2010 Pittsburgh Steeler news and notes., Chefs annual pre-season Steeler news and notes. Options

[Chef Paul]

Leftwich eager to hit the ground running as leader of the offense



Ben Roethlisberger has had the best first two weeks of training camp in his career, which makes the first four weeks of the Steelers' regular season that much more important.

If, at 28, Roethlisberger appears to be ready to improve on his best statistical season in 2009, then what the Steelers do during those first four games without him could mean the difference between getting another shot at a Super Bowl or writing the season off as one big calamity.

And that is why it remains so important to get the opening-game starting quarterback prepared while Roethlisberger sits out the first four games with a suspension, and why it would be strange if Roethlisberger would start the first preseason game Saturday instead of Byron Leftwich.

Coach Mike Tomlin left everyone guessing Thursday as to his plans at quarterback for the game against the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field and indicated that he could start Roethlisberger or not play him at all. Roethlisberger said after he and Leftwich split practice time with the first team Thursday that he would like to play Saturday.

Leftwich, though, is the quarterback the Steelers need to have ready for the season opener Sept. 12 against Atlanta, five weeks before Roethlisberger will be eligible to play in his first real game.

Leftwich, who has a minor thumb problem, insists his coaches have not told him what the quarterback rotation will be Saturday, but it has become more than obvious that he will begin the season as the starting quarterback.

And no one has walked around the Saint Vincent campus smiling as wide as Leftwich.

"I'm excited to be back and part of this team. It's good to be with a good football team, I'm telling you. As a quarterback, it's a whole lot better to play when you have these types of players around you."

He said the Steelers have more offensive talent than any team he has been with, which includes two playoff teams in Jacksonville in 2004 (12-4) and '05 (11-5), a mediocre Atlanta team in '07 (7-9) and a bad Tampa Bay outfit last season (3-13) when he started the first three games and then did not play again.

Both of Leftwich's turns with the Steelers came after trouble hit one of their quarterbacks. In 2008, it was a season-ending broken collarbone to Charlie Batch in the preseason opener. This year, it was Milledgeville, Ga.

Leftwich's take on the offensive line, with Willie Colon out for the season and Flozell Adams his late replacement, is upbeat.

"They look pretty good to me. Anytime you lose Willie, that's tough because you have a tough guy, a guy who has been around. But when you can add Flozell, that kind of put a Band-Aid on that wound because here's a guy who knows how to play football. He's played a lot of football, he's been on a lot of winning football team, he's been in all the situations you can think of."

He has been reminded often since rejoining the Steelers of the many quarterback sacks the team has endured the past four seasons -- 49, 47, 49 and 50 last season.

"Somebody asked me something about how many sacks we've given up over the years. I don't really look at it that way," Leftwich said. "I know these guys. I know how good these guys are. If I get the ball out on time, get the ball to the right guys ... the offensive linemen are the least of my worries."

And his receivers without Santonio Holmes?

"They look pretty good. It's tough to say anybody's going to replace Santonio because he did a lot for this team, not just catching passes, but the fear he put into defenses. I don't know how teams are going to play us in the beginning because he's not here. Not to say nobody else can do what [he] did, but none of us have seen it yet in game situations.."

That might explain the eagerness by Leftwich to play in a game for the first time since Sept. 27, the third game of the 2009 season that ended when the Buccaneers put him on injured reserve with an elbow injury. He's familiar with just one receiver from the '08 Steelers team, Hines Ward. All the others are new to him.

"People are asking me if I'm going to replace Ben," Leftwich said. "I'm not going to try to replace Ben. I'm going to go out here and try to play the game the way I know how to play. I've won games in this league and I feel I can continue to do that with this team."

[Chef Paul]

Steelers Notebook: Roethlisberger seeking playing time Saturday


Ben Roethlisberger said he has "no clue yet" if he will start or even play in the preseason opener against the Detroit Lions, but emphasized he would like to get on the field at some point Saturday night at Heinz Field.

"Absolutely," Roethlisberger said. "I want to be out there with the guys."

Earlier in the day, coach Mike Tomlin was noncommittal about which quarterback would start against the Lions -- Roethlisberger, Byron Leftwich or Dennis Dixon -- and even suggested Roethlisberger might not play at all.

"We're going to make you come to the stadium to find out," Tomlin said in a morning news conference at Saint Vincent College.

When the Steelers opened training camp nearly two weeks ago, Tomlin had Roethlisberger take the first snap and run the first series with the starting offense. It is not known if he will follow a similar approach in the preseason opener.

Regardless of who starts at quarterback, Tomlin said he will use his starters for eight to 12 plays against the Lions.

"If he says I'm not going to play, that's his call," Roethlisberger said after practice Thursday afternoon.

Asked if it mattered if he played with the second-team offense -- something Tomlin suggested as "theoretically" possible -- Roethlisberger said, "Nope."

This will be Roethlisberger's first game since his much-publicized incident in Milledgeville, Ga., in which he was accused, but never charged, of sexual assault against a college student. He was asked if he is worried about how he will be received by the fans at Heinz Field.

"They've been awesome," Roethlisberger said, referring to the fans at training camp. "I think and hope it will be awesome."

Tomlin said he came to training camp with a plan of how he was going to use his quarterbacks and is sticking to that script. He said he wanted to provide Roethlisberger with "enough opportunities to have a productive camp and preseason" and said his quarterback has looked "exceptionally sharp."

Added Tomlin, "To this juncture, you can say it's a double thumbs-up and, hopefully, it continues."

Worilds might sit
Another player who might not be used against the Lions is rookie outside linebacker Jason Worilds, the team's No. 2 draft choice who has been bothered by a hamstring injury that has not completely healed.

"You want to be cautious about putting them in the fire," Tomlin said. "He may be healthy enough to play, but he has played very sporadically and I'm not going to put him in that kind of position. I may choose not to play him."

Tomlin did say No. 1 pick Maurkice Pouncey, who has performed exceptionally well in camp, will be used at right guard and center against the Lions.

Return plan
Stefan Logan, who set a single-season team record for kick returns (55) and kick-return yardage (1,466) in 2009, will start the game as the team's return specialist.

But Tomlin said he will also use rookies Antonio Brown on punt returns and Emmanuel Sanders on kick returns. He said he "may or may not look" at veteran Antwaan Randle El as a return specialist against the Lions.

Tomlin, though, said he is especially looking forward to seeing Sanders, a third-round pick, and Brown, a sixth-round pick, play wide receiver. Both players have been standouts and looked comfortable running routes in camp.

"The pedigree stands out," Tomlin said. "They show maturity in terms of catching the football and gaining separation ... but they still got miles to go. They're rookies. But I like what they're doing."

Quick hits
Linebacker Andre Frazier, who has spent parts of four seasons as a backup with the Steelers, was placed on the injured reserve list today, ending his season. To replace Frazier, the Steelers signed first-year linebacker Brandon Renkart to a one-year contract. Renkart (6-2, 245) has been on the practice squad with the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts since 2008. ... Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari, a Moon native and former Pitt assistant, visited training camp for the second year in a row. Calipari was the head coach at Memphis when quarterbacks coach Randy Fitchner was the offensive coordinator there.

[Chef Paul]

The Steelers' first preseason game included a lightning delay of one hour, 13 minutes and at least a one-week delay until anyone gets to see Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin ended a mystery Saturday night that began to take shape in April when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Roethlisberger for at least the first four games of the regular season.

When would Roethlisberger play in the preseason and how much? The early answer: Not at all. Tomlin started the quarterback who is likely to start the regular season -- Byron Leftwich.

