The Steelers looked a little bit flat last night as they saw there preseason record fall to 1-1.  You can’t blame the loss on Ben Roethlisberger who looked pretty sharp completing 9 of 11 passes for 142 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 interception.  Byron Leftwich got his first action with the Steelers and he looked rusty completing 5 of 11 passes for 41 yards.  Rookie Dennis Dixon only completed 6 of 15 passes last night for 79 yards.  But he electrified Toronto with a 47-yard TD run as he finished the game with 54 yards rushing on 2 carries (27.0 ypc).  Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 30 yards on 11 carries (2.7 ypc) with a TD run but he didn’t look too good.  WR Dallas Baker led the way for the Steelers in the passing game with 3 catches for 57 yards (19.0 avg) last night.  Santonio Holmes caught 2 passes for 53 yards (26.5 avg) including a 40-yard TD grab from Ben Roethlisberger.  The Steelers finished up wth 108 yards rushing last night on 22 carries (4.9 ypc) and they also completed 20 of 37 passes for 230 yards.

The Steelers’ defense didn’t look too good last night as the Bills did whatever they wanted despite only putting up 263 total yards.  Linebacker Lawrence Timmons led the way last night for the Steelers with 7 tackles and a sack.  Fellow linebackers Larry Foote and Anthony Harrison each pitched in with 6 tackles apiece.  The Bills finished up with 159 yards rushing on 31 carries (5.1 ypc).  They also completed 14 of 18 passes for 104 yards with 2 TD passes to TE Robert Royal which shows that safety is once again an issue for the Steelers.

The Steelers played this game close to the vest working on the running game on offense.  Ben Roethlisberger only played one series and he completed both of his pass attempts for 38 yards with a 19-yard TD pass to Santonio Holmes.  Charlie Batch followed Roethlisberger in the game and it did not go well for him.  Batch fractured his right collarbone and will likely miss the entire 2008 season.  Batch completed 1 of 3 passes for 3 yards and he also carried the ball 1 time for 6 yards.  Rookie Dennis Dixon was allright completing 6 of 9 passes for 30 yards.  Mike Potts threw two incomplete passes in this game.  First round pick Rashard Mendenhall looked pretty solid in his first action in the NFL carrying the ball 7 times for 34 yards (4.9 ypc).  Justin Vincent was also busy with 9 carries for 28 yards (3.1 ypc).  Gary Russell worked hard for his 25 yards on 10 carries (2.5 ypc) last night.  Willie Parker indeed looked fast carrying the ball 3 times for 20 yards (6.7 ypc).  Rookie WR Limas Sweed led the Steelers’ with 3 grabs for 23 yards (7.7 avg) in this game.  The Steelers really didn’t want to show much in this game so they didn’t.  The Steelers rushed for 118 yards on 35 carries (3.4 ypc) against the Eagles.  They also completed 9 of 16 passes for 71 yards last night.

The Steelers’ defense was pretty effective against the Eagles.  CB Travis Willams led the way for the Steelers with 7 tackles.  Linebacker Keyaron Fox and CB Anthony Madison each pitched in with 6 tackles apiece.  The Steelers held the Eagles to 61 yards rushing on 20 carries (3.1 ypc).  The Eagles also completed 28 of 48 passes for 210 yards.  The Steelers have to be happy with this win as they really didn’t show too much. 

The Steelers didn’t even try to win this football game and they still beat the Panthers pretty easily.  Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch combined to completed 4 of 5 passes for 28 yards in the short time they played on Thursday Night.  Brian St. Pierre finished up the game completing 3 of 10 passes for 16 yards.  Undrafted rookie RB Gary Russell did most of the heavy lifting in the running game for the Steelers with 62 yards on 21 carries (3.0 ypc) but Verron Haynes also contributed carrying the rock 13 times for 47 yards (3.6 ypc).  The Steelers finished up with 118 yards rushing on 39 carries (3.0 ypc) and they completed only 7 of 16 passes for 23 yards.

Safety Tyrone Carter led a good Steelers’ effort on defense as he returned an interception 32 yards for a TD against the Panthers.  The Steelers held the Panthers to 87 yards rushing on 27 carries (3.2 ypc) and the Panthers also completed 17 of 29 passes for 202 yards.

