Aug 15, 2010 By Herald Standard Staff 2 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Ben Roethlisberger never got off the bench in a return to Heinz Field that couldn’t have been much quieter. Byron Leftwich probably wishes he had stayed on the sideline, too. Leftwich, the quarterback who will replace the suspended Roethlisberger when the season starts, was ineffective despite playing much longer than expected, but the Pittsburgh Steelers still beat the Detroit Lions 23-7 behind backup Dennis Dixon on Saturday night.

Leftwich was outplayed by Matthew Stafford in the Lions quarterback’s first game action since injuring a shoulder against Cincinnati on Dec. 6.

Lightning and heavy rain stopped play for 1 hour, 13 minutes late in the second quarter.

Roethlisberger couldn’t have had a much quieter return to Heinz Field.

Roethlisberger, wearing a Steelers uniform for the first time since drawing a six-game suspension for his off-field behavior, did not play in the first half of Pittsburgh’s exhibition game against Detroit on Saturday night.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin almost never plays regulars with backups, so Roethlisberger was not expected to take the field in a game delayed 1 hour, 13 minutes by lightning and heavy rain during the second quarter.

Roethlisberger was accused of sexual assault, but not charged, following a March night of drinking in a Georgia bar.

There were no signs or other displays of anti-Roethlisberger sentiment inside the stadium.