Leftwich completed 6 of 10 passes for 43 yards before giving way to Dennis Dixon as the Steelers defeated the Detroit Lions, 23-7, at Heinz Field.

Dixon completed 6 of 7 passes for 128 yards and one touchdown for a perfect passer rating of 158.3. He also ran six times for 31 yards. Charlie Batch replaced Dixon with 4:12 left.

"With the number of snaps that we anticipated the first offense running, it just wasn't appropriate to play him," Tomlin reasoned as to why he did not play Roethlisberger. "He wanted to play, he was ready to play, he's had an awesome training camp so far. It just wasn't in the cards for him based on those circumstances. We're not interested in sending Ben Roethlisberger out there with the second group the first time out."

Roethlisberger left the locker room after the game without commenting.

An intriguing sidebar to the decision at quarterback was the Steelers' obvious attempts to run against the Lions. They have been resolute about returning to their once-powerful ground game since team president Art Rooney strongly suggested they do that this season.

They ran 16 times in the first half and threw it 11 times. They ran it from the shotgun, they ran when they might have thrown the ball last season. Isaac Redman was the star of this ground-breaking effort. Dubbed "Red Zone" last year for his ability to score near the goal line, Redman did it all Saturday night.

He picked up 31 yards on a twisting, tackle-breaking romp, he caught a screen pass and converted it into a 13-yard gain, and he scored on his specialty, a 1-yard touchdown run. He ran 15 times for 60 yards.

Roethlisberger suited up and warmed up but did not play. He watched from the sideline, wearing a baseball cap.

The most spectacular play of the game came when Dixon completed a short pass to rookie Antonio Brown, cutting across the middle, and he turned it into a 68-yard touchdown to put the Steelers on top, 23-7, with 7:08 left.

Jeff Reed kicked three field goals to go with the two touchdowns. Calvin Johnson caught a 2-yard pass from Matthew Stafford for Detroit's touchdown.

The Steelers scored first and there was good news and bad because of it. The defense that provided so few interceptions last season, got one quickly when safety Ryan Clark intercepted a tipped pass from Stafford and a short return put the ball at Detroit's 17.

And then the offense that had so much trouble scoring touchdowns in the red zone last season, failed on its first try this season. And it failed by trying to run.

On first down at the 17, Rashard Mendenhall gained 1 yard up the middle. He tried to run on second down on a delayed handoff from Leftwich but was nailed by blitzing safety Randy Phillips as he got the ball for a 5-yard loss.

Leftwich completed a 4-yard pass to Heath Miller and Reed converted a 35-yard field goal for a 3-0 Steelers lead.

The Lions, on their third series, kept their first-team offense in the game against the Steelers' second-team defense and they drove 68 yards on 11 plays for a touchdown, Stafford's 2-yard pass to Johnson in the second quarter for a 7-3 lead.

Steelers running backs had trouble hanging onto the football in the first half. Mendenhall lost one fumble after breaking into the open -- it was recovered by teammate Flozell Adams. Mewelde Moore fumbled shortly thereafter but recovered it himself.

Redman then fumbled and Detroit recovered at the Steelers' 32. But coach Mike Tomlin challenged and after referee Jeff Triplette reviewed a replay, he ruled Redman's elbow hit the turf before the ball popped loose.

That ruling gave the Steelers a first down and Redman new life. The second-year back who led the Steelers in rushing a year ago in the preseason as a rookie, caught a screen pass for 13 yards and then, on a draw, scampered 31 yards to Detroit's 23. Redman made three tacklers miss on that run, two on separate spin moves.

Once again, though, the Steelers could not convert in the red zone when they reached the 19 and Reed kicked a 37-yard field goal to close the gap to 7-6.

Leftwich exited and Dixon came on with 4:45 to go and a heavy downpour unloading on Heinz Field. Dixon directed his offense to a 75-yard touchdown drive with 51 of that coming on a pass-and-run from Dixon to wide receiver Arnaz Battle, who caught the pass at the 45, broke a tackle and ran it to the 10.

After a penalty, Dixon rolled right behind Moore's block and into the end zone but an officials' review overturned the touchdown and put the ball at the 1. Redman plunged into the end zone over left guard on the next play for the touchdown.

Shortly after that, lightning bolts joined a deluge of a rainstorm and the officials cleared the field with 1:31 left in the first half.

[Chef Paul]

Steelers still have plenty to prove after exhibition win

Ben Roethlisberger's home debut has to wait another couple of weeks — at least — and Byron Leftwich's return to the Steelers lasted a little longer than he may have anticipated.

Roethlisberger dressed for Saturday's preseason opener against Detroit at very wet Heinz Field, but did not play.

It didn't matter.

The Steelers got solid efforts from young guys Dennis Dixon (6 of 7 for 128 yards and 158.3 passer rating), Isaac Redman (15-60) and Antonio Brown (68-yard touchdown catch) and three field goals from Jeff Reed in a 23-7 victory over the Detroit Lions.

The game was marred by a 73-minute lightning delay at the end of the first half.

"With the number of snaps that we anticipated running with the first team tonight, it just wasn't appropriate to play him," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said about his decision to sit Roethlisberger. "He wanted to play, he was ready to play. We are going to continue to do what we plan to do. It wasn't in cards for him tonight."

Tomlin pointed to a plan that he has in place to get Dixon an extended look in preseason while also trying to get Leftwich ready to play the first month.

"We framed this thing in the very beginning that we are interested in this guy having a productive camp and preseason and we wanted to get clarity at the quarterback position and we acknowledged that since Dennis is a young guy we need to provide him with a lot of snaps," Tomlin said. "Based on that framework, we thought it was the appropriate thing to do with the limited the number of snaps with the first group. ... Ben is going to have an opportunity to play in the preseason."

Tomlin did not say whether Roethlisberger would play next week against the New York Giants. However, he did make it clear which unit he wants his franchise quarterback lining up with when he is on the field.

"We were not interested in sending Ben Roethlisberger out there with the second group," Tomlin said.

That left plenty of opportunities for Leftwich.

Despite saying the starters were only going to get 8-12 snaps, Tomlin kept Leftwich in the game for four series and 23 snaps that lasted midway through the second quarter.

"It felt good," Leftwich said. "It felt good to put that black and gold back on. To be back out there, to see a different uniform, it was nice."

Leftwich led the lethargic Steelers first-team offense on a pair of scoring drives albeit two field goals by Reed.

Leftwich finished 6 of 10 for 43 yards. He converted 2 of 5 third downs before giving way to Dixon.

"We weren't really clicking," Leftwich said. "That happens some times in the first preseason game. Good thing we've got three more. I hope they don't cut it down to two because we need all four of these preseason games to prepare for a season."

Rashard Mendenhall finished with two yards on five carries in his two series of work.

"We did OK, but we need to do better," guard Chris Kemoeatu said.

It could've helped if the Steelers had Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger appeared to be getting his first action since being suspended for the first month of the season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.

Roethlisberger warmed up with the team and went through his pregame routine of talking to every teammate while they stretched. But that would be the only time he would see the field.

Dixon entered the game midway through the second quarter and led the Steelers on a touchdown drive.

The big play came when he rolled out and connected with Arnaz Battle. Battle made a move and raced 51 yards to the 10-yard line.

On the next play, Dixon took off around right end and snuck the ball over the goal-line for an apparent score.

The play was reviewed and officials ruled that Dixon was down at the 1.

On the ensuing play, Redman followed the block of fullback Doug Legursky for the touchdown and 13-7 lead.

"He is a human bowling ball," Dixon said of Redman.

