Roethlisberger completes 6 of 8 passes, but Leftwich, Dixon more productive in win
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Mike Wallace, left, hauls in a 68-yard touchdown pass from Byron Leftwich, beating New York's Bruce Johnson late in the first half. -
Ben Roethlisberger tries to avoid New York's Justin Tuck. In his first action of the preseason, Roethlisberger completed 6 of 8 passes for 76 yards and one interception.
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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Ben Roethlisberger took his latest step Saturday night, 15 miles across the Hudson River from where NFL commissioner Roger Goodell put his own foot down four months ago.
This first live, televised public appearance by Roethlisberger this season played uneventfully. In fact, Roethlisberger was the only one of three Steelers quarterbacks who failed to lead his offense into the end zone.
Playing in his first NFL game since Goodell, from league headquarters in Manhattan, suspended him in April for at least the first four games of the regular season, Roethlisberger took 20 snaps, completed 6 of 8 passes, threw one interception and produced three points over nearly 1 1/2 quarters of work at New Meadowlands Stadium, playing host to just its second game.
The Steelers ultimately won, 24-17, to raise their preseason record to 2-0.
"First time out, I thought he did some nice things," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "He moved us. It was a good start."
Jeff Reed kicked a 26-yard field goal for the only score in Roethlisberger's three series to start the game.
It was Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon who stole the show for the Steelers at quarterback. Leftwich rifled a 68-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace to give them a 10-7 halftime lead. Dixon came on as the third Steelers quarterback of the game and directed his first two series into the end zone to start the second half.
Isaac Redman ran 12 yards for the first touchdown behind Dixon to end a 78-yard drive. Dwayne Wright bulled over from the 2 to end an 82-yard drive under Dixon.
Roethlisberger threw for 76 yards and left with a 3-0 lead and a sub-par passer rating of 64.6.
"It was good to get back out there, that was the most important thing," Roethlisberger said. "I enjoyed that."
Tomlin was asked about the disruption Roethlisberger's suspension might be causing.
"You know, I don't care about the disruption, quite frankly, when it comes to his performance," Tomlin answered. "He's a professional. His job is to play and to lead us and he's done that. He needs to continue to do that. And we'll deal with all the other things we have to deal with in the appropriate manner."
Leftwich completed 3 of 6 passes for 95 yards and a 135.4 passer rating.
"Leftwich was back there with a little bit too much time," Giants coach Tom Coughlin complained.
Dixon completed 7 of 8 for 82 yards and is 13 of 15 for 200 yards and one touchdown pass in two games.
First Published August 22, 2010 12:06 am
