Tonight, the Steelers looked Super again.

Playing extensively for the first time since they beat Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers' starting lineup thoroughly dominated the Buffalo Bills in their first half of play.

Their first-half lead stood up as the final score, 17-0, and their second victory in three preseason games came minus Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes and starting halfback Willie Parker, both out with minor injuries.

Of course, you cannot convince everyone.

"It's still August football out there in some ways,'' coach Mike Tomlin said, tempering the optimism. "We had a pre-snap penalty on offene, delay of game, false start . . . We put the ball on the ground . . . I see some good thing, but still see some things where the Steelers are still beating the Steelers.''

It was clearly evident last night that the Buffalo Bills could not do it.

No one looked better than quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Having played just five series in the first two games (total points, seven), Roethliberger and his offense had three good drive and scored 10 points. James Farrior added a touchdown to cap off the Steelers' smothering defensive display when he returned an interception 22 yards untouched.

Roethlisberger completed 15 of 19 passes for 168 yards. Did someone say distractions?

"Overall, really happy,'' Roethlisberger said of his feelings about the night's work at Heinz Field. "We made some mistakes early, but then drove down the field and scored.''

Old-hand Hines Ward looked to be in mid-career form, catching five passes for 74 yards, many of the tough-nails variety that Ward has made a living on. Newcomer Limas Sweed, who seems to have nailed down the No. 3 job, caught four passes for 34 yards, one stretching high over the middle, knowing he was about to get drilled.

Even Rashard Mendenhall had his moments after losing another fumble. Mendenhall scored his first professional touchdown in the United States when he ran uncontested four yards in the second quarter. He now has two scores, both in the preseason -- he ran for a six-yard touchdown against the Bills in Toronto last summer.

As well as the offense looked, the Steelers defense did them one better. Not only did they shut the Bills down, they scored a touchdown of their own on Farrior's return.

"I think we did pretty good,'' Farrior said.

The defense that has two new starters from the one that dominated the NFL in all categories last season, held the Bills to 50 yards in the first half on 19 plays. That defense's work night was extended by one series into the third quarter, when Buffalo's first offense gained six yards on three plays and then called it a night.

Even the special teams had a special night against Buffalo. Rookie Joe Burnett preserved their first shutout in 35 preseason game (since they beat Buffalo 20-0 in 2001) when he blocked Rian Lindell's 33-yard field goal try with 2:48 left in the game.

So, the real Steelers, the ones who will take the field against Tennessee the night of Sept. 10 to kick off the NFL season, look ready. "I think so,'' Roethlisberger said.

They will play little, if at all, next Thursday night in Charlotte, N.C. against the Carolina Panthers.

The Steelers scored twice in 13 seconds to take a 10-0 lead in the second quarter.

Their second drive deep into Buffalo territory yielded three points when Piotr Czech, kicking for slightly injured Jeff Reed, booted a 34-yard field goal.

Keyaron Fox, a dynamo again last night on coverage teams, nailed Leodis McKelvin at the 18 on the kickoff. Next play from there, Trent Edwards threw a pass toward Josh Reed on the right, except linebacker Farrior interrupted it at the 22. Farrior picked it off on the run and never stopped, sailing free into the end zone for a touchdown and a 10-0 Steelers lead with 12:34 to go in the half.

The lead ballooned to 17-0 by halftime when Mendenhall ended an up-and-down half on the up with a nice four-yard run off the right side for a touchdown with 31 seconds to go.

Early-on, Mendenhall had a rough go of it, harking back to his days last summer when he developed an intense fumbling problem, losing three in the final two exhibition games. It got so bad last year that Ward ordered him to carry a football around everywhere he went and offered $100 to any teammate who could knock it out of Mendenhall's hands.

Mendenhall had his best run of the preseason when he hit a hole on the right side quickly and picked up 12 yards. However, on the very next play at Buffalo's 21, defensive tackle Kyle William hit Mendenhall at the line of scrimmage and the ball popped free. Buffalo's Keith Ellison recovered.

Mendenhall, though, rebounded with a few nice runs in the second quarter, one for 13 yards and the other for the touchdown. Their 2008 first-round draft choice ran 16 times, all in the first half, for 48 yards. He caught another two passes for 16 yards.