PITTSBURGH -- Charlie Batch and Jimmy Clausen just wanted to show they deserved to be employed after NFL teams trim their rosters to 53 players on Friday. Rainbow throws from quarterbacks on opposite ends of their careers may have done the trick. The 37-year-old Batch completed 11 of 14 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown to bolster his hopes of playing a 15th season and the Pittsburgh Steelers held off a late rally by Clausen and the Carolina Panthers for a 17-16 preseason victory on Thursday night. "It seems like over the years, this game dictated whether I was going to be around," Batch said. "To go down there and put points on the board, those are things that Coach wants to see. At the end of the day, as a player, you just want to make the decision tough for them. I think I did." The same goes for the 24-year-old Clausen, who ceded the starting job to Cam Newton last year and is now simply trying to beat out Derek Anderson as the teams top backup. Clausen passed for 173 yards and two touchdowns in one half of work, including a 79-yard score to rookie Lamont Bryant with 2:31 to play to bring the Panthers within a point. The 2-point conversion failed, however, and kicker Justin Medlock missed a 50-yard field goal with 32 seconds left. Still, Clausen appeared to bolster his case with coach Ron Rivera. "I thought Jimmy did a nice job, I really do," Rivera said. "Coming in the second half and playing the way he did is indicative of what hes capable of. I was very pleased with that. He made plays at the end ... and put us in position to give us a chance to win a football game." Both teams sat the majority of their top players. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and defensive back Troy Polamalu did not play for Pittsburgh, while Rivera gave Newton and wide receiver Steve Smith the night off. That left plenty of time for guys who are fighting to survive Fridays final roster cuts, a group that includes Batch. The Pittsburgh native and the elder statesman on the Steelers, and has been involved in a camp-long duel with Jerrod Johnson for the teams third quarterback spot. Its a familiar position for Batch, who survived roster cuts in each of the last two seasons thanks in part to injuries to usual backup Byron Leftwich. Leftwich has stayed healthy this summer and injury issues at several positions -- including offensive line and linebacker -- have made it uncertain whether the Steelers will keep three quarterbacks on the roster. Batch put together a pretty convincing argument he should stick around. He deftly drove the Steelers 80 yards on five plays the first time they got the ball, capping the drive with a rainbow strike to Sanders. Batch floated the ball toward the goal line and Sanders split two defenders and made a spectacular diving catch. "Obviously, when you connect like that, it makes you look good," Batch said. Pittsburgh rookie running back/kick returner Chris Rainey appeared to make it 14-0 a few minutes later when he returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown. The play was called back, however, due to a holding penalty. It happened again later in the quarter, when Rainey hauled in a punt at the Pittsburgh 9, made a defender grasp at thin air then dashed 91 yards for a score. That one came back too, thanks to another holding penalty. Carolina used the reprieve to eventually tie the game. Anderson struggled during his half of play -- completing 8 of 18 passes for 91 yards -- but did put together a 17-play, 73-yard drive that ended with Medlocks 31-yard field goal. It was the highlight of the night for Medlock, who beat out veteran Olindo Mare for the starting job earlier in the week. He had the distance on a 56-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter, but it sailed wide right and his game-winning attempt sailed wide left. "I was hoping for that situation and hoping for it again," Medlock said. "You just got to get it figured out." The Panthers tied it at 10 early in the second half when Clausen found Jared Green for a 3-yard touchdown pass. Pittsburgh reclaimed the lead early in the fourth quarter when Batch found tight end Weslye Saunders for a 6-yard score. The Steelers did allow a handful of starters to break a sweat, including nose tackle Casey Hampton. The 12-year veteran spent the first three weeks of training camp on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from off-season knee surgery. Still, Hampton vowed to be ready for the opener and he sprinted onto the field when he was introduced. The five-time Pro Bowl selection played throughout the first quarter and finished with two tackles. "Im out there playing, so Im feeling pretty good," Hampton said. "I told you Id be ready to go when the season opens, that was my main goal." NOTES: Pittsburgh rookie LB Sean Spence, the teams third-round pick in the NFL draft, was taken off the field on a cart with a left knee injury in the third quarter ... Pittsburgh WR Mike Wallace, who signed his one-year tender on Tuesday, did not dress for the Steelers. Wallace will become eligible to start practice on Friday, though the Steelers dont return to the practice field until next week ... Carolina LB Jon Beason did not play again. Beason has been dealing with a hamstring injury throughout camp ... Both teams open the season on Sept. 9, when the Steelers play in Denver and the Panthers visit Tampa Bay. coach factory outlet . Commissioner Gary Bettman has suggested placing a two-week moratorium on stalled collective bargaining negotiations, multiple sources told The Canadian Press on Thursday night. coach handbags outlet . The blowout didnt last, but their winning streak did. Durant had 32 points and just