[Chef Paul]

Steelers' rookie wide receivers catching on quickly

The Steelers have selected multiple receivers in the NFL Draft many times since the team hit the mother lode of Lynn Swann and John Stallworth in 1974. Nineteen times, in fact.

Drafting more than one receiver hasn't proved fruitful. Other than Jeff Graham and Ernie Mills, selected in 1991, Swann and Stallworth — members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame — are far and away the team's most successful draft pairing at the position.

Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown are the Steelers' latest tandem. Sanders, a third-round selection in April, and Brown, a sixth-round pick, have impressed in training camp and are expected to receive plenty of action in tonight's preseason opener against the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field.

"Pittsburgh had receivers like Lynn Swann and John Stallworth who were really great. That's who we strive to be like," said Brown, a Central Michigan product who ranks second in receptions in Mid-American Conference history. "This was the ultimate dream when I was a kid. I'm going to embrace the moment."

Said Sanders, who set multiple receiving records at SMU: "I'm super excited. I'm looking forward to running out of that tunnel."

Suitemates in the dormitory at Rooney Hall, Brown and Sanders are nearly identical in size and ability. Sanders, who wears No. 88, is 5-foot-11, 180 pounds. Brown, who wears No. 84, is 5-10, 186.

They are quicker than they are fast, with sure hands and elusive moves after the catch. Both are expected to display their versatility as returners.

"We see how good the other one is, and we just feed off each other," said Brown, who will return punts. "It's a competition, and we're pushing each other."

"That's like my best friend. I'm not competing with anyone," said Sanders, who will return kickoffs. "I'm competing with myself on a daily basis."

With the starters expected to appear in no more than 12 plays, coach Mike Tomlin predicted Brown and Sanders could receive at least three dozen plays apiece — maybe more. Sanders said he was told he will play in the second half.

"Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders are going to play a bunch of snaps," Tomlin said. "They're going to get more than they bargained for. Their pedigree stands out. They've shown maturity in terms of catching the football and creating separation. But, they're still new to the nuances of what we're doing. No question, they have miles to go — they're rookies. But I like (what) they're doing."

Brown said the offense fits his skill set.

"We've got an offensive coordinator (Bruce Arians) who calls deep routes to get guys downfield," he said. "There's a lot of great plays to get us open. I'm one of those guys that can get it deep or get it short and make something happen."

Sanders had his worst day of practice Thursday. He, Brown, Brandon London and Isaiah Williams heard about it from first-year wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery.

"You've got to battle through it," said Sanders, who is fighting a neck injury. "I've been having a pretty good camp. I've got to continue to make plays and limit my mistakes."

Brown seemed to accept the criticism better than Sanders, who sat on his helmet, deep in thought, before being approached by reporters.

"It's just not a game — it's our job. We're continuously being evaluated," Brown said. "I want to go out and have fun and do my job — do all the things I've been coached to do."

[Chef Paul]

Steelers' Pouncey is lining up as a starter


Not one rookie has become a regular starter since Mike Tomlin became Steelers coach in 2007. That may soon change.

Maurkice Pouncey, the team's No. 1 draft choice in April, ran with the first team at center Monday in practice, sharing time with two-year starter Justin Hartwig. The two also shared time with the second team.

Afterward, Tomlin made no bones about it; Pouncey is competing to start at center after he elevated his status with his play at that position Saturday night against the Detroit Lions. Pouncey has been practicing at right guard and center, but remained exclusively at center Monday.

"We'll nail down a job for him at some point, but to this juncture, he's been very impressive with how he's handled the responsibility of playing both and really playing both very well," Tomlin said.

Sean Kugler, the Steelers' new line coach, loved what he saw from Pouncey Saturday night after he opened the second quarter by replacing Hartwig with the first team.

"It was our first chance to see him in competition in the real battle and he performed well," Kugler said. "He graded high, he played, he finished. He got some work with the ones and took the bulk of the work with the twos. We're going to try to get him a little more work with the ones and see how he responds to that. It was just to see how he responded and he responded well.

"He split time today and it's due to where he's at right now. If he continues to work, he'll have an opportunity."

Shortly after the Steelers selected Pouncey with the 18th overall pick in the draft, Tomlin announced he would put him at right guard as a rookie. This, even though Pouncey won the Rimington Trophy at Florida last season as the nation's best center.

Tomlin explained why.

"As a young guy coming in, it's probably easier mentally to play guard because it's more receiving information as opposed to giving it," Tomlin said in April.

But it became clear very early in training camp that Pouncey, who started 39 of 41 games at Florida, could handle the calls at center and now he'll have a chance to become the first regular rookie starter for the Steelers since tight end Heath Miller in 2005.

"He has proven me quite wrong in that area, which is good," Tomlin said after practice Monday. "Better to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed, and we were probably erring on the side of conservatism when we made that statement."

They weren't so conservative Monday talking about Pouncey. One play universally cited from Saturday night, occurred on Isaac Redman's 31-yard run.

"He had a pretty good play on that run," Kugler said. "He was an open-space blocker, knocked his linebacker down and probably hustled 35 yards downfield and got an additional block.

"That's the type of effort we're looking for. He brings that and he gives that type of energy on every play. He may not do it perfectly but he's always in there in the mix. That's why he's here. He played that way in college, he was well coached in college and he really does a good job."

After practice, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger asked if he could take some snaps behind Pouncey because the two really have not had much time with each other, even during spring drills.

The position is his natural one and he seems to be more comfortable playing center than guard, even if he will be making the calls rather than receive them.

"You have to go out there and read defenses and make all the points for the guys, so it takes a lot," Pouncey said. "I'm doing good right now. I need to get a lot better, I ain't going to lie to you."

[Chef Paul]

Roethlisberger will see action against Giants


Ben Roethlisberger will play a game for the first time since Jan. 3 when the Steelers visit the New York Giants Saturday night.

While coach Mike Tomlin declined to reveal his plans for Roethlisberger, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians spilled the beans after practice Monday.

"Ben's going to play this week," Arians announced.

When he plays and how much still has not been revealed but Roethlisberger, who led the first team in practice Monday, will likely start against the Giants.

"I hope I get in," Roethlisberger said. "I'm not sure when. I'll take any time."

Roethlisberger expressed no unhappiness about not playing in the preseason opener Saturday against Detoit, although he said he good-naturedly bugged Tomlin "every three plays" to put him in.

Is there a need for a certain amount of time in games for him?

"I don't know if there's a need, how much do I need, whatever. I'll take whatever Coach gives me. Him and I have not talked, and he doesn't make those announcements at team meetings, so I'm sure we'll find out later in the week."

There is speculation that Tomlin will not put him into a game with anyone else but the first-team offense.

"I told Coach put me in with anybody, I don't care, I'm fine with it. I don't know that he feels the same way I do about when I should go in. But it's his call."

Dixon has special plays
Tomlin and Arians also came as close to acknowledging that Byron Leftwich will open the season as their starting quarterback while Roethlisberger serves his suspension of at least four games. Until now, their actions have pointed that way but they've maintained a public stance that Dennis Dixon was competing for that job.

Instead, they revealed Monday that they have prepared special packages for Dixon, and Arians said they want to use both quarterbacks.

"We've continually worked on a package that's built solely for him not only here in training camp but back in the spring at our place," Tomlin said.

Arians called it a "normal day" at practice.

"Ben was at one, Byron at 2. Dennis has his package, it's not necessarily with the 2s or the 3s, it's a special package. When you play without Ben, you're going to utilize all the players you have. So he'll have a package, and how he plays within that package will determine how much he plays. I'm not against playing both of them."

