PITTSBURGH - It's often wise to expect the unexpected whenever you watch the first preseason game for a pair of NFL teams.

Both squads still are shaking off the rust after the off-season and they are taking some looks at players who won't even be around for the beginning of the season.

Given hose caveats, it was still amazing that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had nothing to do with first 21 points the Steelers scored in their 38-31 victory in Monday night's preseason opener with Philadelphia at Heinz Field.

"Getting off to the quick start was big, the return from Ike (Taylor), the return from Ricardo (Colclough) and (Willie Williams') interception," said Steelers head coach Bill Cowher.

Williams, the veteran cornerback, started things off when he made his statement on the game's first play from scrimmage.

The Eagles were getting down to business at their own 5-yard line when quarterback Donovan McNabb looked right to throw to split end Greg Lewis. Williams spoiled their hook-up by jumping in front of the pass at the 10 and taking it into the end zone for a Pittsburgh score.

Williams said he didn't read the play ahead of time.

"No, the defense just allowed me to stay in the background," the 13-year NFL player said. "Donovan McNabb just threw the ball and I was in the right place at right time."

Instead of reading the play, Williams said he read McNabb's eyes.

"Yeah, as soon as he looked me off, I sat down on it," he said.

After Philadelphia got the ball back after the kickoff, the Steelers defense held the Eagles without a first down, forcing a Mark Mariscal punt.

Second-year returnman Ricardo Colclough was waiting for the punt at the Steelers' 34-yard line before tucking it under his arm and carrying it 66 yards for a nifty score.

Colclough ran down the right sideline and cut completely across the field to enter the end zone in its left corner, putting Pittsburgh up 14-0 with 12:55 left in the first quarter.

It was the first punt return for a touchdown in his career, and Colclough is aware that such plays can help cement his place on the team, but he said nothing is ever certain.

"You always have to worry about making the team, whether you're a second-round pick or an eighth-round pick," he said.

It was another kicking play that completed the unexpected trio of scoring plays.

After an 8-yard TD pass from McNabb to L.J. Smith cut the Steelers' lead to 14-7, Eagles kicker David Akers boomed the kickoff to the Steelers' goal line, where Ike Taylor gathered it in and blew past the stunned Philadelphia return team for a 100-yard touchdown return.

"It felt good, but at the 30 I was done," said the smiling Taylor, who also had an interception at the cornerback position.

The first 14 points also had an unexpected downside: The first-team offense didn't get as much work as the coaches had planned.

"The first unit only ran 10 plays, a little less than you'd want them to have," Cowher said. "But we didn't want to deviate from the plan," which was to pull it from the game early in the second quarter.