Not since the Super Bowl teams of the 1970s have the Steelers looked as dominant as they have in the first three weeks of this season.

True, nobody is going to confuse this year's edition of the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers with the Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers and Dallas Cowboys of that era, but the method of success is the same basic formula for the Steelers now as it was then: run the football on the other guys; don't let the other guys run the football on you.

Entering Sunday's game at Arizona, the Steelers have rushed for 595 yards while giving up only 239.

When you're a plus-356 yards on the ground, it's kinda hard to lose.

You almost have to work at it, like the time Tommy Maddox handed the Houston Texans three touchdowns in a 24-6 loss a few years back — despite Pittsburgh outgaining Houston 422 yards to 47.

Consider these numbers:

• The Steelers are 95-6 since 1970 in games in which they've rushed for 200 or more yards as a team. They are 7-0 in postseason games when rushing for more than 200 yards.

• The Steelers already have rushed for more than 200 yards in two games this season. They did so four times last year. They've won the last 24 games in which they've eclipsed that figure.

• The Steelers have allowed Jamal Lewis 35 rushing yards rushing, Marshawn Lynch 68 yards and Frank Gore 38 yards so far this year.

• Through three games, the Steelers are allowing an average of 80 rushing yards per game. Last year, they allowed 88.2 yards per game.

• Since 2000, the Steelers have allowed only 13 100-yard games to opposing running backs — fewest in the NFL. They've also allowed a league-low 8,546 rushing yards during that stretch.

• Edgerrin James, then with Indianapolis, is the only running back in the Steelers' last 47 games to pick up 100 yards against them.

Running the football means controlling the clock and the pace of the game. It means leading in time of possession and cutting down the number of the opponent's possessions.

Stopping the run means forcing the pass — and everyone knows how much defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau loves when that happens.

Perhaps the most encouraging part of the Steelers' 3-0 start is they're running the football effectively despite two new starters on the offensive line: center Sean Mahan and right tackle Willie Colon.

During the preseason, everyone was seemingly in a state of panic over the erratic play of the offensive line. Since the games started to count, that problem has gone away.

The defense doesn't seem to be missing Joey Porter all that much, either.

The Steelers pass when they want to. Their opponents pass because they have to.

Nice combination.

While the meat of the 2007 schedule has yet to arrive, Pittsburgh's dominating play up front is a trend worth watching.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.