Dixon: Run, don't run
Roethlisberger and Arians had different takes on Dixon's running ability and how he did so Saturday night against the Lions, when he ran six times for 31 yards, five of them scrambles out of the pocket.

Said Roethlisberger: "I always tell him to run. 'Pull it down; if your guy's not there, pull it down and take off.'

"He's got something the rest of the quarterbacks in the room don't have. We always joke about that. He can take off running and score on plays that most of us wouldn't even get out of the pocket on. He needs to utilize those talents he has and skills. He's developed so much in just one year and I think he's doing a great job."

But Arians was not happy to see Dixon running against the Lions' backups.

"No, because we had wide open receivers. It's fine to run when there's nobody open but when there are open receivers, get them the ball. That was their down-the-line guys out there chasing him. The front-line guys are a little faster and a little quicker. When he does break it, that's great, but I'd rather see him deliver the ball to his check-downs and other players."

Quick hits
Roethlisberger heard the cheers from the fans when he took Heinz Field for warm-ups Saturday night. "It's an awesome feeling to run out of the tunnel for warm-ups and hear the fans cheer. It's neat. It meant a lot." ... Two minor injuries surfaced from Saturday's game: running back Jonathan Dwyer (shoulder) and defensive end Brett Keisel (calf). Also, running back Dwayne Wright did not practice Monday because he is ill. All should return soon. ... After fumbles by Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore against the Lions, the Steelers had a "ball security" drill Monday.

[Chef Paul]

Rookie Steelers receiver Brown has new moniker


• Demonstrative as he was productive in his first game as a Steeler, rookie wide receiver Antonio Brown has been tagged with a new nickname. "He's the Rod Tidwell of our group," veteran wide receiver Hines Ward said Monday. Tidwell, the fictitious wide receiver played by Cuba Gooding Jr. in the movie "Jerry Maguire," is prone to theatrics. Brown, who caught three passes for 84 yards and a touchdown Saturday, had some of his own in his NFL debut. After several catches in the Steelers' 23-7 win over the Lions, Brown got up and delivered animated first-down gestures. "Antonio totally shocked me," Ward said with a laugh, "just a low-key kid that really don't say much. But I'm never going to deter the kid from getting excited about catching his first NFL ball or scoring his first NFL touchdown."

• Defensive end Brett Keisel (calf) and running backs Jonathan Dwyer (shoulder) and Dwayne Wright (illness) did not practice yesterday. Dwyer and Keisel are "day to day," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. Wright, he added, "should be fine here in a few days."

Offensive lineman Chris Scott (foot) remains on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

• The Steelers didn't practice yesterday morning and instead reviewed film from their first preseason game. Tomlin said part of that session included "reiterating that standard of expectation." When asked who needed a reminder of that, Tomlin chuckled.

"Pick one," he said. "We've got a lot of young guys in there who are learning how we do business. The tape evaluation and the criticisms that go with that are a big part of being a pro."

[Chef Paul]

UH--OH!

Fumbling becoming part of Mendenhall's repertoire


If the arms of Rashard Mendenhall and his fellow running backs are a little more bruised than usual this week, they only have themselves to blame.

The defensive players have not held back on whacking away at the football when a running back has it, and for good reason.

Steelers running backs put the ball on the Heinz Field turf three times Saturday night against the Detroit Lions.

A Mendenhall fumble negated a big play on the Steelers' first possession. An Isaac Redman fumble later would have resulted in a turnover, but coach Mike Tomlin challenged the call and got it overturned.

"Absolutely, it's a concern," Steelers running backs coach Kirby Wilson said of the fumbling issues. "Quite frankly, it tells me we're not ready and we've got to work even harder on the details and fundamentals of carrying the football."

Wilson has gotten some help in that area the last two days. The defense has been aggressive in trying to pry the ball loose, particularly on running plays.

"They realize that's an area we're trying to improve on, so they're trying to help the backs with that," Tomlin said of his defensive players.

When Mendenhall had fumbling issues during his first preseason in 2008, veteran players made him carry a football around the Steelers' practice facility — and they fined him if someone was able to knock it out of his grasp.

On the fourth play of the preseason opener, Mendenhall flashed through an opening on the right side but had the ball poked away from him by Lions safety C.C. Brown.

Right tackle Flozell Adams alertly fell on it, but Mendenhall's carelessness may have cost him a long touchdown run.

"He don't fumble that ball, he's out to the house," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "It's starting to become a knock on him now. One thing we've got to control is the Steelers not beating the Steelers."

Mendenhall, who lost three fumbles in 2009, said he let the ball get too far away from his body as he shifted into another gear and added, "You can't let them happen."

Ward agreed.

"I've spoken with Rashard and tried to rectify the problem, but at the end of the day, it's got to come down to him being more responsible with the football and not putting the ball on the ground," Ward said.

[Chef Paul]

This one is for Mr. Mullet!

Steelers' cornerback Lewis a study in hard work

Keenan Lewis found himself with plenty of unexpected time on his hands last year.

If it wasn't sitting around watching when he was inactive for 11 games as a rookie, he was laid up with a back injury that forced him to the injured list.

"It was a frustrating year, especially when you know you are better than what you are showing," Lewis said.

So instead of sulking during his time off, Lewis did what he does best — he studied.

The four-time Academic All-Pac 10 team member at Oregon State hit the playbook — hard.

"When I was home and when I was sitting around, I had classroom sessions where I would take two or three hours per day and just work on what I had to do," Lewis said. "I have never been a player who was on the bench. It was pretty hard for me last year."

If there was a progress report given out by the Steelers, Lewis just may be awarded the most improved player.

"Night and day from last year," teammate and childhood friend Mike Wallace said. "He's comfortable. He's feeling himself. He's talking trash. He's back to the Keenan I know."

Lewis has been working with the second-team cornerbacks on the left side all camp behind the newly acquired Bryant McFadden, and is miles ahead of where he was last year.

He showed that during the first preseason game against Detroit when he was assigned to cover Lions receiver Calvin Johnson. He knocked one pass away from the much taller Johnson in the end zone, but ended up giving up a touchdown to him later in the game.

"One of his strengths is what you saw in the game Saturday night and that is he can relate to the ball in the air and has the presence to compete for the ball," defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said. "He showed us that from the first day. He has a long way to go. Let's not put him too far ahead quite yet."

But Lewis could very well be pushing McFadden for the starting left cornerback slot alongside Ike Taylor or, at least, be in line for more playing time than last year.

"I am coming out here to be the best, not the No. 2," Lewis said. "I got guys in front of me right now, but I plan on coming out here every day and work on something from my game to help me get better."

Even though McFadden has exclusively lined up with the first team, neither LeBeau nor defensive backs coach Ray Horton has ruled out Lewis grabbing the position away from the veteran.

"He is one of the guys we are counting on as a second-year kid to come in and do a fantastic job," Horton said. "He is on the right path ... you can see that he is just so much more comfortable out there."

That goes for more than just his cornerback responsibilities.

One of the main reasons why Lewis wasn't afforded the chance to dress much last year was his inability to excel at special teams.

Mike Tomlin reserves backup roles during game days to players who can play a position and also contribute on special teams. Lewis wasn't one of them, thus the explanation for his 11 inactives.

Lewis is making sure that doesn't happen again. He is on the first team punt, punt return and kickoff teams.

"It's too early to tell," Tomlin said. "I like his energy, but we are expecting him to contribute in a big way, to be quite frank with you."

