By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com    

 

The Texans tried everything they could to make the heat hurt the Steelers, keeping the roof of Reliant Stadium open despite on-field temperatures above 100 degrees and making the Steelers wear their black jerseys.

 

But it was the Steelers who brought the heat as the offense was on fire and the defense was smoldering.

 

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, whose status for the game was uncertain because of a knee injury, started the game and completed 14 of 21passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Running back Willie Parker got his second start of the season, and will start next week against the New England Patriots, and carried the ball 25 times for 111 yards and a touchdown.

 

The defense was dominate, keeping Texans quarterback David Carr in check and allowing him to complete 16 passes for 167 yards, 72 of them coming on one drive. Carr was sacked eight times for a loss of 59 yards and was under pressure all afternoon.

"Starting fast takes the crowd out it," said head coach Bill Cowher. "Playing smart is the other thing. Not turning the football over, we had no foolish penalties and trying to take away the big plays. If you can do that then the crowd never gets into it. We talked about playing on the road starting fast, playing smart and you try to get going and it's us against the world."

 

The Steelers offense came out strong like they did the week before against the Titans, scoring on their first four drives of the game. Parker opened it up early with a 19-yard run on the first play from scrimmage, setting the tone for what would come. Roethlisberger hit Antwaan Randle El for a 13-yard gain, and found him two plays later for eight more yards. Parker rattled off a 14-yard run and Jeff Reed completed the drive with a 37-yard field goal to give the Steelers the early 3-0 lead.

 

Carr quickly found out it wasn’t going to be his day on the Texans first drive. Clark Haggans sacked Carr for a five-yard loss, forced him to fumble, and Joey Porter recovered on the Texans 22-yard line, setting them up with great field position.

 

Roethlisberger took advantage fast and on the second play of the drive hit Hines Ward for a 16-yard touchdown and a 10-point lead.

 

After the defense came up with another stop, Roethlisberger and the offense marched down the field again. He completed passes to Ward, for 15 and 12 yards, and to Cedric Wilson on a beautiful sideline reception for 36 yards. He then found Ward in the end zone for his second touchdown of the day, a 14-yard grab, extending the lead to 17-0.

 

The Steelers went into the half up 20-0 after Reed hit a 35-yard field goal.

 

The Texans showed some signs of life to start the second half when they came out firing. Carr completed seven passes for 72 yards on their opening drive of the half and capped it with a three-yard touchdown pass to Domanick Davis, closing the gap to 20-7.

But the air would go out of their sails fast as the Steelers came right back. On a third-and-ten, Roethlisberger completed a nine-yard pass to Hines Ward. But the Texans were called for defensive offsides, giving them a second chance. On third-and-five Roethlisberger was under pressure, but got free and fired a 40-yard pass across the field to Cedric Wilson. Parker capped the drive with a 10-run touchdown run up the middle, putting the Steelers up 27-7, and silencing the Texans.

**Team Pass members can watch post game interviews.  This week: Cedric Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger, Joey Porter, Bill Cowher.

HOW THE SCORED

THIRD QUARTER

Steelers 27, Texans 7
Willie Parker up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown.
Drive: 6 plays, 68 yards, 3:14
Key Play: On third-and-five, following a defensive offsides, Ben Roethlisberger hit Cedric Wilson for a 40-yard completion

Steelers 20, Texans 7
David Carr hit Domanick Davis for a three-yard touchdown.
Drive: 14 plays, 78 yards, 7:55
Key Play: David Carr 20-yard run on third-and-14.

SECOND QUARTER

Steelers 20, Texans 0
Jeff Reed 35-yard field goal
Drive: 8 plays, 69 yards, 4:20
Key Play: Antwaan Randle El 54-yard reception.

Steelers 17, Texans 0
Ben Roethlisberger finds Hines Ward in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown.
Drive: 9 plays, 92 yards, 4:21
Key Plays: Cedric Wilson's 36-yard sideline catch; Hines Ward's 21-yard reception on third-and-12.

FIRST QUARTER

Steelers 10, Texans 0
Ben Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward for a 16-yard touchdown to put the Steelers up 10-0.
Drive: 2 plays, 22 yards, 0:35
Key Play: Linebacker Clark Haggans sacked quarterback David Carr and forced him to fumble and fellow linebacker Joey Porter recovered at the Texans 22-yard line.

Steelers 3, Texans 0
The Steelers took and early 3-0 lead on Jeff Reed's 37-yard field goal.
Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 4:53
Key Plays: Willie Parker - 19 and 14 yard runs; Antwaan Randle El's eight-yard reception from Ben Roethlisberger (while he was under pressure)