Maddox's three mistakes all result in touchdowns

All three, two interceptions and fumble, were returned for Houston scores.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
PITTSBURGH -- By sticking with Tommy Maddox to the very end of a bitter loss, Steelers coach Bill Cowher was hoping not to fan the flames of another quarterback controversy.
The Steelers' 11th-year coach failed. Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans has ignited a fire.
An immediate 14-point deficit to the expansion team proved to be more than the Maddox-led offense could overcome.
Despite gaining 422 yards on offense, the Steelers suffered their most humiliating loss since quarterback Kent Graham's inability to throw an incomplete pass with time running out in Cleveland Browns Stadium two years ago.
While some may wonder if Maddox has sufficiently healed from the scare of his temporary paralysis of three weeks ago, Cowher's refusal to pull Maddox for his much more mobile backup may mean Kordell Stewart's playing time with the Steelers has all but ended.
Although Stewart played well in victories over the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars, Cowher gave Sunday's start to Maddox, obviously his long-term pick.
Also sacked six times
Maddox took the field for the first time since receiving the scare of his life in Nashville. His return was anything but playoff-like. He was sacked six times, threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns and fumbled, leading to another score.
Cowher admitted he considered a change to Stewart.
"Sure I did, but [then] we would start moving the ball and we would have something else happen," Cowher said. "We had too many penalties and turnovers."
Maddox's best performance came in the postgame interview when he said he deserved the responsibility for the loss.
"You can't go out there and turn the ball over and give them touchdowns, especially when the defense is playing their hearts off," Maddox said.
"That's why it's so frustrating -- take away two slant throws and we moved the ball very well. Those two slant throws resulted in 14 points."
Maddox was referring to Houston cornerback Aaron Glenn's interceptions that were returned for touchdowns.
"We kept fighting, we were down there and we had our opportunities," said Maddox, referring to their fourth-quarter drive deep into Houston territory that could have tied the game. "We just couldn't get it done."
Will start next week
Cowher said Maddox will start next Sunday's game against Carolina, then added, "We'll sit down and take a look at it."
Except for Maddox, Cowher declined to "pass judgment" on his players.
But asked if wide receiver Plaxico Burress dropped too many passes, Cowher responded, "One is too many."
Burress, who failed to haul in a Maddox pass at the Houston 2, said Sunday was "probably one of the roughest days I ever had in my life. When you go in there and try your hardest, you should never be embarrassed.
"But I can honestly say that I left a few plays out on the field that would have really boosted our offense and might have changed the outcome of the game," Burress said. "Things did not go my way."
The Steelers defense limited the Texans to 21 yards in first half. However, the offense could only mount one scoring drive, resulting in Jeff Reed's 40-yard field goal right before halftime.
Reed's 31-yard kick on the Steelers' first drive of the second half reduced the lead to 14-6.
Following Burress' drop at the 2, Reed's 33-yard field goal attempt was short, preserving Houston's eight-point lead.
"I won't make excuses -- my team expects me to go out there and make plays based on our offense," Burress said, "and I didn't do that."
Just one of those days
Burress said he didn't feel his timing was off with Maddox.
"It was just one of those days where everything wasn't going right for us offensively," the third-year receiver said.
Burress said Cowher had a suggestion for his players after the franchise's third loss to an expansion team since 1995.
"Bill Cowher told us to go home and look in the mirror and evaluate yourself," Burress said. "If we don't turn the ball over, we're as good as anybody else. The defense played a helluva game, but we didn't put any points on the board."