Steelers’ reserves beat Panthers

Neither teamp played many of their regulars during a rainy night.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Steve Smith never got on the field, spending much of the game filling cups with ice and water for his Carolina teammates.

Jake Delhomme and Dan Morgan also sat out for the Panthers, while Pittsburgh’s Hines Ward and Heath Miller didn’t dress and Willie Parker never carried the ball for the Steelers.

Forced to wait out a lightning delay before sitting through a downpour in the first quarter, fans watched mostly reserves as the Steelers beat the Panthers 19-3 Friday night in the teams’ final preseason game.

Reed kicks four field goals

Jeff Reed kicked four field goals and Tyrone Carter’s 32-yard interception return for a touchdown with a minute left put it away for the Steelers (4-1), who forced six turnovers in new coach Mike Tomlin’s final tuneup.

Ben Roethlisberger was 2-of-2 for 16 yards and was sacked by Kris Jenkins to end his only series for the Steelers. Delhomme, who grabbed his side in practice Sunday, didn’t play for the Panthers (1-3), although the injury is not considered serious.

David Carr, the five-year starter in Houston signed to be Delhomme’s backup, saw the most time of any well-known player in the game delayed 20 minutes at the start.

Carr was 8-for-12 for 85 yards, including a 46-yard pass to rookie Dwayne Jarrett. Keary Colbert appeared to lock up the starting job opposite Smith, adding two catches for 24 yards.

But Carr, who led the Panthers to their only field goal in the first half, also threw a poor pass over the middle that was easily intercepted by Clint Kriewaldt in the second quarter.

Carr gave way to undrafted rookie Dalton Bell at the start of the second half. Bell threw an interception and lost a fumble.

Roethlisberger’s backup, Charlie Batch, went 2-of-3 for 12 yards in two series. Third-stringer Brian St. Pierre was just 3-of-10 for 16 yards before leaving with a toe injury.

Keeping starters healthy

The final preseason game lived up to its billing as an exercise in keeping the starters healthy — and gave little insight if either team is ready to turn things around after disappointing 8-8 seasons in 2006.

Ward (broken nose) and Miller (shoulder) were held out for Pittsburgh. Parker, who has been plagued by a sore knee in training camp, never touched the ball.

Smith, who was apparently healthy, didn’t come out with the Panthers’ first-team offense, later spent part of the second and third quarters filling up paper cups with water.