missed what could have been the dunk of his career, Russell Westbrook added 25 points and nine assists, and the Thunder held off the Brooklyn Nets 117-111 on Tuesday night for their sixth straight victory. http://www.coachfactoryoutleto... . But considering how much the Miami Marlins are struggling, maybe its not all that surprising. "Its just a tough time right now for me and a lot of people," Nolasco said. [url=http://www.coachfactoryoutletonlinesale.com/]coach outlet online . Less than four months after calling it quits, the former Winnipeg Blue Bombers centre returned to the CFL, signing with the Calgary Stampeders on Tuesday. coach outlet . On Tuesday, the club announced that forward Gabriel Landeskog has been named team captain.Group A will conclude today and all four teams are still alive with a chance at the knockout stage. TSNs coverage of Euro 2012 is underway NOW with both games kicking off at the same time. Czech Republic vs. Poland can be seen on TSN while Greece vs. Russia can be found on TSN2. Watch both matches live on TSN.ca pay-per-view and TSN Mobile TV or listen to the matches live on Bell Media Radio. Match day nine will see the first two teams at Euro 2012 advance into the second round as Group leader Russia takes on Greece and co-host Poland battles Czech Republic. While all four teams hold their fates in their own hands, Russia has the advantage by virtue of collecting four points in the opening two games. Russia will advance into the second round with just a point against Greece, no matter the outcome in the other game. If they are able to earn their second win of the tournament they will be assured of top spot in Group A. Greece will also advance into the second round with a win as they would hold the head-to-head advantage over Russia if there is a winner in the other game and the goal differential advantage over Czech Republic if that game ends in a draw. The Czech Republic can advance with a victory. They can also advance with a draw unless Greece upsets Russia. Should the Czechs tie and Greece wins, then both nations along with Russia would have four points, and it would come down to goal differential to decide which two countries would advance. For co-host Poland its much more simple, win and they are in, draw or lose and their tournament is over. Russias Alan Dzagoev has been one of the stars of the tournament scoring three of the five goals Russia has used to top Group A. His third goal, which was scored in Russias second game, was cancelled out by a brilliant marker from Polands Jakub Blaszczykowski earning a point for each team. Russias rampant attack in the opening 4-1 win over the Czechs was largely muzzled by a well-organized Polish defence. "When we went 1-0 up, I thought wed get more space like we did against the Czech Republic, but that didnt happen," said Russian head coach Dick Advocaat. "We lost the ball too fast when we were going forward and they could counter. We left the field too open." If Greece is planning to overcome that Russian pressure they will need a better start than the one that felled them in their second game against Czech Republic. Greece goalkeeper Costas Chalkias conceded a goal in the third minute and sixth minute of that contest and thoughh substitute Fanis Gekas pulled one back in the 53rd minute, they were not able to rally themselves all the way back into the game.dddddddddddd They must now beat one of the brightest looking teams at Euro 2012 if they plan to make it into the second round. Greece coach Fernando Santos has hinted that he will make changes to his starting lineup. "There is a problem with speed, not in running but in reacting," said Santos. "Thats the biggest problem were facing, because that is something players learn young: How to react in a tight space." Key central defender Sokrakis Papastathopoulos will return from suspension for the Russia game. But goalkeeper Costas Chalkias has been ruled out with a left thigh injury, adding to their problems with injured defender Avraam Papadopoulos already withdrawn from the tournament. Poland has drawn their first two games of the tournament and now only a victory will take them into the knockout phase. They have shown flashes of brilliance in this tournament, taking the early lead in their first game against Greece and scoring on the counter attack after falling behind to Russia. In fact it is the strong defensive formation that they showed against the group leader followed by breaking and converting a rare chance that has them in any position to advance in the first place. "I think we deserve praise because all of us put a lot into this match," said goal scorer Blaszczykowski. "The tactics we set up before the match we carried out 100 per cent." The wild card team in this group has been Czech Republic, as they were torn apart in their opener against Russia yet looked so brilliant in the opening minutes of their 2-1 victory over Greece. Vaclav Pilars goal against Greece turned out to be the winner and was also his second marker of the tournament, he could prove to be a very important player against Poland in the group finale. "This was a big goal for me, and its great for the team," said Pilar. "I went in very hard to meet Gebre Selassies cross and got to the ball with my knee." Czech Republic captain Tomas Rosicky remains doubtful after injuring his Achilles tendon during Tuesdays win, he had to be substituted after the first half. There was also some doubt about the availability of their first choice keeper Petr Cech due to a shoulder injury but he is satisfied that his condition has improved for Saturdays game and said "I should be 100 per cent fit for the match. My availability is not threatened." ' ' '