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The Steelers displayed a solid offense and a bend but don’t break defense last night in their win over the Steelers.  Ben Roethlisberger looked pretty sharp in the first half of the game as he completed 13 of 25 passes for 247 yards with 1 interception.  Charlie Batch made a brief appearance last night and he completed all 3 of his pass attempts for 65 yards.  Brian St. Pierre finished up the game for the Steelers completing 2 of 3 passes for 10 yards with an interception.  Willie Parker was busy with 10 carries for 32 yards (3.2 ypc) with a TD run and he also caught 3 passes for 40 yards.  Parker would have scored twice but he got jacked up and fumbled inside the Eagles’ 5-yard line which was recovered by the Eagles.  Kevan Barlow also ran hard carrying the football 4 times for 14 yards (3.5 ypc) with a TD run.  The Steelers finished up the ball game with 76 yards rushing on 23 carries (3.3 ypc).  But they threw the football well completing 18 of 32 passes for 322 yards.

The defense was in bend but don’t break mode as the Eagles were moving the football up and down the field.  The Eagles ran the ball 30 times for 125 yards (4.2 ypc) and they completed 31 of 48 passes for 279 yards.  2nd-year defensive back Jovon Johnson sealed the Steelers’ victory in the 4th quarter when he returned a Eagles’ fumble 78 yards for a TD.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers played the dirty D last Saturday against the Redskins and that was why they won a pretty boring football game.  The offense didn’t score a TD but they did have 4 scoring drives.  Ben Roethlisberger was solid completing 8 of 12 passes for 87 yards and he carried the football 4 times for 17 yards (4.3 ypc).  Charlie Batch was also very efficient as he completed 8 of 9 passes for 76 yards.  Brian St. Pierre had his least productive game of the pre-season completing 2 of 4 passes for 26 yards.  Verron Haynes led the way for the Steelers with 30 yards rushing on 7 carries (4.3 ypc).  Undrafted rookie Gary Russell continued to impress with 7 carries for 24 yards (3.4 ypc).  Santonio Holmes was getting deep on Saturday as he caught 2 passes for 51 yards (25.5 avg).  Nate Washington (3 rec, 44 yards) and Hines Ward (4 rec, 20 yards) were both busy.  The Steelers finished up the game with 101 yards rushing on 32 carries (3.2 ypc) and they completed 18 of 25 passes for 187 yards.

The Steelers defense was rough on Saturday as they held the Redskins to 43 yards rushing on 22 carries (2.0 ypc).  The Redskins also completed 21 of 33 passes for 183 yards.

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The Steelers found the Packers defense much tougher than what the Saints threw at them last week.  Ben Roethlisberger completed both of his pass attempts for 14 yards but he also lost a fumble after getting sacked which the Packers recovered.  Charlie Batch replaced him and he looked good again as he completed 3 of 5 passes for 97 yards including a 41 yard TD pass to WR Walter Young.  Brian St. Pierre must have used up all of his magic last week as he only completed 10 of 23 passes for 99 yards last night.  Undrafted rookie running back Gary Russell had another huge game for the Steelers as he carried the ball 9 times for 56 yards (6.2 ypc).  Najeh Davenport (7 car, 34 yards, 4.9 ypc) and Kevan Barlow (6 car, 25 yards, 4.2 ypc) both played well also for the Steelers lat night.  WR Walter Young led the way for the Steelers’ receivers with 2 grabs for 50 yards (25.0 avg) with a TD and Santonio Holmes added 1 grab for 49 yards.  The Steelers ran the ball well as they toted the rock 28 times for 132 yards (4.7 ypc) but they didn’t pass to well completing 15 of 30 passes for 177 yards.

The defense didn’t look as sharp as they did against the Saints either.  The Packers ran the ball 31 times for 124 yards (4.0 ypc) and they completed 21 of 36 passes for 182 yards. 

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The Pittsburgh Steelers looked great on Sunday Night in their demolition of the New Orleans Saints.  The Steelers controlled the clock for 35:57 and they amassed 413 total yards of offense.  Ben Roethlisberger (2 for 3, 73 yards) and Charlie Batch (4 for 6, 51 yards) both got their work in quick and they both looked good.  But Sunday belonged to third stringer Brian St. Pierre.  St. Pierre completed 8 of 14 passes for 129 yards with 1 TD pass.  Running back Carey Davis had a monster game with 7 carries for 68 yards (9.7 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 32 yards (16.0 avg).  Still, Davis remains a very long shot to make the Steelers.  Undrafted rookie Gary Russell also was outstanding with 8 carries for 41 yards (5.1 ypc).  Cedric Wilson was fantastic with 4 grabs for 99 yards (24.8 avg) as he seems to be gaining on Santonio Holmes.  Holmes also had a good showing with 3 grabs for 48 yards (16.0 avg) and a TD.

The Steelers defense was outstanding Sunday Night.  They held the Saints to 214 total yards of offense.  The Saints ran the ball 24 times for 82 yards (3.4 ypc) and they completed 13 of 30 passes for 132 yards passing. 

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