Sep 14, 2004 4 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers did everything they wanted in their opener. They got back to the running game. They created more turnovers and pressure on defense. They won a close game. They also got a close call – something they didn’t expect during a game they dominated from the start Sunday, leading Oakland 14-0 and 21-10 before winning 24-21 on Jeff Reed’s late-minute field goal.

After losing all four games decided by six or fewer points last season, the Steelers were encouraged by their ability to come back and win. What discouraged them is they couldn’t finish off a Raiders team that hasn’t won on the road in 21 months and had no running game.

“It seems like last year this was the kind of game we were losing,” defensive end Aaron Smith said Monday. “To have a game like this and come out with a victory shows that, this year, we’ve got a little different approach.”

Winning, that was different. Creating turnovers (4) and sacks (3) was different, too, for a team that did little of either while going 6-10 last season.

But there were some flashbacks to last year, too, with two long Raiders touchdown passes and a blown lead. The Steelers also reminded themselves Monday that they overwhelmed eventual AFC North champion Baltimore 34-15 in their opener last year, then won only five more times.

“We played decent and won the game … and there definitely is a lot of work to do,” guard Alan Faneca said. “He (coach Bill Cowher) pointed out that we won, but there is a big upside to where we can go.”

Faneca is wearing a protective cast on his left hand after breaking his ring finger Sunday. The injury didn’t prevent him from finishing the game, no doubt to the relief of quarterback Tommy Maddox and running back Duce Staley.

Maddox was sacked only once by an upgraded Oakland defense that added linemen Warren Sapp and Ted Washington during the offseason, partly because Faneca adjusted to the numerous fronts the Raiders showed him. And nearly all of Staley’s 24 carries for 91 yards came on runs behind Faneca and left tackle Marvel Smith.

Faneca likes that the Steelers stayed with the running game – something they rarely did last year – despite averaging only 3.3 yards on 31 attempts.

“I think we left a lot out there. I think we can still get better and produce some more yards and some bigger runs,” Faneca said. “We had a couple of chances to gash them a little more, maybe get a 10- or 15-yard run, but it just didn’t happen.”

Faneca knows he’ll be in for a similarly busy day Sunday in Baltimore. The Ravens lost their opener 20-3 at Cleveland, which means they must beat the Steelers or go down two games in the division standings just two weeks into the season.

“Big rivalry, big game,” Faneca said.

A big change Sunday was the Steelers generating plenty of pressure on quarterback Rich Gannon, who lost a fumble, threw two interceptions and was sacked four times.

“On some of them (Gannon’s throws), he was just throwing them to throw them,” cornerback Deshea Townsend said. “He didn’t know where he was throwing it.”

The Steelers will try to create similar pressure on Kyle Boller, a quarterback they view as more of a caretaker of the Ravens offense than the leader of it. Boller made his first NFL start against the Steelers last season, throwing for only 152 yards on 43 attempts in that 34-15 loss.

“Last year, he was just kind of just managing the team,” cornerback Chad Scott said. “Baltimore likes to win games on defense and hand the ball off to Jamal Lewis, and I don’t anticipate them doing anything different. They’re going to run and run with Jamal Lewis and then throw the play action pass.”

Meanwhile, the Steelers put safety Ainsley Battles (hamstring) on the injured reserve list Monday and promoted safety Russell Stuvaints from the practice squad.