dlolley@observer-reporter.com

LATROBE - Though he was on the field for only six plays and threw just three passes, the best news for the Steelers in Sunday night's preseason opener had to be quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looked like the Roethlisberger of old.

No, not the 2006 version that threw 23 interceptions or was sacked 46 times. Roethlisberger looked more like the 2004-2005 version of himself, the one who was 22-3 as a starter in regular-season games.

Roethlisberger completed two of his three passes against New Orleans - the other was a drop by Nate Washington - for 73 yards, including a perfect 55-yard strike to Cedrick Wilson on which the ball traveled at least 60 yards in the air.

It was a good start for a quarterback trying to prove last season was a fluke.

"To get off to a good start in the first game and have success, it gives him a lot of confidence," said first-year Steelers quarterbacks coach Ken Anderson. "Now, what we've got to do is make the second game just a little bit better and keep building on that."

Anderson, a 16-year NFL veteran with the Cincinnati Bengals, is in charge of making sure that happens for Roethlisberger.

As a longtime NFL starting quarterback and four-time Pro Bowl player, Anderson knows a little something about what it takes to be a great quarterback in the league. And he feels the best is yet to come for the 25-year-old Roethlisberger.

"I remember, when I was down in Jacksonville, we played the Steelers on a Sunday night," said Anderson, a quarterbacks and wide receivers coach with the Jaguars from 2003 through 2006. "We kicked a field goal at the end and thought we had a win. He took them down in a two-minute situation and beat us. ... I've always liked him. And my opinions haven't changed."

That game, which came during Roethlisberger's rookie season in 2004, is one of nine times in his short career that Roethlisberger has led the Steelers to a victory with a fourth-quarter or overtime game-winning drive. It's also a game in which he completed 14-of-17 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns.

But after so much success in his first two seasons, Roethlisberger had a 2006 that he'd like to forget. First came his June motorcycle accident. Then came an appendectomy in the week leading up to the regular season opener. Later came a concussion in an overtime loss at Atlanta. In between all of those things came a lot of interceptions - 14 in his first seven games.

Anderson said that he didn't harp on what Roethlisberger did wrong in 2006. He preferred to refine the quarterback's skills.

"What we did was start from scratch with what we wanted him to do with our offense," Anderson said. "We started working on those things, aware of what happened in the past, but not spending too much time dwelling on those things."

That approach must have worked. His teammates have seen a Roethlisberger who is more at ease.

"He's just having fun. He's not putting all the pressure on himself," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "We have a great supporting cast. We have the weapons here. Our offense has that potential."

Odds and end zones

A number of players were added to the injury list Tuesday afternoon when practice resumed at Saint Vincent College. New additions included guard Alan Faneca (shoulder), linebacker Larry Foote (ankle), quarterback Brian St. Pierre (thumb) and defensive lineman Derrick Jones (knee). Also missing practice were linebackers James Harrison (ribs) and Lawrence Timmons (groin), running back Willie Parker (knee). ... Center Sean Mahan was expected to return from his excused absence last night or this morning. ... Chris Kemoeatu was in the starting lineup at left guard for Faneca while Foote was replaced by Rian Wallace at inside linebacker. ... Willie Colon moved into the starting lineup in place of Max Starks at right tackle. Starks worked at left tackle with the second team. ... The Steelers will practice twice today. The afternoon session (3 p.m.) is open to the public.

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