CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The good news for the Steelers last night: No starter was hurt.

Better news: The preseason ended.

Starters barely worked up a sweat in the fifth and final preseason game, which was delayed 20 minutes by a threatened thunderstorm that never really arrived. But at least the regular season will come a week from Sunday.

For those insisting on keeping score, the Steelers beat the Carolina Panthers, 19-3. That gave Mike Tomlin a 4-1 record in his first preseason as coach of the Steelers. It was the first time they won four preseason games since they went 5-0 in 1997 and only the second time in the past 24 years.

The Steelers lost all four of their games last preseason, then won only two of their first eight regular-season games as they fumbled away defense of their Super Bowl.

Jeff Reed kicked four short field goals for the Steelers after John Kasay gave the Panthers an early 3-0 lead with a 31-yard field goal.

Steelers safety Tyrone Carter intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards for the game's only touchdown with 1:04 left.

"I thought that was a nice finish to a very productive preseason," said Tomlin, who believes his team is ready for Cleveland Sept. 9.

"It's time, thankfully. We're all excited, as I'm sure everyone is, about moving forward with the regular season.

"I like this team. I like this team because they're right-minded, they focus on the things that matter."

Typical of final preseason games, the starters played only a cameo role, and those Steelers did not play the full quarter that Tomlin said they would.

Halfback Willie Parker was the quickest to leave -- unless Carolina starting quarterback Jake Delhomme counts, because he did not play at all even though he is uninjured.

Parker started the game in the I formation behind fullback Dan Kreider. On first down, Kreider ran up the middle and Parker was pulled from the game for good.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger played one series and it was almost too long at that. On the last play of the opening drive, he was rudely sacked by Kris Jenkins, who appeared to beat guard Alan Faneca, for a 10-yard loss. Before that, Roethlisberger completed both of his passes for 16 yards.

Charlie Batch replaced Roethlisberger on the second series, and Tomlin switched his line around as well. He kept starters Willie Colon at tackle and Kendall Simmons at guard on the right side. He replaced the other three -- Chukky Okobi went in to play center, Chris Kemoeatu at guard and Trai Essex at tackle.

That line played through the rest of the first quarter.

Batch did not stay long (2 of 3, 12 yards). He played two series then came out in favor of Brian St. Pierre.

It was with St. Pierre at quarterback that the Steelers tied the score with 7:12 left in the second quarter on Reed's 32-yard field goal.

St. Pierre played into the fourth quarter before he left with a toe injury and Bryan Randall finished.

The Steelers' first score came after Carolina tight end Michael Gaines lost a fumble that was recovered by Carter. A replay showed that Gaines might have dropped a pass rather than had possession then fumbled. But Carolina coach John Fox could not challenge the call because his team had used all three of its timeouts for the half in the first period.

Backup linebacker Clint Kriewaldt gave the Steelers a chance later in the second quarter for more when he made a diving interception of quarterback David Carr pass at the Panthers' 43. They got nothing, however.

That brought in punter Daniel Sepulveda, who punted one earlier into the end zone. This time, he tried his famous Aussie Roll in which he kicks the football with the point down. It's supposed to hit and bounce backward to prevent it from going into the end zone for a touchback. This one hit inside the 10 and rolled forward -- as rookie cornerback William Gay watched it go past him without trying to down it -- into the end zone.

Tomlin on Tuesday publicly challenged second-year man Willie Reid in a team meeting and repeated it at a news conference to pick up his play as a punt returner. Reid muffed a punt Sunday night against Philadelphia for a 5-yard loss.

Last night, he responded by returning his first punt 30 yards, and followed that by returning a kickoff 28 yards. Reid returned every punt (four for 39 yards) for the Steelers last night and both kickoffs (23-yard average).

"I think he did" respond, Tomlin said. "He was productive as both a kick returner and punt returner."

Veteran halfback Verron Haynes, in a fight to keep his roster spot, got considerable chances at halfback and as the third-down back. He ran four times for 10 yards and caught a pass for five in the first half.

Then they really put him to work. On the Steelers' first drive of the third quarter, Haynes carried seven consecutive times, although one did not count because of a penalty, and nine total in the 12-play drive. He gained 37 yards on that drive, 47 total. How he rebounds from such a workload today could help determine his fate. He had knee surgery in November to repair virtually every ligament.

The Haynes-led drive ended with Reed's second field goal of the game that staked the Steelers to a 6-3 lead.

Rookie Gary Russell, who led the Steelers in rushing this preseason, also had a workout last night. He carried 21 times for 62 yards.

Reed made it 3 for 3 with a 31-yard field goal later in the third quarter after rookie linebacker LaMarr Woodley forced a fumble and rookie Gay recovered at the Carolina 20.

Another Carolina fumble on a punt return put the Steelers back in business in the fourth quarter. Reed made a 37-yard field goal for a 12-3 lead.