PITTSBURGH - When Ben Roethlisberger was a senior at Miami (Ohio), he made the short drive to the Cincinnati Bengals' training camp. Watching practice from a roped-off area, he remembers thinking they were doing exactly the right thing with quarterback Carson Palmer.

Rather than throwing the No. 1 draft pick into the lineup, unprepared and unequipped to deal with sophisticated NFL defenses, the Bengals gave Palmer time to learn their system and the league while Jon Kitna played.

The Pittsburgh Steelers intended to bring Roethlisberger along the same proven path that NFL star quarterbacks Chad Pennington and Steve McNair once traveled ahead of Palmer. They had veteran quarterbacks Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch ahead of him, so they felt no need to rush their first-round draft pick no matter how much his poise, maturity and strong right arm impressed them.

So much for planning. So much for patience.

When the Bengals (1-2) and Steelers (2-1) meet Sunday, Palmer and Roethlisberger will be on the field - Palmer by design, Roethlisberger out of necessity. For a matchup that figures to take place for years in the AFC North, the only surprise is it came so soon.

Even if the man who chose to sit Palmer all last season doesn't think it's a calamity for the Steelers that injuries to Maddox and Batch conspired to make Roethlisberger their starter for at least another month.

"That was not quite their plan, (but) it is a good thing," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "I don't think it will be too big for him. Every chance I've had to be around him, to listen to him, watch his mannerisms and see how he presents himself ... I think he will be fine."

Roethlisberger did something in his first career start Palmer couldn't in his third start Sunday: lead a touchdown drive. It was only one touchdown during a rainy, 13-3 victory in Miami, but it helped make for the first successful debut start by a Steelers rookie quarterback since Mike Kruczek in 1976.

Roethlisberger's numbers weren't sensational (12-of-22 for 163 yards, one touchdown and one interception) but he hardly looked overwhelmed - especially considering his first NFL start came barely 12 hours after a hurricane swept through the city in which he was playing.

He didn't lose the game, or his sense of humor.

"It's good to get that game out of the way, in case we ever play in a hurricane again - which I doubt we will," Roethlisberger said.

To protect Roethlisberger, the Steelers simplified an offense that relied mostly on the run and leaned on a defense that gave Miami almost nothing. They will try the same formula against the Bengals, who have proven incapable of sustaining any offense or stopping the run on defense.

The Bengals have gone eight quarters and 30 possessions without a touchdown behind Palmer, who threw three interceptions and was sacked four times in a 23-9 loss to Baltimore. That lack of production is making it impossible to compensate for a defense that is allowing 166 yards rushing per game and a league-worst 5.6 yards per carry.

"I think (the Jets') Curtis Martin and (the Ravens') Jamal Lewis had a lot to do with that," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said.

Still, the Steelers' Duce Staley is coming off a 101-yard game against Miami and is likely to get the ball frequently on the early downs - not just to test that defense, but to keep from forcing Roethlisberger to throw in unfavorable situations.

"We are going to try to establish the running game and establish the Pittsburgh offense," Roethlisberger said.

As if the Bengals weren't in bad enough shape defensively, they'll be without middle linebacker Nate Webster (knee) for the rest of the season. Third-round draft pick Caleb Miller takes his place.

While the season isn't a month old, it's a potentially pivotal game. The Steelers also were 2-1 a year ago, only to see their season unravel with consecutive home losses to Tennessee and Cleveland that eventually led to their 6-10 finish.

They are at home for four of their next five games, creating the potential for a fast start.

"I think sometimes last year we looked at our schedule and we kind of felt like we were going to win ballgames," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "This year we taking the approach to just take care of this week. There are no sorry teams in the NFL."