Good Start: Steelers Roll Over Saints 20-7 in HOF Game

Ben Roethlisberger and Brian St. Pierre threw first-half touchdowns to lead the Steelers past the Saints 20-7 in the Hall Of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. It helped new coach Mike Tomlin accomplish something that his predecessors Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll did not, win in their first preseason game. “We had a good first step,” the no-nonsense Tomlin said. “We did some good things, got some big plays, some chunks (of yardage).”

Roethlisberger completed two of three passes on the first drive of the game, hitting Cedrick Wilson with both of them for a total of 73 yards. “He came up to me at practice,” Wilson said of Roethlisberger, “and told me he was going to be looking for me. I appreciate that and can be thankful for that. I just want to go out and make plays for him and make sure he is one of the best quarterbacks in the league.” The drive was capped off by Najay Davenport’s four yard run for the first score of the game.

St. Pierre hit Santonio Holmes with a three yard pass just over six minutes into the second quarter, and Jeff Reed hit on a 28 yard field goal almost four minutes later to help the Steelers to a 17-0 halftime lead. The Steelers offense out gained the Saints, 413-to-214 thanks in part to 240 yards passing. “This is how we want to play all season,” linebacker Larry Foote said of stopping the Saints. “We want to be dominating this year.” The Steelers open the home part of their preseason schedule Saturday night against Green Bay.