Sep 16, 2007, 20:18 GMT
Pittsburgh, PA - Willie Parker rushed for 126 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown, and the Pittsburgh Steelers won their home opener under new head coach Mike Tomlin in dominating fashion, 26-3, over the Buffalo Bills.
Ben Roethlisberger went 21-for-34 for 242 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and Nate Washington had three catches for 60 yards for the Steelers (2-0). Hines Ward added 55 yards on five catches for the Steelers, who settled for four Jeff Reed field goals in the first half before pulling away in the second, thanks to a TD catch by Matt Spaeth and Parker's score.
J.P. Losman completed 15-of-25 passes for 154 yards for the Bills (0-2), who struggled offensively. Marshawn Lynch was held to 64 yards on 18 carries, and Roscoe Parrish had six catches for 56 yards for a heavy-hearted Buffalo team, which played for the first time since the tragic spinal injury to tight end Kevin Everett last week.
Terrence McGee provided a spark for the Bills, taking the opening kick of the second half 63 yards, all the way to the Pittsburgh 32. Buffalo got as close to the end zone as the five-yard-line, but stalled there, and trotted Ryan Lindell on the field for a 24-yard field goal, making it a 12-3 game with 9:55 left in the third quarter.
The Steelers came right back and snuffed out any hope of a Bills comeback, moving 62 yards on nine plays to score the first touchdown of the game. The big play on the drive was a 27-yard pass down the right sideline to Santonio Holmes, putting the Steelers at the Buffalo five-yard-line. On third-and-goal from the one-yard-line, Roethlisberger rolled out and found Spaeth in the middle of the end zone, pushing the Pittsburgh lead to 19-3 with 4:40 left in the third quarter.
As ineffective as the Bills offense played, the 16-point lead was all the Steelers would need. Losman and the Bills did drive down to the Pittsburgh 21 early in the fourth quarter, but head coach Dick Jauron opted to go for it on fourth-and-two instead of kicking the field goal. Losman was sacked by Larry Foote on the play, losing the ball, and the Steelers took over.
Parker's 11-yard scoring burst up the middle later in the quarter secured the rout, boosting the Steelers to a 23-point lead with 7:13 left in the game.
The Steelers dominated the first half, moving the ball down the field at ease, but always stalling short of the goal line. Reed knocked in four field goals in the first half, none from further than 39 yards out.
Pittsburgh took the opening kick and marched right down the field, converting three third downs on a 13-play drive that stopped at the Buffalo 16, settling for a 34-yard kick by Reed with 7:59 left in the quarter.
Roethlisberger tried to go deep to Holmes on the first play of the next drive, but Jim Leonhard came up with the interception, giving the Bills the ball at their own 35. Three Lynch carries netted only nine yards, though, and the Bills had to punt.
The Steelers embarked on another long drive, moving from their own 17 all the way down to the Bills' 10, but again couldn't punch it in, with three Roethlisberger incompletions leading to a 28-yarder by Reed with 10:02 left in the second quarter.
A 21-yard completion from Roethlisberger to Washington, followed by a 24- yard gash by Parker fueled the next Pittsburgh drive, which ran out of gas at the Buffalo 21, ending on a 39-yard field goal by Reed with 3:08 left in the first half.
Getting the ball back at their own 30 with 1:38 left in the half, the Steelers again had little difficulty marching down the field, with a 30-yard connection from Roethlisberger to Washington, and a 17-yard catch by Holmes later in the drive that set Pittsburgh up at the Buffalo 13. The Steelers took two shots in the end zone, but again settled for three points, a 31-yard field goal by Reed, and took a 12-0 lead into halftime.
Game Notes
It was the 500th win in Steelers history...In honor of the 75th anniversary of the Steelers franchise, the team sported throwback jerseys, with yellow helmets...The Steelers have won six of seven home openers...This was Parker's 15th career 100-yard rushing game. Pittsburgh is 14-1 in those games...Bills rookie linebacker Paul Posluszny, playing only 45 minutes away from his hometown of Aliquippa, PA. had 12 tackles...McGee left late in the fourth quarter for the Bills with an undisclosed injury...Steelers linebacker James Harrison did not play the second half due to a sore neck.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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