Lewis added: "It has actually been pretty fun. I just need to get better. I need to keep working hard and I am pretty sure it will pay off."

Lewis did have three tackles, a tackle for a loss and a pass defense in his first real game action, and that's how LeBeau evaluates his players.

"The proof is in the pudding," LeBeau said. "Are they productive when they get on the field? Are they productive players? Can they hold up their part of the defense."

So far so good for Lewis, but there are still three more preseason games to go starting Saturday against the New York Giants and receivers Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham.

"It's crazy to see how much better he is from this year to last year," Wallace said. "He's just like a whole different player out there. I've been with him my whole life. I know what type of player he is. I'm just ready for the rest of the world to see it."

[Chef Paul]

WR Brown gets special attention



Rookie receiver Antonio Brown made his presence felt in the first preseason game Saturday against Detroit when he caught three passes for 84 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown pass from Dennis Dixon in the fourth quarter. When the Steelers travel to play the New York Giants in the second preseason contest Saturday, Brown is hoping to open the coaches' eyes with another aspect of his game.

Brown will handle the kickoff and punt returns against the Giants after Stefan Logan performed those duties last week.

"It's a great opportunity," said Brown, a sixth-round pick out of Central Michigan. "In the first game I got to see a lot of offensive action. This week I'll have a chance to do a little special teams. I'm embracing the opportunity."

Brown is Central Michigan's all-time leader in receptions, but he was well-known in college for his special teams exploits. He was twice named the Mid-American Conference special teams player of the year. And Brown knows he must make an impression on special teams because that is where he will earn a spot on the roster.

"As a returner, you pretty much only have one assignment -- catch the ball," Brown said. "I don't have to run routes to a certain depth. All I have to do is catch the ball and run. That's my specialty."

After he scored against the Lions, Brown got excited and took off his helmet. He said that won't happen again. Several teammates, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made it a point to talk to him about the celebration.

"All the guys are telling me to be humble," Brown said. "For the first one, I was excited. This week, if we get in the end zone, it will be a little different."

Clark greets fans
On the final day fans could watch the team practice at Saint Vincent, safety Ryan Clark put on a yellow staff shirt and called himself Parking Lot Larry. Clark greeted fans by parking their cars and checking their coolers.

"I went out there, parked some cars, went through some coolers, drank some people's water," Clark said. "I bit off one guy's chicken sandwich. I ate some bugels, had some Doritos, signed some autographs when my cover was blown. I enjoyed it. It was the last day for the fans, a day for me to be silly, to have a good time and enjoy the fans."

Clark said only a handful of fans failed to recognize him.

"There were a couple of them that didn't," he said. "They were mean to me because I was just Parking Lot Larry. I told them I was the highest paid camp staffer in America."

Tomlin sends message
The Steelers are scheduled to depart Saint Vincent today after a morning practice. Even though camp is breaking, coach Mike Tomlin stressed that the evaluation period is far from over.

"We have to guard against the finality of the preseason because camp is coming to an end," Tomlin said. "The reality is we have three more [preseason] games left. We have a lot of time left to continue to develop this football team and determine who the 53 [players who make up the final roster] are and the roles within those 53."

Quick hits
Rookie Maurkice Pouncey and veteran Justin Hartwig continued to split time at center with the first-team offense during team drills. ... Roethlisberger took the snaps with the first-team offense. ... Rookie running back Jonathan Dwyer was limited because of a shoulder injury. ... Running back Isaac Redman struggled near the end of practice with what Tomlin described as shin splints. ... The game Saturday at New Meadowlands Stadium is the first preseason game between the Giants and Steelers since 1993. From 1969-1993, the Steelers and Giants met 22 times in 25 years in preseason contests.

[Chef Paul]

Special teams love out of the 'burgh!


Perimeter the problem in last year's breakdowns


Al Everest has been a special teams coach in the NFL long enough to quickly identify a problem.

Actually, you don't have to be a veteran coach of 13 seasons to figure out that the Steelers' kickoff coverage unit was putrid a season ago.

The Steelers allowed a league-high four kickoff returns for touchdowns within a span of five games, two of which directly cost them a chance at victory - an 18-12 loss to Cincinnati and a 27-24 overtime defeat to Kansas City a week later.

Without even looking at the film, Everest, hired in January to replace Bob Ligashesky, knew exactly where the breakdown was.

"Kickoff touchdowns are all about the perimeter," Everest said. "That's not singling out guys, but that's it."

What Everest alluded to is the two far players on each side of the kickoff coverage unit or what he calls the perimeter guys.

Their job is to squeeze the play to the inside, make the majority of tackles and, most importantly, stop the big play.

That did not happen last year.

All four of the touchdowns allowed a season ago - by Cleveland's Joshua Cribbs, Minnesota's Percy Harvin, Cincinnati's Bernard Scott and Kansas City's Jamaal Charles - came because of breakdowns with one of the four perimeter guys.

"It was bad, and I was out there for every last one of them," Steelers special-teamer Stefan Logan said. "Coach Everest came in this year and is making sure that is not going to happen."

There have been a few personnel changes but not an abundant amount.

Still on the perimeter are Logan, William Gay and sometimes Ike Taylor with newcomers Anthony Madison and Keenan Lewis.

Madison was re-signed in early December after all four kickoff return scores had occurred.

"I would say 99 percent of this game is about knowing what to do and knowing where to be," Madison said. "That was part of the problem last year that people were in the wrong position."

There were 18 kickoff returns for touchdowns in the NFL last year. The Steelers were responsible for more than 20 percent of those.

In this season's first preseason game against the Lions, the coverage was better. The Lions averaged 20 yards per return with a long run of 33.

"We are going to be better this year," Everest said. "We are not trying to be better. We are going to be better."

[Chef Paul]

Taped practices hold Steelers accountable

The football fields at St. Vincent College have been filled with the familiar August sights of players blocking, catching, (occasionally) tackling and, big picture, of a team coming together.

Just as significant is what happens roughly 60 feet above those fields.

From two mobile towers not recommended for anyone with even a slight aversion to heights, video is shot of every practice and drill — something that will continue on the South Side after the Steelers break training camp and resume working out at team headquarters next week.

If the cameras keep players on high alert, there is a good reason for that. After practice, players watch film with their coaches, and they are critiqued on their performance that day in front of their peers.

"It's a sense of accountability because sometimes we'll sit in the full defensive room and watch practice, and that's something you've got be very aware of, how you want to look on tape," said safety Ryan Mundy, a Woodland Hills graduate. "As a defensive player, you don't want to be out there looking soft or making an assignment error. So you always want to make sure, 'When I'm watching tape, am I going to be happy with what I see?' "

Veteran defensive end Aaron Smith likened it to someone following you around at work with a camera for a couple of hours — and later pointing out everything you did right and wrong in front of your colleagues.

"It's not like going to the job you've done for 20 years and do it over and over and nobody's watching you," Smith said of the film sessions that players go through on a regular basis. "Every day you get graded and critiqued."

That process can be stressful even for an accomplished veteran such as Smith.

"When (coaches) have a single play on film, they probably watch that play 10, 12 times," Smith said. "They look at your footwork, your hand placement, your pad level, what the play was, how you ran to the ball. So if you have all of that, something is going to be wrong in there. They don't miss anything. That's one thing I learned early."

It was particularly eye-opening for Smith when he first joined the Steelers because he played at a Division II school, Northern Colorado, that did not tape practices.

Most players come from schools where film study is a part of the practice regimen because of the resources that are devoted to football.

Rookie center/guard Maurkice Pouncey, however, said film sessions with the Steelers are "more intense" than the ones he endured for three years at the University of Florida.

