Maddox Keeps Steelers Rolling

Their 0-2 start is now almost forgotten. After another impressive showing Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers stand alone atop the AFC North.

Tommy Maddox completed his first 11 passes and the Steelers scored touchdowns on their first four possessions Sunday in a 31-18 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

After coming within one win of the Super Bowl last season, the Steelers opened this season with two losses. But Pittsburgh (4-3) has since regained its stature as a contender.

“You saw what a championship-caliber team looked like in the first half,” Raven Coach Brian Billick said. “Our guys got schooled.”

Maddox threw two touchdown passes to Plaxico Burress, and Amos Zereoue ran for two scores as Pittsburgh took a 28-3 halftime lead. It was the Steelers’ most productive first half since Sept. 8, 1996, when they scored 28 against the Ravens.

Pittsburgh, 3-1 since Maddox replaced an ineffective Kordell Stewart as the starter, has outscored the opposition, 93-35, during its current three-game winning streak.

Maddox isn’t about to start celebrating.

“We still know we’ve got a lot of football left. We can’t start to feel real good about it or relax,” he said. “We’ve got to continue to get better and better and continue to do the little things right.”

The Steelers did very little wrong in the first half, when Maddox picked apart a Baltimore defense playing a third consecutive week without Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis.

“It’s just one of those games where I’m seeing the field really well,” Maddox said. “It was a lot of fun.”

Maddox left because of a sprained left ankle midway through the third quarter but returned with 11 minutes remaining and finished 18 for 24 for 172 yards.

Baltimore (3-4), which began the day tied with Pittsburgh for the division lead, also played without quarterback Chris Redman (back injury).