JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Coordinator Bruce Arians could not hide his plan for the Steelers' offense in the days leading to their game Sunday night.

Santonio Holmes said it four days before kickoff: "Shoot, when you lose your starting running back, you lose your first-round running back, you lose your starting fullback/running back? I mean, what else is there for you to do? You can only throw the ball and hope someone comes in and fills in, like Mewelde did."

Mewelde Moore, who has taken care of the necessary ground yards to keep things honest in the past two games and Ben Roethlisberger, his receivers and, yes, his blockers did the rest in their 26-21 upset victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a game they dominated more than that score showed.

It was the kind of offensive display under trying circumstances both in loss of personnel and in game situations on the road that should put the rest of the AFC on notice that the Steelers are Super Bowl contenders again at 4-1.

The Steelers long have touted a balanced offense as the key to success, and Sunday they added a few weights on the passing end to even things out.

If the Jaguars and a national TV audience were surprised that Roethlisberger could throw 41 times, amass 309 yards passing and hit three receivers for touchdowns, they then already forgot that highlight film from the Steelers' 2005 Super Bowl season.

That year, the Steelers used the pass to get ahead and the run to stay ahead, and when they needed to, they used the pass to come from behind.

That's precisely what happened Sunday night in Jacksonville Memorial Stadium. Roethlisberger and his offense showed again that they have the ability to win games with the pass. The Jaguars knew the Steelers had to pass but were unable to stop them. Roethlisberger had 239 yards passing in the first half.

"There was no secret we had to do a little of that," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "We had to find some running game alternative, if you will. We got the ball out of the hands quick some, threw some screens and check-downs and things of that nature.

"We were thin at running back. We started a third-down back [Moore] and had a practice squad guy backing him up in Gary Russell. We had a guy who didn't play football in a long time, didn't go to training camp with anybody, in Najeh Davenport.

"Guys didn't look to it as an excuse."

An opportunity, perhaps. At least that's how the wide receivers saw it.

"We have playmakers on this team," said Hines Ward, who caught seven passes for 90 yards, including the winner for 8 yards with 1:53 left. "I know I left some plays out there but in the fourth quarter, we have guys who want the ball and we pride ourselves on that."

Roethlisberger also did a good job of distribution. Nate Washington caught six passes for 94 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown in which he beat backup cornerback Will James badly. Tight end Heath Miller caught five passes for 45 yards, including a diving 1-yard touchdown reception in the end zone. Santonio Holmes caught four passes for 65 yards, and Moore added another three for 17 yards.

"We're in position right now that maybe somebody's thinking it's a fluke," Washington said of his passing offense. "We just have to come out every night and play the same way we did tonight and let them know it's not a fluke, this will happen every night."

Said Ward: "We have quality guys and weapons down the field. It's just a matter of getting opportunities. When it counted, we stepped up big."

Ward and Roethlisberger practiced what would be their winning, 8-yard hookup in pregame warm-ups.

"I pride myself on making that play," Ward said. "It was zero coverage, I was man-to-man with Brian Williams. He threw it up and I caught it."

Roethlisberger did not practice Wednesday or Thursday and did not go through a full practice Friday as he continues to try to overcome the sore shoulder injured in the opener.

"Ben played a hell of a game considering he did not practice all week and us not even catching from him all week," Ward said. "He came out and showed what kind of ballplayer he is."

The Steelers will practice at least today and tomorrow. They do not play this weekend and resume playing Oct. 19 in Cincinnati.