"You don't often talk about a punter being a weapon, but he sure was a weapon tonight," Eagles coach Andy Reid said.

In a game when the defense registered nine sacks, forced three turnovers, and accounted for a safety, cornerback Sheldon Brown said it was Rocca who made the biggest difference.

"He won the football game by pinning them back," Brown said. "[After] one of the punts we got a safety and then he got another one right after that inside the 10."

Rocca saved his best work for the final quarter with punts of 64, 54 and 37 yards.

The 64-yarder came early in the last quarter from the Eagles' own 11-yard line. Instead of outstanding field position, the Steelers were forced to start at their own 30.

Rocca's next punt traveled 54 yards and skipped out of bounds at the 6-yard line, leading to a safety that gave the Eagles a 12-6 lead on an afternoon when points were scarce. His final punt of the game went out at the 7-yard line and again the defense turned the Steelers' poor field position into points by forcing a turnover that led to a David Akers field goal.

"It was good," said Rocca, a former Australian Football League star. "I really felt like I contributed and had a good feeling out there."

Middle relief. Kevin Kolb got the first truly meaningful work of his career early in the second half when he provided some middle relief for a hurting Donovan McNabb.

While McNabb remained in the locker room at the start of the second half because of a chest injury, Kolb ran the offense for five plays at the start of the second half.

It was the first time he had entered a game that was not a rout.

After handing off to Lorenzo Booker for a yard on his first play, Kolb tried to connect with tight end L.J. Smith on a second-and-9 play. The ball deflected off the tightly covered tight end and safety Troy Polamalu made a diving interception, giving Pittsburgh the ball at the Eagles' 49-yard line.

The Eagles' defense made sure the rookie's first career interception did not become a costly one. The Steelers managed just 1 yard on the ensuing series and were forced to punt.

Kolb went back out for the next series, but during a commercial break McNabb returned to the field and received a loud ovation from the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field.

After completing a 6-yard pass to rookie DeSean Jackson and a dangerous 12-yard pass that included an amazing catch by Hank Baskett, Kolb handed off to Correll Buckhalter for a 7-yard gain.

McNabb returned to the game on the next play.

Buckhalter and Baskett. After getting just four touches in the Eagles' first two games, Buckhalter became the featured running back yesterday when Brian Westbrook left with an ankle injury.

Buckhalter immediately responded with a 20-yard touchdown catch on the same series that Westbrook was injured early in the second quarter. Buckhalter finished with 10 carries for 43 yards and caught six passes for 44 yards.

Baskett has had better days in terms of receiving yards, but he established a career high with eight receptions for a game-high 85 yards.

The record-breaker. McNabb established two team records in the first half.

His second-quarter touchdown pass to Buckhalter was the 176th of his career, breaking an Eagles record he had shared with Ron Jaworski.

McNabb also completed his first 15 passes of the game, breaking his own record of 14 straight completions to start a 2004 game against Green Bay.

Extra points. Eagles fullback Tony Hunt left the game in the first quarter with a concussion. Tight end L.J. Smith left the game in the second half with a lower back sprain. . . . Along with injured right guard Shawn Andrews (back spasms), wide receiver Kevin Curtis (sports hernia), and defensive end Victor Abiamiri (broken wrist), the Eagles placed linebacker Joe Mays, defensive end Bryan Smith, guard Mike McGlynn, and tight end Matt Schobel on the inactive list. Wide receiver Reggie Brown was activated for the first time this season, as was reserve tackle Winston Justice.