By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

 

The Steelers suffered their first loss of the season, falling to the Arizona Cardinals 21-14 on the road. The loss puts the Steelers record at 3-1, holding on to first place in the AFC North at the quarter mark of the season.

 

The Steelers got on the board first when Ben Roethlisberger hit Santonio Holmes for a 43-yard touchdown. The Cardinals would then score 21 second half points, including a punt return for a touchdown.

 

The Steelers scored late when Roethlisberger and Holmes connected again, but it wouldn’t be enough.

 

The running game never got going as Willie Parker was held to just 37 yards on 19 carries. Ben Roethlisberger completed 17 of 32 passes for 244 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, including a costly one that occurred in the end zone.

 

The Cardinals used both Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner at quarterback and both were effective with Warner passing for 132 yards and Leinart 93 yards.

 

The Cardinals came out and moved the ball early as Leinart hit Larry Fitzgerald for a 12-yard gain on the opening play. Edgerrin James added a four-yard carry to the Steelers 48-yard line, but was hit by Troy Polamalu who knocked the ball loose. The Cardinals were right on top of it, with Bryant Johnson recovering at the Steelers 46-yard line. Leinart went to fullback Terrelle Smith for a five-yard gain and the first down at the Steelers 41-yard line.

The drive would stall there. Leinart threw incomplete to Marcel Shipp and then James was stopped for just a two-yard gain. On third-and-eight, Leinart and Shipp could not connect again, forcing the punt. Mike Barr, who was with the Steelers in training camp, backed his former team up at their own six-yard line on the 33-yard punt.

 

Roethlisberger got them out of the hole fast with a 20-yard completion to Holmes at the Steelers 28-yard line. Heath Miller added a seven-yard reception and then Roethlisberger went back to Holmes, who held on to the ball after getting drilled by Eric Green.

The Steelers tried to mix-up the play-calling with a reverse to Holmes, but he got knocked for a one-yard loss. Alan Faneca was called for a five-yard false start penalty, and then Roethlisberger was sacked for a 12-yard loss, giving the Steelers an unenviable third-and-26. Najeh Davenport got the call on the draw play, which only went for eight yards and forced a punt.

 

There was nowhere for the Cardinals to go on their next drive. James had a four-yard gain before being stopped by Larry Foote. Leinart went over the middle to Johnson, but was hit by Polamalu forcing the incompletion. Arizona challenged that the pass was complete, but the call was upheld. Leinart’s pass to Shipp was incomplete, and the defense forced a three-and-out.

 

The offense got rolling on the Steelers next possession. Roethlisberger connected with Miller for a 28-yard gain to the Cardinals 38-yard line. Parker carried for gains of six and five yards, but was then knocked for a six-yard loss. The Cardinals followed that with a 10-yard sack, giving the Steelers third-and-long, needing 26-yards for a first down. Roethlisberger went for broke, hitting Holmes in left corner of the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown, to give the Steelers a 7-0 lead with the first quarter coming to an end.

 

The Cardinals started off slow on their next drive, but Leinart kept it alive with a 15-yard completion to Jerheme Urban. He went back to Johnson for a seven-yard completion to the Cardinals 39-yard line. James had three straight carries for a combined 19 yards to give the Cardinals a first down at the Steelers 42-yard line. Two incomplete passes and a sack brought the drive to a sudden halt.

 

Roethlisberger completed a four-yard pass to Parker, but they lost that when Parker was hit for a five-yard loss. Roethlisberger went to Willie Reid for a 10-yard gain, and then on fourth-and-one the Steelers made a gutsy call and went for it. Roethlisberger got the quick snap and went up the middle for a two-yard gain. After moving the ball only one more yard on three downs, they punted it away.

 

It was the defense who stepped up big for the Steelers on the Cardinals next drive. Warner came in at quarterback to run the hurry-up offense, but the Steelers stopped it. Larry Fitzgerald pulled in a 20-yard reception, but Ike Taylor stripped the ball and Polamalu recovered and returned it 13-yards to the Steelers 48-yard line.

