Prva pre-season tekma (tradicionalno interstate derby) Steelers-Eagles je bila sinoc. Naravno.....stelersi su odrali guzove pticicama koje su bez TO-a ko bez glave (mada im ni on ne bi pomogao sinoc)
Steelers defeat Eagles, 38-31
Monday, August 15, 2005
By BOB LABRIOLA
Steelers.com
PITTSBURGH – With the exception of a few details that Coach Bill Cowher will address during the upcoming week in Latrobe, it was a boffo opening night for the Steelers.
It started with Pro Bowl receiver Hines Ward ending his holdout and joining a team that has spent two weeks in training camp, and it ended with a 38-31 win over the Philadelphia Eagles that will give Cowher and his assistants plenty of things to use as teaching tools prior to Saturday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
"It’s great to have (Ward) here," said Cowher. "The biggest thing at this point is not to dwell on the unfortunate circumstances that led to him not being here, but let’s focus on getting this whole thing behind us and moving on. He means a lot to this team, and hopefully we can get this thing rectified in the very, very near future."
Through the game’s first 18 minutes, the Steelers didn’t need Hines Ward, or Ben Roethlisberger, or Jerome Bettis, or any other offensive player to score points, to take a 21-7 lead.
On the first play after Jeff Reed’s opening kickoff, which Roderick Hood fumbled by the way and only returned to the 5-yard line, Willie Williams intercepted a Donovan McNabb pass at the 10-yard line and strolled into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
On the play, McNabb had two receivers in the area, but his pass ended up between Greg Lewis and Brian Westbrook, and right in Williams’ hands. The Steelers’ first touchdown of the preseason was a piece of cake.
"The defense allowed me to stay in the background," said Williams. "Donovan McNabb just threw the ball, and I was in the right place at the right time."
The Philadelphia offense was unable to make a first down following the kickoff, and offsetting penalties on fourth-and-3 forced a second punt by Mark Marsical. His second effort traveled just 39 yards and was returned 66 yards for a touchdown by Ricardo Colclough. The Steelers offense had yet to take the field and yet the team led, 14-0.
The Eagles stayed with the No. 1 offense on the ensuing series, and McNabb made a succession of plays befitting his status as one of the league’s best quarterbacks.
McNabb converted a third-and-17 with a 22-yard pass to Billy McMullen, and then he converted a second-and-24 with a 21-yard pass to Reggie Brown and then a 13-yard pass to Westbrook on fourth down. McNabb ultimately took care of the touchdown, as well, with an 8-yard pass to L.J. Smith.
But whatever momentum the Eagles generated with their 14-play, 70-yard touchdown drive was erased by the Steelers special teams. Ike Taylor took David Akers’ kickoff at the goal line and returned it 100 yards for the touchdown that restored the Steelers lead to 14, 21-7.
At this point, both coaches turned the game over to their reserves.
"Certainly getting off to the quick start was big, but we still have a lot of things we need to work on and get better with, particularly in the second half," said Cowher. "But that’s what the first preseason game is for."
One of the things Cowher probably was referring to was the way McNabb operated following Williams’ interception and return for a touchdown. He finished 14-of-19 for 132 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.
As for the Steelers’ No. 1 offense, Bettis had three carries for 7 yards, and Roethlisberger completed 2-of-4 for 13 yards. As Cowher said, all four of the team’s quarterbacks saw action, and Tommy Maddox and Brian St. Pierre were able to direct touchdown drives.
Maddox finished 7-of-11 for 87 yards, with an interception, while St. Pierre completed 3-of-3 for 14 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown pass to rookie free agent John Kuhn.
"We only got 10 plays with the first group, and if we had stopped them on defense, the first offense was probably going to take the next series, but we didn’t stop them on defense and it went into the second quarter, and I didn’t want to get off the plan," said Cowher. "The first unit, the linemen, only had 10 plays, less than you’d want to have, but we didn’t want to deviate from the plan."
Among the backups who performed well included Nate Washington, who led the team with four catches for 76 yards; Ike Taylor, who led the team with five solo tackles, had an interception and returned that kickoff for a touchdown; and Brett Keisel, who had four tackles, shared a sack with Chris Hoke and defended a pass.
James Harrison, who started in place of Joey Porter, had a sack, as did backup inside linebacker Clint Kriewaldt. Colclough had four tackles, broke up a pass and returned that punt for a touchdown.
"Nate Washington kind of stepped up and made some plays; Fred Gibson did some things," said Cowher. "Brett Keisel showed up a lot, in fact he showed up the one time that I didn’t like (when he drew a roughness penalty), but he did a lot of good things. I thought Ike Taylor and Ricardo Colclough played well. I thought Ike played a very good game tonight.
"Nate just keeps getting a little bit better every day. I really liked how he was able to transfer practice right to the game tonight. He’s got excellent hands, and he’s getting more comfortable in this offense. He’s one of those guys who kind of grows on you. It was nice to see him make a few of the plays he made tonight."
:D Mnogo je price oko toga ko je jak a ko slab ove sezone al ja ocekujem ove sezone da stelersi dominiraju AFC konferencijom 
E ove godine sam za Philadelfijske Orlove. 
