PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger doesn't see anything wrong with the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It's the Sundays and Mondays that are the problem.

Roethlisberger, who went through his rookie regular season without losing a game two years ago, suddenly finds himself unable to win. At all.

The Steelers are 0-3 when he starts, a slump that has touched off debate about what's wrong with the quarterback who came into this season with a 27-4 record, a Super Bowl championship and the two highest single-season passer ratings in team history.

Lingering effects of his June motorcycle crash? His Sept. 3 appendectomy? A sore elbow? Or merely the Super Bowl hangover that has seen a number of teams and players perform at a much lower level the season after they reach the NFL's biggest game?

"I feel great," Roethlisberger said Wednesday as the Steelers (1-3) began preparing for Sunday's home game against Kansas City (2-2). "I forget all about the accident and the appendectomy until I talk to you guys (the media) every week. You guys are the ones who bring it up. I feel healthy."

He can't say the same thing about a Steelers offense that has been unable to sustain drives, turns the ball over consistently and seems unable to build on the success it has early in games. The Steelers have been in position to win each of their four games, but haven't won since their Sept. 7 opener against Miami.

On Sunday, they led San Diego 10-0 on the road and looked to have their running game going, only to be outscored 23-3 the rest of the way. Roethlisberger's seven interceptions are part of the problem; at this time last season, he had yet to throw one.

"It's very frustrating," he said. "If you watch us in practice, everything looks good and crisp. Unfortunately, that doesn't matter. You have to be able to produce on the football field on Sunday when it matters."

Now, even practice isn't looking so good. Two key defensive starters, linebacker Joey Porter and cornerback Deshea Townsend, left practice Wednesday with injured hamstrings. Coach Bill Cowher listed each as questionable for Sunday.

"It could be a game-day decision for both players," Cowher said. "We'll work on contingency plans if they can't go."

The Steelers already were thin at both positions. James Harrison, the top backup at linebacker, will miss at least one game with a sprained ankle. Cornerback Ricardo Colclough went on the injured reserve list last weekend with a neck injury and must sit out the rest of the season.

No wonder wide receiver Hines Ward said the Steelers' problems hardly begin and end with Roethlisberger, even though the quarterback's 41.7 passer rating is less than half that of the last two seasons.

"We show spurts of great play, but then things will get discombobulated," Ward said. "We've got guys who aren't on the same page, and it's something we have to rectify. It's very surprising. If anyone had told us we would be 1-3 at this point, it would be very shocking to me."

All-Pro guard Alan Faneca is equally disappointed with what he calls "spotty" play by the offensive line that has allowed 13 sacks.

"It's not the standard we've set for ourselves," he said. "We hold ourselves higher than the way we've been playing."