been so successful playing - protecting - Roethlisberger from the jumpstart of his career.
Pittsburgh ran for 26 yards. Twenty-six! Willie Parker ran for 20. Evidently Willie Parker is no Julius Jones.
The Cowboys, behind that much-maligned and questioned offensive line, totaled 88 yards rushing in the opener. Certainly not great by any means, but by comparison, a veritable romp in the park. Jones rushed for 72 yards on 17 carries, three times Parker's production.
And total, the Cowboys piled up 323 yards. The Steelers? Well, try 153. Bledsoe nearly had as many yards passing at halftime (121) as Pittsburgh totaled for the game(127).
This will bear watching. Jacksonville next goes to Indianapolis. But if you didn't know, last year the Jaguars held the Colts to just one touchdown at the RCA Dome in a 10-3 loss in Game 2. In fact, held them to two touchdowns the second time around, though some guy named Mike Vanderjagt kicked four field goals that day in the Colts' 26-18 win.
So maybe this Cowboys offense, led by Bledsoe, with the one-two-three running punch of Jones, Marion Barber and Tyson Thompson, isn't all that bad. Maybe this offensive line, with more questions hovering over it than Carter had liver pills, can be productive this season.
After all, the Cowboys did put 27 points on the Redskins. They are averaging 345 yards a game, which ranks 11th in the NFL. They have given up only three sacks in two games, which isn't bad if you consider they were playing the sixth and ninth defenses from last year, and after two games, the No. 3 defense (Jacksonville) from this year.
Plus, having played those two games, they are averaging 22 points a game. And if you factor in if they ever clean up their act, meaning quit committing nine penalties a game and quit dropping nine balls in a game and quit giving away so many big plays because of penalties, this offense just might be capable of averaging 25 to 27 points a game.
No kidding.
And with this defense, that ought to win some ball games.
Now the Cowboys will have to survive this period without Terrell Owens, be it one game for sure, possibly two. But with all hands on deck, they just might have something going, unless of course, Pittsburgh suddenly isn't all that.
Getting the feeling, though, Jacksonville might be.
So if that makes you feel better, send the Steelers a Thank You note.
