Published: September 08, 2008 11:46 pm         

ERIC KNOPSNYDER | Steelers’ stock on the rise

It’s amazing how quickly perceptions can change in the NFL.

Heading into the first full day of the season, it was hard to imagine the Pittsburgh Steelers being much more than an afterthought in the brutal AFC. The offensive line was too porous, the defensive line too old and the rest of the conference too strong.

The New England Patriots were perfect in the regular season a year ago, the San Diego Chargers have a wealth of talent again and the AFC South could have three or even four teams as good as the Steelers.

After one game, the balance of power might have shifted.

The Patriots don’t look nearly so invincible without superhuman quarterback Tom Brady, who will miss the season with a knee injury. Matt Cassel, who hasn’t started a game since high school, now takes over the reins of what was the NFL’s best offense. The transition wasn’t a smooth one on Sunday. Cassel was a respectable 13-of-18 for 152 yards and a touchdown on Sunday after Brady was injured, but the Patriots struggled to beat Kansas City 17-10 in what was supposed to be a tuneup before Bill Belichick’s team started the real season.

All of a sudden, the Patriots might not even be the favorite to win the AFC East.

The Chargers? They lost 26-24 to Carolina on a late touchdown pass. That’s not a horrible loss, but considering the Panthers were playing without wide receiver Steve Smith, it also might mean that Shawne Merriman’s knee injury could keep San Diego from being great.

The Colts were even worse in a 29-13 home loss to Chicago. As expected, Indy quarterback Peyton Manning, who missed the preseason after having surgery to remove an infected bursa sac in his knee, wasn’t quite himself. What must have been more disconcerting for Colts fans was that the defense – which allowed the fewest points in the NFL last season – made Bears rookie running back Matt Forte look like Walter Payton.

Even Jacksonville, which beat the Steelers in a first-round playoff game last season, lost on Sunday, falling 17-10 at Tennessee.

Those things make the Steelers’ 38-17 thumping of the Texans – who were being touted as a possible playoff team – even more impressive.

Coach Mike Tomlin’s team was almost perfect through three quarters on Sunday. The offensive line opened holes for Willie Parker, who showed no ill effects from last season’s broken leg, and protected Ben Roethlisberger well, for the most part. Roethlisberger couldn’t have been much better, going 13-of-14 for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Throw in a 74-yard completion to Hines Ward that was wiped out by an iffy pass-interference call and the fact that Roethlisberger sat out the fourth quarter, and the numbers could have been much bigger.

The defense might have been even better than the offense. Sure, the Steelers got what looked like a big break on a fourth-down spot to force a turnover on downs in the first quarter, but they also held Houston to a field goal on a possession that started at the Pittsburgh 12. The Texans’ running game was almost non-existent when it mattered and Matt Schaub was sacked five times and intercepted twice.

The Steelers certainly impressed Texans coach Gary Kubiak.

“They’re a hell of a team,” Kubiak said. “A hell of a franchise, a hell of a team.”

Good enough to go from mediocre to possible Super Bowl contender?

At least for one day.



Eric Knopsnyder is the sports editor of The Tribune-Democrat.

     

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