and get help from other teams to have a shot at the postseason.They must also rebound from a dreadful collapse at Oakland, where Buffalo squandered a 15-point third-quarter lead in a 38-24 loss .TESTY TAYLOR: Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor isnt taking kindly to criticism.Im done talking, the second-year starter tersely said shortly after ending his 10-minute weekly news conference during which he faced numerous questions regarding his inconsistent play. Taylor is overseeing the NFLs worst-ranked passing attack which, in his defense, has been depleted by injuries.Whats concerning is how little impact Taylor has had influencing wins. His numbers are similar whether the Bills win or lose.In six wins, he has 1,000 yards passing and eight touchdowns (including two rushing). In six losses, he has 1,292 yards passing and nine touchdowns (four rushing).The big difference is the Bills NFL-leading rushing attack has 424 more yards in its six wins than losses.SHADY vs. JUICE: Two of the NFLs most dynamic running backs are squaring off. Buffalos LeSean McCoy leads the NFL in averaging 5.5 yards per carry, while Pittsburghs LeVeon Bell is averaging 145 yards from scrimmage since missing the first three games because of an NFL suspension.Thats a bad man right there, McCoy said of Bell.McCoy is no slouch, having already topped 100 yards rushing five times and 100 yards from scrimmage in seven times.WINTER WONDERLAND: Snows in the forecast this weekend, and thats fine for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.Its fun to play in the snow, said Roethlisberger, who recalled growing up watching Bills Hall of Famer Jim Kelly competing in the frosty elements. I wouldnt want to be anywhere else.SEEKING SACK HELP: The Bills are coming off their first game of the season without a sack. And cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman knows its never easy hauling down Roethlisberger, whos been sacked just 16 times this season.Roethlisbergers 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame is particularly daunting for the 5-foot-8, 165-pound Robey-Coleman.Im going to let you know right now, Im not big enough to bring him down, he said with a laugh. Im going to need the cavalry to come and help me out a little bit. I might be able to probably pull down his shoulder sleeve, but thats about it.TURNING THE CORNER: Pittsburghs rejuvenated secondary held the Giants in check last week thanks in part to cornerback Ross Cockrell . Drafted by Buffalo in 2014, he was cut loose in the 2015 preseason and picked up by Pittsburgh.Bills coach Rex Ryan isnt surprised by Cockrells success.I get the brilliant idea that maybe we should stash him on the practice squad, Ryan said. As soon as we did that, guess what? I thought no one had tape on him. Unfortunately for us, Pittsburgh picked him up.---AP Sports Writer Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Custom Soccer Jerseys Outlet . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Wholesale Custom Jerseys . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. http://www.soccerjerseyscustom.com/ .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Cheap Custom Jerseys . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left. Stitched Custom Soccer Jerseys . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. DEL MAR, Calif. -- Ring Weekend did not need a fast pace to display his late rally in Saturdays $201,035 Seabiscuit Handicap on turf at Del Mar.Typically, Ring Weekend has benefited from quick rivals to help his closing style. On Saturday, Om and What a View set a moderate pace of 24.21 seconds for an opening quarter-mile and 48.48 for a half-mile. Ring Weekend was sixth behind the leaders on the backstretch before unleashing a wide rally that carried him to the front in the stretch.The wide rally gave Ring Weekend his second Grade 2 stakes win in his last four starts, preceded by a victory in the Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga in September.The win gave trainer Graham Motion and jockey Drayden Van Dyke a sweep of the two stakes at Del Mar on Saturday. They teamed to win the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at a mile on turf for 2-year-old fillies with Journey Home.Ring Weekend ($8) ran 1-1/16 miles on turf in 1:42.29.We knew he had that kick, said Alice Clapham, Motions assistant.Vyjack, the winner of the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita in October, closed well to finish second by a head, a half-length in front of Om, the 3-2 favorite.Hunt finished fourth, followed by A Red Tie Day, What a View, Hi Happy, and Stylisstics United.dddddddddddd. The Seabiscuit Handicap was the American debut for Hi Happy, the 2015 Argentine Horse of the Year. Hi Happy had won his first six starts in Argentina.The first three finishers ran in Breeders Cup races at Santa Anita earlier this month. Ring Weekend was seventh in the BC Mile, Vyjack was seventh in the BC Dirt Mile, and Om was second, beaten a nose, in the BC Turf Sprint.Ring Weekend finished 3-1/2 lengths behind Tourist in the BC Mile after racing in traffic earlier in the race. Clapham said Ring Weekend was unsettled before the start, which hurt his chances.He was a little restless in the gate and broke slow, Clapham said of the BC Mile. That messed him up, and he lost position. He was better today.Ring Weekend, a 5-year-old gelding by Tapit, has won 7 of 20 starts and earned $1,448,744 for the partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds and St. Elias Stable.Ring Weekend has won six stakes, including the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita in 2015. Clapham said Ring Weekend will be among 10 or 12 horses Motion plans to have stabled in Southern California this winter. ' ' '