That can be attributed to the increased pressure that accompanies the higher stakes players encounter in the NFL.

"You're not on scholarship," wide receiver Mike Wallace said. "If you keep getting on that film, you're not going to be here too much longer. The coaches will let you know that. Who likes to be constantly embarrassed?"

Self-respect as well as self-preservation (i.e. making the 53-man roster) is what led Wallace to spend extra time studying his playbook during the preseason and especially during training camp last year as a rookie.

He said the film sessions are "not just about getting called out," and they are indeed viewed as a teaching tool by coaches, not a means to belittle players.

"I know myself, when I was playing, you can't see yourself. You have to see it on video or game tape and then you can say, 'Oh, I see what coach is talking about,' " Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said. "When you can show them daily, 'Here's where you're making the wrong step,' and 'Here's where your weight is not distributed properly,' they can see it and then get a picture of what you're talking about."

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he uses film to watch technique and other details that are almost impossible for him to monitor while he is overseeing practice.

"That's why I kind of refrain from making judgments on performances this time of year based on what I see out here and I let the tape talk to me," Tomlin said.

The specter of the cameras — and what they will tell in daily film sessions — only adds to the grind of the NFL season.

It's not so much that Big Brother is watching as much as it is the bosses are watching.

And keeping score, so to speak.

"People say rookies wear down because of the long season," Smith said. "I don't think they physically wear down, it's the mental part because there's so much pressure and so much that goes into it. It's not what you did for me yesterday. It's what you did for me today."

[Chef Paul]

Mendenhall a versatile every-down back


Marshall Faulk rushed for 1,319 yards and caught 86 passes in 1998.

Edgerrin James followed that the next two years in Indianapolis by averaging 1,631 yards on the ground and scoring a total of 35 touchdowns.

Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians had an up-close look at both of those running backs during his brief time on the Colts' coaching staff a decade ago. He gets flashbacks when he sees Rashard Mendenhall.

"He is a good combination of both those guys," Arians said. "He has that kind of skill set. There is no doubt he can do what those two did."

It's an understatement that the Steelers have high hopes for Mendenhall in his third year. Despite his rookie year being limited to 19 carries and his second year marred with a benching because of a lack of attention to detail, Mendenhall is the player the Steelers are relying on in the running game.

They decided not to re-sign Willie Parker in the offseason and didn't bring in veteran running backs to compete with Mendenhall.

There was a reason for that.

The Steelers expect Mendenhall to do everything this year, meaning he will rarely come off the field.

"My goal is staying out there until I can't," Mendenhall said. "That's my role."

In this era of the running back by committee, the Steelers are looking in a different direction when it comes to Mendenhall.

"He is such an explosive player that you just don't take those guys off the field," Arians said.

Arians plans to use Mendenhall much more than the 242 carries and 1,108 yards he totaled last year. He expects to utilize Mendenhall more out of the backfield as a receiver as well. Mendenhall caught 25 passes a season ago and found the end zone eight times.

Mendenhall is expected to be the third-down back, the goal-line back and possibly the short-yardage guy, too.

"There are not a lot of those types of players in the NFL that can play in every situation," running backs coach Kirby Wilson said. "He is capable physically and athletically to play in all those areas."

That's not something that happens much anymore in the NFL. Franchises are trying to protect their star running back. Atlanta plans on cutting Michael Turner's workload this year to preserve his durability.

"That is something we don't worry about here," Wilson said. "The best guy is going to play, whether it is one guy, two guys, three guys or four guys. You always want your best players out there at all times."

Other teams simply don't have a single back they can feature the way the Steelers plan to do with Mendenhall.

"You have one guy who can run, but he can't catch," Arians said. "He is a good runner, but we need a receiver on third down. Look at Philadelphia. You don't see LeSean McCoy pass block too much."

One of the things that attracted the Steelers to Mendenhall and one of the reasons they choose him in the first round of the 2008 draft was how he became a complete running back during his junior year at Illinois.

He rushed for 1,681 yards and caught 34 passes while scoring 19 touchdowns for the Illini.

"I think it's because I can do everything well," Mendenhall said. "I did it in college, so I believe they have confidence in me doing all those things."

Mendenhall showed flashes during one of the Steelers' final training camp practices. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hit Mendenhall out of the backfield on a swing pass, and he outran the speedy Lawrence Timmons to the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown.

"If we can get him out in space," Roethlisberger said, "we think he can be special."

[Chef Paul]

Ward has milestones within his reach



Hines Ward will add another notch to a belt chock full of them, throw another statistical log onto his personal pile when the Steelers play at 7 p.m. today at the New York Giants.

New Meadowlands Stadium will become the 36th different NFL field in which Ward has appeared since he joined the Steelers in 1998, counting the preseason. Add non-NFL stadiums in preseason games at Canton, Ohio, Morgantown, W.Va., and Mexico City and it swells to 39.

"Those are a lot of stadiums," Ward noted as his 13th training camp with the Steelers drew to a close. "It's just a big honor. That was a little personal milestone, just to be able to play in this league for this long and to play in all the different stadiums, especially the NFC, where every four years we switch. There aren't many people who can say they played in every stadium."

Here is another thing few can say: They caught 1,000 passes in the NFL.

Six receivers in NFL history have 1,000 pass receptions. Ward has 895, which ranks 12th all time. Of the 11 in front of him, only two played fewer than 13 seasons, Randy Moss (also entering his 13th) and Torry Holt, 11.

Ward needs 105 receptions to join one of the most exclusive clubs in the NFL. Logic would say it will not happen this season because he's 34 and his starting quarterback cannot play for at least the first four games of the season. But he did catch 95 passes last season when he was 33, tying his second-most productive season after his team-record 112 in 2002.

"Only six guys in history have caught 1,000 balls. What an amazing record that would be," Ward said.

Most things about Ward have been amazing since he entered the league as the Steelers second pick in the third round in 1998 (after they took Jeremy Staat in the second and Chris Conrad with their first third-round pick). He had no true position after playing quarterback, running back and receiver at Georgia and he was missing the ACL in his left knee.

Yet 12 years later, he can move up to No. 2 among those who have played the most games in Steelers history. He ranks fifth at 186 games and can surpass Donnie Shell (No. 2 with 201) this season to trail only Mike Webster's 220.

That is a record as near and dear to him as any, including leading the team in receptions in each of the past 10 seasons. He knows his career is drawing near an end but he's not ready to concede season No. 13 will be it. John Stallworth played 14 with the Steelers. Jerry Rice played 20, Tim Brown 17, Cris Carter, Isaac Bruce, Andre Reed and Art Monk all 16. And as Ward will be the first to tell you, he has never had the speed to lose a step.

He is not among the pretty-boy receivers; he's as physical a player as has come down the NFL receiver pike, playing on a team that preferred to run during most of his stay, playing most of the time in outdoor stadiums in the north and catching passes from nine different quarterbacks (not the luxury of, say, playing with Peyton Manning indoors your entire career). Yet he missed no games in the past two seasons and only six in his career, including 14 playoff games. The same cannot be said for many of those he has blocked.

"I did a lot of reflection last year," Ward said. "All these years and all this stuff. I've seen so many wide receivers, so many of them, and so talented and how I'm still here and they're not."

He has never had a major injury. He credits coaches Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin with easing his practice load. He no longer practices on Wednesdays and he has had an easy training camp.

"People always ask me how long do you want to play? I don't know, as long as I can continue to be productive. The way coach Tomlin has taken care of me, he's not going to grind me in training camp. I feel good. Actually, my weight's down, I'm more toned, more fit.