 

The Steelers got the ball back with great field possession, but there was nowhere for them to go. The Cardinals had a strong defensive stand, sacking Roethlisberger for a nine-yard loss, the third sack of the game.

 

Warner took over with just under two minutes and drove the Cardinals from their own 20-yard line to the Steelers 34. Neil Rackers attempted a 52-yard field goal with time running out in the half, but it went wide left and sent the Steelers into the locker room with a 7-0 lead.

 

The second half started with the Steelers struggling to move the ball. Parker had two short carries and then Roethlisberger threw incomplete to Holmes. The Steelers were aided by an illegal contact call, keeping the drive alive. Roethlisberger hit Parker who was able to stretch it for the first down. On second-and-six things started to unravel for the offense. Roethlisberger pitched the ball back to Parker, who looked like he was expecting a handoff, and it sailed past him. Roethlisberger recovered, but the Steelers lost 16 yards on the play. Faced with another third and long Roethlisberger avoided the sack, but despite getting away, threw incomplete to Davenport.

 

Warner remained at quarterback for the Cardinals and showed why he was put in the game. Warner moved the ball down the field with crisp and accurate passes, going to Fitzgerald for three completions for 22 yards. Warner had an 11-yard completion to Urban and after the play Taylor was flagged for taunting, giving the Cardinals the ball at the Steelers 12-yard line. Warner capped the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Urban to tie the score at 7-7. The Steelers challenged whether Urban maintained possession, but the call was upheld.

 

A fired up Cardinals defense was able to stop the Steelers and got the ball back in Warner’s hands. It wouldn’t be for long, though.

 

On third down Warner was in the shotgun and the snap went past him. James Harrison recovered at the Cardinals four-yard line, giving the Steelers incredible field position. Parker had a two-yard carry, but was stopped for no gain on the next play. On third-and-goal the Steelers lost a golden opportunity when Adrian Wilson intercepted Roethlisberger in the end zone for the touchback.

 

The Cardinals and Steelers exchanged quick possessions and it was then a big play that put the Steelers in a hole. Steve Breaston took Daniel Sepulveda’s punt at the Cardinals 27-yard line and returned it 73 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, putting the Cardinals up for the first time in the game 14-7.

 

It looked like the Steelers regained their fire when Parker came out with a 20-yard carry on the next drive. But on the next play he fumbled and recovered, but it was for a six-yard loss. Marvel Smith was called for a false start, setting the Steelers up for another third-and-long. Roethlisberger completed a 13-yard pass to Reid, but they fell far short of the first down and punted.

 

Leinart was back under center on the Cardinals next possession and immediately aired it out, hitting Fitzgerald for a 38-yard gain to the Steelers 44-yard line. Leinart was hit by Harrison and came out for a play, but went back in. Faced with a fourth-and-one the Cardinals went for it and Leinart got it just by a hair. Leinart went right back to the air for an 11-yard completion to Johnson along the left sideline. The Cardinals punched the ball into the end zone on a two-yard carry by James, giving them a 21-7 lead late in the fourth quarter.

 

There was no saying die in the Steelers, though. Roethlisberger took charge, completing a 12-yard pass to Parker, an 11-yard strike to Miller and 22-yarder to Holmes. He added a nine-yard pass to Nate Washington and then scrambled for a 16-yard gain to the Cardinals seven-yard line. Roethlisberger capped the drive with a touchdown pass to Holmes, pulling within a touchdown at 21-14.

 

The Steelers tried to get the ball back with the onside kick, but Fitzgerald recovered. The Steelers defense was able to hold, giving them one more chance for a comeback.

 

Roethlisberger completed a 31-yard pass to Holmes, but was sacked two plays later for an eight-yard loss. Roethlisberger tried to get a big chunk of yardage, but his pass to Washington was intercepted by Ralph Brown, sealing the Cardinals win.