PITTSBURGH -- Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker and Hines Ward spent the fourth quarter on the Steelers sideline, helmets off, casually watching replays on the scoreboard and their backups finish off an easier-than-easy season opener against the Houston Texans.
They played three quarters but, really, the Steelers' 38-17 victory over the Texans on Sunday was over long before Pittsburgh opened a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. Or before Parker ran for his third touchdown. Or Roethlisberger threw his second TD pass to Ward.
"I look over at their bench and see Ben with his hat off and that's the beginning of the fourth quarter," defensive end Mario Williams said. "I don't like that too much."
No, there wasn't much for the Texans to like during a major flop of an opener in which their offense was error-prone, their defense ineffective and their head coach was forced to explain a tactical gamble that shifted the game Pittsburgh's way on Houston's very first possession.
"It seemed like every play, we were close to breaking one," Parker said.
The Texans, playing for the first time since an encouraging end to the 2007 season in which they won three of their final four, quickly fell apart after Gary Kubiak gambled by going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Steelers 48 with 41/2 minutes gone.
Quarterback Matt Schaub drove into the line before colliding with 350-pound nose tackle Casey Hampton, and referee Terry McAulay signaled a first down. But after the ball was spotted, the measurement came up inches short.
The Texans challenged the call, but it was upheld by replay. Pittsburgh, given the ball at nearly midfield, drove for the first of Parker's three touchdowns, and the Texans never were in it after the Steelers needed less than 12 minutes to score three times.
"The thing I was disappointed in is the referee signaled first down twice. And then the guy on the side came in and spotted the ball. That was my beef," Kubiak said. "I said, 'Terry, you signaled first down. So what happened between that and spotting the ball?"'
Kubiak didn't wait for the fans to question the call.
"I felt good being aggressive right there, because I preach to our football team to be aggressive," Kubiak said. "After that it just kind of snowballed. And it didn't really stop until the end of the third quarter sometime. It's disappointing, but I need to start with myself."
The Texans searched and searched for something positive to take back to Houston. As defensive lineman Jeff Zgonina said, "We can't go in the tank already. There's 15 more weeks to go."
There was plenty of blame to go around. Pittsburgh's defense, statistically the league's best last season, sacked Schaub five times, intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble. Offensively, Roethlisberger threw only one incompletion all day.
"It felt good out there," Roethlisberger said in his first game since signing a contract that guarantees him $36 million. "Obviously, any time you go off your gut instincts, you're not sure how everything is. But I think we did good."
Parker ran for 138 yards in his 22nd career 100-yard game, answering any questions about how he would rebound from the broken right leg that ended his 2007 season last December. An offensive line that is missing All-Pro guard Alan Faneca had little trouble with a Houston front seven that is supposed to be the Texans' strength.
"They only threw the ball 18 times," Kubiak said. "When you only make the other team throw the ball 18 times, you're in deep trouble, because they are controlling the football game."
The Steelers did that to start the second half when, leading 21-3, Parker and rookie Rashard Mendenhall carried nine times on a 10-play drive that ended with Parker's 4-yard scoring run.
The injury apparently didn't diminish Parker's speed, and he showed off a couple of previously unseen spin moves.
"The defense always tells me that they don't like running backs that spin all the time," Parker said. "So I had to add it to my repertoire."
Notes: The Steelers won their sixth opener in a row. The Texans have lost their past four. ... Pittsburgh allowed two sacks after giving up an AFC-leading 47 last season. ... Roethlisberger is 40-16 as a starter. ... Texans RB Ahman Green, slowed by a groin injury during training camp, was limited to five carries for 28 yards.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