"Usually, when we break camp and we start to get back on the South Side and practice once a day and get back in the mix of things, it's lot easier for me to do that. As long as I'm still playing, it's year to year for me. I don't know when I'm going to retire. I still get enjoyment coming out here to practice. The way my mindset is, I can only play one way but then in the back of my mind I have to be smart, I know I have to stay healthy. I don't want to miss the first game. It's hard to play football the way I play or anybody plays and try not to get hurt. That's the whole mindset and dilemma you have."

Ward says he'll know when it's time.

"I don't want to play for any other team. Keep me here. If I'm still producing, let me go out there. If I'm not, I'll walk away. I won't hang on."

He misses his buddy, cornerback Deshea Townsend, whom the Steelers did not re-sign and is now in the Colts' training camp. The two were drafted in '98 and were together 12 seasons. He also misses Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes after building rapport with each receiver but says the young receivers, starting with Mike Wallace, have rejuvenated him.

"It's a new age with the young guys. Mentally, they kept it fresh for me. There was a time it started to get monotonous and stuff. But with those young guys and seeing their development ..."

He has that goal of reaching 1,000 receptions and perhaps surpassing Mike Webster's 220 games played with the Steelers. There are two more goals he cherishes even more. While Giants Stadium is No. 39 on his list, he would like nothing better than to play in No. 40 at the end of this season.

"The Cowboys got their new stadium, I haven't played in that one. The Super Bowl is there," said the MVP of Super Bowl XL.

And one more.

"Maybe one day they'll say he was one of the greatest Steelers to ever wear the uniform and when it's all said and done and I can say I walked away and got everything I wanted."

[Chef Paul]

Worilds set to make debut Saturday


Rookie outside linebacker missed preseason opener because of hamstring injury



The Steelers will finally get a look at outside linebacker Jason Worilds, their No. 2 draft choice, against the New York Giants.

But they haven't seen a lot from rookie running back Jonathan Dwyer, who has been out with a shoulder injury, and probably still won't. Coach Mike Tomlin said Dwyer, a fifth-round pick from Georgia Tech, is doubtful for Saturday's game at the Giants.

Two players have been ruled out -- defensive end Steve McLendon and rookie offensive tackle Chris Scott (foot).

Asked if he is frustrated by Dwyer's lack of progress, Tomlin said, "I don't deal in frustration. I don't deal in emotion. I just deal with what I look at and the reality is, he's not on the field, so he's not helping himself much."

Worilds did not play in last week's preseason opener against the Detroit Lions because of a nagging hamstring injury. The Steelers are eager to see Worilds in game action because they are relying on him to be their No. 3 outside linebacker.

"He's going to get a look," Tomlin said. "I don't know if it will be any more extensive than anyone else."

Goodbye Saint Vincent
The Steelers held their final official practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College Thursday morning, ending the session with high fives, handshakes and backslaps among the players.

Tomlin slyly wore shorts for the practice -- a rarity for him because he typically wears long sweat pants, even in the afternoon heat.

"I wanted them to think we might just stretch and that's it," Tomlin said.

Manning expected to sit
Giants quarterback Eli Manning, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2004 draft that included Ben Roethlisberger, is not expected to play Saturday after receiving a 12-stitch cut in his head against the New York Jets.

"I don't care who they play," Tomlin said. "Very rarely am I concerned about the opponent. Who they play is irrelevant."

Lewis to get another look
Cornerback Keenan Lewis, last year's third-round draft choice, appeared to play well last week when he was matched against Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, even though Johnson beat him on a 2-yard back-shoulder touchdown catch.

Tomlin said Lewis "had a really good camp" and will get another long look against the Giants.

"He's showing that maybe he's prepared to take the next step," Tomlin said. "He was put in some interesting situations last week against a quality receiver and we're going to continue to give him a look. And if he gets our attention and makes plays, we'll consider playing him if he's worthy."

[Chef Paul]

Roethlisberger returns, Steelers beat Giants


If he was not the least impressive of the three quarterbacks that played in the Steelers' 24-17- win over the Giants on Saturday night, Ben Roethlisberger was the least efficient.

Playing in his first preseason game, Roethlisberger completed 6 of 8 passes for 76 yards and an interception. But in three series and 20 snaps, Roethlisberger could not get the Steelers into the end zone.

"It was fun to get back out there with the guys," Roethlisberger said.

The Steelers were trailing, 7-3, late in the second quarter when Byron Leftwich threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace. Leftwich, who is expected to start the first four to six games of the regular season while Roethlisberger is suspended, completed 3 of 6 passes for 95 yards.

Dennis Dixon, meanwhile, did his part to keep himself in the quarterback discussion.

Dixon, who played the entire second half, directed touchdown drives of 78 and 82 yards in the third quarter when the Steelers opened a 24-7 lead. He completed 7 of 8 passes for 82 yards.

Roethlisberger's best drive came on his final one last night at New Meadowlands Stadium.

He completed passes of 18 and 17 yards to Matt Spaeth and Antwaan Randle El, respectively, and moved the Steelers inside the Giants' 10-yard line early in the second quarter. The drive stalled, and the Steelers had to settle for Jeff Reed's 26-yard field goal.

"He moved us, and it was a good start," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Roethlisberger. "He got a decent amount of work; it was good. We'll see where we go from here."

Added Roethlisberger: "I think we showed some good things tonight."

Leftwich may have turned in the most impressive play of the night.

His throw to Wallace traveled more than 50 yards in the air, and it hit the second-year speedster in stride.
"I still had a little more left," Leftwich said of the prettiest throw of the night. "If he would have gotten a little bit further, I still would have got it to him. It was really good to get that in a game because we've been connecting a lot."

Asked to assess the overall play by the quarterbacks, Tomlin said, "We moved the ball. We produced some splash plays. We made some mistakes, game management, things that are typical of preseason. I like where we are, but by no means are we a finished product."

Justin Hartwig started at center and got the majority of the work with the first-team offense. Rookie Maurkice Pouncey also played extensively at the position.

Cornerback Keenan Lewis got some unexpected playing time with the starters.

Lewis replaced Ike Taylor after Taylor and Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks were ejected early in the game for fighting.

Tomlin was not happy with Taylor's scuffle and when asked about it he said, "Dumb."

"There's certain things we will not tolerate even in the preseason, like post-snap penalties. That's Steelers beating Steelers. That was very disappointing."

The Steelers' first-team defense yielded its first touchdown of the preseason, a 9-yard scoring run by Ahmad Bradshaw midway through the second quarter.

A 45-yard catch by wide receiver Steve Smith — he wrested the ball away from Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden — set up Bradshaw's touchdown.

The Steelers had some struggles in special teams. Aaron Ross returned a punt 45 yards late in the second quarter. Daniel Sepulveda, who brought down Ross, kicked off four times in addition to punting.

"I think Daniel Sepulveda did a nice job kicking off," Tomlin said.

On the injury front, Tomlin said the only one of significance was the concussion that Lewis sustained, which forced him to leave the game early.

Lewis said he does not expect to miss any practice time

[Chef Paul]

Veteran wide receiver Battle-tested on special teams


Dubious might not be the word for it.

But veteran wide receiver Arnaz Battle is working on a unique streak when it comes to offensive coordinators.

"Eight in eight years," Battle said. "Every year you're trying to impress a new face, a new guy that comes in."

Battle, 30, is hoping the stability that proved to be so elusive in San Francisco can be found in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers, in turn, are looking for Battle to help stabilize their kickoff coverage unit, which gave up four touchdowns last season.

