Steelers rout Ravens in opener, 34-15

By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
PITTSBURGH -- There's nothing like a rookie quarterback's NFL debut to chase Bill Cowher's opening day blues.
For only the fifth time in Cowher's 12-year tenure as coach (and second in six home games), the Steelers won their season opener, spoiling Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller's premiere with a 34-15 rout Sunday at Heinz Field.
"The defense did a good job holding them," said Cowher, after the Steelers limited the Ravens to 231 total yards, including just 101 in the first half when the game was still in doubt.
"It was a good win for us. For the most part, we did a good job on third down," added Cowher.
The Steelers hounded Boller, limiting the former University of California quarterback to a 22-for-43 day for 152 yards, with most of those yards long after the game's outcome had been decided.
Third-down struggles
Baltimore converted just 5-of-16 third-down opportunities.
"They are a great defense," said Boller, a first-round draft pick. "I take nothing away from them."
Meanwhile, the Steelers pushed the Ravens defenders around, especially in the first half when they racked up 197 yards and a 13-0 lead.
Quarterback Tommy Maddox silenced most of the Ravens trash talkers by leading the Steelers to scores on their first two possessions and then throwing three touchdown passes.
"This was a measuring stick to see how far we came from last year," said Ravens coach Brian Billick, referring to a 7-9 season. "Based on the game, we have a long way to go."
Right before halftime, Maddox hit wide receiver Plaxico Burress for a 47-yard pickup that set up a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Hines Ward.
"We're not the best, but we really complement one another," Ward said. "And the addition of [tight end] Jay [Riemersma] is going to do nothing but help Plex and [me] tremendously."
Turned into rout
The game turned into a rout in the third quarter when the Ravens secondary left Riemersma and Ward unguarded for easy touchdown receptions.
Cowher said Riemersma's 20-yard score "was designed to get Jay matched up one-on-one against Ed Reed and he just beat him really bad."
Maddox said Ward's 28-yard TD resulted from "a great move at the line to get free of [his] guy."
Burress led the Steelers with six receptions for 116 yards. Ward's nine catches totaled 91 yards.
Settling for two Jeff Reed field goals early was one of the few negatives Cowher mentioned and the reason he was so pleased with Ward's score.
"We weren't finishing drives," said Cowher of the first two possessions. "You start to get the feeling that if they keep hanging around, they are only one big play away from being right back in it."
The Ravens contained the Steelers running game to 98 yards on 33 carries. Amos Zereoue's 56 yards on 15 tries included an 8-yard score in the fourth quarter.
"We were able to get a couple of [long] runs, but I would still like to get the running game going," Cowher said.
Interference penalties
Two pass interference penalties against cornerback Dewayne Washington set up Jamal Lewis' 14-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.
After a Verron Haynes fumble inside the Steelers, 10, Boller found wide receiver Travis Taylor in the end zone for Baltimore's other score.
Linebacker Pete Boulware credited Maddox and his receivers.
"They executed well and we made a lot of mistakes that we can't make when you play a team like Pittsburgh," Boulware said.
"The thing about Pittsburgh is if you make a small mistake, it can turn into something big. We were making a lot of small mistakes that came to get us. There's no excuse."
williams@vindy.com