By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

            The Steelers fell to 1-1 on the season after a disappointing 30-13 loss to the Ravens in Baltimore.

            “It was a disappointing loss,” said Cowher. “I think Baltimore came out and set the tempo with that first drive. That was very disappointing to see them run down the field like they did. I thought we made some adjustments, but we couldn’t get anything going on offense.”

            The Steelers started the game with rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as probable on the injury list, but after Tommy Maddox injured his right elbow it would be the team’s number one draft pick who would be forced into action and finally get them on the board while gaining game experience.

             “Tommy’s has a strained or torn muscle in his elbow,” said Cowher. “I’m not exactly sure at this point. In either case it’s going to be an extended period of time. We’ll see what our options are and make them accordingly, but certainly that would make Ben our starter at this time.

             Roethlisberger entered the game in the third quarter and completed 12 of 20 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Hines Ward had six receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown.

“I thought he did some good things,” said Cowher. “That’s what the number two quarterback is there to do. He will step up and take the reins and we’ll go from there.”

            The Ravens came out fast scoring on their opening drive behind the strong running of Jamal Lewis. Lewis carried the ball on the first four plays from scrimmage, gaining four, nine, 11 and five yards. Chester Taylor then broke loose for 35 yards, although they lost 15 of them when the Ravens were called for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Ravens had second-and-19 when quarterback Kyle Boller escaped the pressure for a 17-yard gain. Clark Haggans was called for unnecessary roughness on the play, tacking 15 more yards on and giving the Ravens the ball at the Steelers 18-yard line. Four plays later Lewis took it in three-yards to give the Ravens the early 7-0 lead.

            Maddox was unable to get the offense going on the Steelers opening drive, failing to gain a first down and going three plays and then punting.

            The Ravens began to move the ball again, but on third-and-six from the Steelers 38-yard line Deshea Townsend sacked Boller for an eight-yard loss and forced them to punt.

            The Steelers would not fare much better on their next drive. Maddox hit Jay Riemersma for a 10-yard gain and Duce Staley had back-to-back three-yard runs. But on third-and-four Maddox was sacked for an eight-yard loss, ending the drive.

            The Steelers got a break thanks to penalties on the ensuing drive. Boller hit Randy Hymes on the flea-flicker for a 39-yard touchdown. But wide receiver Kevin Johnson was called for illegal motion, nullifying the score. The flags continued to fly. On the next play guard Bennie Anderson was called for a 15-yard facemask penalty, negating a seven-yard run by Lewis. The Ravens rebounded from the penalties and drove down to the Steelers 17-yard line, but an incomplete pass forced them to settle for a 35-yard Matt Stover field goal, giving them a 10-0 lead.

            The Steelers continued to struggle moving the ball throughout the half and once again had to punt just under two minutes. Chris Gardocki’s 35-yard punt was fielded by B.J. Sams and returned 33-yards to the Steelers 22-yard line. Stover hit his second field goal of the day, giving the Ravens a 13-0 halftime lead.

            The second half started with a struggle for the Steelers. On a third-and-nine play Maddox was hit in the arm by Gary Baxter, forcing a fumble, which Terrell Suggs recovered and returned to the Steelers one-yard line. The Steelers challenged the play, thinking the pass was incomplete, and not only lost the challenge but lost Maddox with an injured right elbow.

            The Ravens needed just one play to make the fumble hurt as Lewis took it for one-yard and a touchdown, stretching the Ravens lead to 20-0.

             Roethlisberger came in for the Steelers and simply handed off on his first series. On the second series, Roethlisberger’s first NFL pass was incomplete to Plaxico Burress. He didn’t fare any better on the second one, which was intercepted by Adalius Thomas.

            He shook it off and got into the flow. Roethlisberger got the fourth quarter going by throwing a pass through the hands of Ravens safety Ed Reed and into the hands of Hines Ward who broke free for 58 yards to the Baltimore three-yard line. Two plays later the rookie threw his first NFL touchdown pass, a three-yard completion to Antwaan Randle El.

            The Ravens came back with a field goal, but Roethlisberger went back to work and engineered a nine play, 70-yard drive that was capped off by a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ward. The two-point conversion failed, giving the Ravens a 23-13 edge.

            The defense responded and stopped the Ravens, but on the next series Chris McAlister sealed the Steelers fate when he returned an interception 50-yards for a touchdown, putting the Ravens ahead 30-13.