The 6-foot-1, 208-pound Battle is a wedge buster, and his reputation as a special teams player is such that it allowed him to stay with the 49ers even after they underwent a youth movement at wide receiver.

Battle, who signed with the Steelers last March after spending seven seasons with the 49ers, had just five catches for 40 yards in 2009.

But he caught 109 passes for 1,286 yards and eight touchdowns while starting in 2006-07, and Battle said he can help the Steelers more than just on special teams.

"I see myself contributing on offense," Battle said. "You need depth at positions, and I feel like with this offense I've grasped several positions."

Dwyer sidelined

As expected, Steelers running back Jonathan Dwyer (shoulder) didn't play last night. Also sitting out for the Steelers because of injuries were defensive tackle Steve McLendon (knee) and offensive lineman Chris Scott (foot).

Scott, a fifth-round draft pick in April, is still on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

The Giants started third-string quarterback Rhett Bomar last night because of injuries to starter Eli Manning (head laceration) and backup Jim Sorgi (shoulder).

Also out for the Giants were starting guards Chris Snee (knee) and Rich Seubert (hand).

New digs

The Steelers-Giants game last night was only the second one played at New Meadowlands Stadium.

The Giants and Jets, who share the $1.6 billion stadium, christened their new home Monday when they played a nationally televised game.

The New Meadowlands Stadium — naming rights for it have yet to be sold — doesn't look much different from old Meadowlands Stadium from a structural standpoint.

There are four state-of-the-art video screens on the second level of the stadium, with two apiece on each end of the field.

The stadium seats are gray, with the neutral color reflecting the fact that it is shared by two teams.

Back on the South Side

The Steelers are off today and resume practice at their South Side facility Monday.

Coach Mike Tomlin has talked to the players about not easing up just because two-a-day practices and other hardships associated with training camp are in their rearview mirror.

"When you change location and change routine, it's a natural human response that you're shifting focus, and I just want to make sure our team understands that we're not shifting focus," Tomlin said. "We are going to lose some of the things that encompass training camp, but we're still very much in the development of our football team, and our goals and focus remain the same — determining who the 53 are and the roles within them."

Extra points

Cornerback William Gay dropped an interception on the first possession of the game, something that plagued Steelers' defensive backs last season. ... Frank Summers started at fullback last night. ... Steelers chairman emeritus Dan Rooney, who is the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, watched the game last night from the New Meadowlands press box.

[Chef Paul]

Offensive line has improved, just ask RG Essex


The Steelers' offensive line is better than last year. Flozell Adams will start at right tackle. And the new commitment to the ground game is real.

At least those are the observations of one man, starting right guard Trai Essex. Before anyone might be tempted to dismiss them as nonobjective, he came armed not only with opinions but some early statistics, too.

One, the numbers are there for the running game both in production and in commitment. Two, the only sack the New York Giants' sometimes fierce defense got Saturday night came on a screen pass. As Essex said, "the O-line didn't give up any sacks in pass pro."

But first, the budding controversy that is the play of Adams, the 35-year-old former five-time Pro Bowl left tackle with the Dallas Cowboys. Adams has whiffed several times in two preseason games that led to at least one sack and one interception. There has been talk about moving Essex to right tackle, about Adams not even making the final roster.

That talk has not gone on inside the Steelers, Essex insists. He called Adams starting the season at right tackle a "pretty much done deal. ... There's nothing that tells me otherwise."

"He's been in another system for 12 years and he's had different offensive coordinators. This is a whole new thing for him. Even from the first to the second game he's made excellent strides. It is different playing from the left to the right, there's a whole balance and body weight thing. He's adjusted well."

Essex also noted that he has not lined up at right tackle one time, and that it appears he has won the starting right guard position.

"I had a goal set in mind coming into camp that I wasn't going to lose this job. It's good to know the coaches had that much faith in me that I could play this position."

He played it last season after Darnell Stapleton was lost in the preseason to a knee injury. Now he has taken on the dual jobs of helping Adams adjust to right tackle and aiding rookie Maurkice Pouncey with his calls at center.


"That's just extra film work for me," Essex said. "I don't mind. Whatever helps this O-line succeed. We've caught a lot of flack the last few years for not being on the same page, for not being as good as we should be, for whatever reason. So, if my job is to help the guys on the left, help the guys on the right, I'm going to do it."

Several offensive linemen made their preference for the running game be known last season, and the coaches seem to be taking heed. Perhaps they were encouraged by team president Art Rooney's declaration for a need to run better, but whatever it was, Essex says the line loves it.

The Steelers have run 76 times in 120 plays or 63.3 percent of the time through two preseason games. They ran only 42.2 percent of the time during the 2009 regular season.

"We've placed a bigger emphasis on the run and as an O-line, that's what you want," Essex said. "So just from that standpoint I think we improved a lot."

He said new line coach Sean Kugler is a running-game advocate.

"Our whole mindset as an O-line this year has completely changed. We always wanted to run the ball, but now I think even with [coordinator Bruce Arians] placing more emphasis -- and the owners -- on running the ball and now Kugs coming in, he's a mauler himself, he brings a toughness to our group and we love it."

Clark to sit Sunday
Steelers safety Ryan Clark will not play in Sunday night's game in Denver for preventative health reasons.

Clark, who lost his spleen and gallbladder after playing in the high altitude in Denver in 2007, was held out of the Steelers game there last season, a Monday night game Nov. 9. As he did last season, Clark will make the trip to Denver and be with his teammates on the sideline.

"I still want to play but I understand if I'm not going to play a Monday night game, I'm definitely not worried about this one," Clark said. "We'll still go through the same process. I'm glad it's not as big an ordeal as it was last year."

Clark, who has sickle cell trait, wanted to play last year after doctors told him he was not likely to experience the same blood reaction that caused him to lose his spleen and gallbladder. However, coach Mike Tomlin took that decision out of his player's hands and said he would not dress him for the game.

Long-snapper added
The Steelers re-signed linebacker Matt Stewart and released wide receiver Isaiah Williams.

Stewart, who also snaps the ball for punts and place-kicks, was signed in June and released before training camp by the Steelers. Long-snapper Greg Warren has missed the brunt of the past two seasons with separate ACL surgeries but has been healthy so far this summer as the only long-snapper in training camp

[Chef Paul]

Steelers using split backfield to accomplish run

The Steelers are looking to improve their run game, and they are leaving no stone unturned in the search to accomplish that, even if that means going to a split backfield like they did against the N.Y. Giants Saturday. On a handful of occasions, both Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman were lined up in the backfield together. Redman, who leads the team in rushing in the preseason with 94 yards, was positioned as the fullback and Mendenhall the tailback. Once it resulted in a first-down run by Redman. "I guess we didn't do it as much last year," guard Trai Essex said. "I guess it is the Steelers of the old when you had two backs back there. Now we have a good one who can play fullback and also can carry the ball. It adds another dimension to our run game."

» Veteran RT Flozell Adams hasn't looked overly comfortable at his new position through the first two preseason games, but it appears that the Steelers aren't in a big rush to find competition for Adams. Jonathan Scott came in after three series to replace Adams like anticipated, but hasn't got many snaps with the first team through training camp. "It looks pretty much like a done deal," said Essex about Adams starting the season at right tackle. "There is nothing that tells me otherwise."

» The Steelers re-signed long snapper/linebacker Matt Stewart to their roster and released WR Isaiah Williams. Stewart (6-foot-3, 236 pounds) originally signed as a free agent with the Steelers on June 7 before getting released on July 30.