Little to Cheer

PITTSBURGH - The Eagles, who have made a championship their clear priority, got an early chance to measure themselves against a 2011 Super Bowl participant Thursday night.

They couldn't have liked the results. The Steelers clobbered the Eagles, 24-14.

"You come into a good team's house, you have to bring your A game," Eagles coach Andy Reid said after the game. "On offense, we didn't run it good, and we didn't pass it good. We all stunk tonight.

"It's the preseason. . . . But still you've got to do better than we did tonight."

In two series against the Eagles' first-team defense the Steelers' offensive starters moved the ball with ease, putting up 14 points and chewing up 15 minutes, 51 seconds of game clock. Their second drive went 96 yards. Backup quarterback Byron Leftwich even got in on the act, throwing for a touchdown that put the Steelers up, 21-0, at the end of the first half, when starters for both teams got most of their playing time.

"It showed we still have a lot to work on," said Eagles guard Todd Herremans. "Obviously we weren't ready to play."

Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, meanwhile, was intercepted three times in four first-half drives (not counting a last-second kneel down). He managed just five first downs, and his best play came when he hammered Troy Polamalu after his last interception.

"Once we got down 14-0, I just started pressing the issue," Vick said. "I knew I was only going to be in for two quarters, and I wanted to put some points on the board. All those turnovers can be corrected."

Yes, it was just the preseason. There is plenty of time to fix problems and these games often mean little in the long run. Yes, the Eagles are still feeling out their new lineup.

But on the measure of last night's interstate contest, the Steelers appear to be legitimate contenders once again. It would be foolish to take the Eagles out of that class based on a second preseason game. But there were many questions posed Thursday that will need answering for this team to reach its lofty goals.

First and foremost: Where is the Vick who protected the ball so well early last season?

The night could hardly have gone worse for Vick (barring injury). He threw interceptions on three consecutive drives, twice throwing into double coverage and once trying an ill-advised heave while scrambling.

Vick's top priority in training camp was improving against blitzes, and he had success at Lehigh getting his throws out quickly against pressure. But on his first two interceptions, Vick seemed so eager to get rid of the ball that he threw into danger even though the offensive line gave him time.

Vick finished the first half five of 12 passing for 47 yards, with a 13.5 quarterback rating. His play last season dipped when he grew more turnover-prone.

Vick was sharp in training camp, and those performances can't be dismissed. But his play Thursday can't be overlooked, either.

Vince Young added an interception in the third quarter, and Dion Lewis lost a fumble.

Other concerns:

Can the defense stop runs up the middle, especially when setting up their defensive ends wide, outside the offensive tackles? With the Eagles' best run stuffers, Antonio Dixon and Mike Patterson, both sidelined, the Steelers were able to pound the ball. At one point, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took advantage of the gap in the middle of the field by simply taking the snap and charging ahead for 8 yards before an Eagle could get to him.

The Steelers ran 22 times for 93 yards in the first half and outgained the Eagles 262 yards to 71.

That leads to questions about middle linebacker Casey Matthews. The rookie is still early in his learning stages, and he isn't the only one responsible for the run. But he was often pushed around by blockers Thursday night.

Nate Allen, the safety who looked strong in training camp after coming back from a torn patellar tendon in December, also had a rough night. He was beaten several times in coverage, including for a 20-yard Hines Ward touchdown.

Despite the Eagles' star-studded cornerback lineup, Roethlisberger and Leftwich went 12 for 19 for 192 yards and three touchdowns. Asante Samuel bit on a fake on the first score, a 29-yard Roethlisberger touchdown pass.

The bright spots?

LeSean McCoy ran four times for 25 yards, a 6.2 yard average, and Samuel raced in from the edge to block a Swayze Waters field goal attempt.

Mike Kafka threw a pair of scoring passes to Gerald Jones late in the game.

Also this: It was only the preseason. There are more than three weeks until the Eagles play a real game that counts. They get back to practice Saturday. They'll have plenty to work on.