Players and club officials switch teams so regularly these days it’s not uncommon to line up against a familiar face any given week during a 16-game NFL season.

Or see an old friend on the sideline before kickoff and say hello.

When the favored San Francisco 49ers open the season at NFC West rival Seattle on Sunday, it will be a little different. The Seahawks recently signed departed San Francisco defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer and, shortly after, wide receiver Brandon Jones before waiving him on cutdown day. Then on Monday, they added running back Michael Robinson.

A big reason they have all headed to the Pacific Northwest: Scot McCloughan – another Niners castoff.

McCloughan, who abruptly left the 49ers in March in what team president Jed York called a ”mutual parting,” is finding ways to boost the Seahawks with players he already knows so well.

”I’m sure Scot has really talked about the personality of our guys,” San Francisco coach Mike Singletary said Wednesday. ”That’s really what a team wants to know more than anything else. He may be a great player but is he a player that we can rattle? Is he a player that we can get to? And Scot knows those things.”

How McCloughan’s expertise on the 49ers might help come Sunday is anybody’s guess. Perhaps not at all, yet it sure could appear to be advantageous.

Then, there’s also longtime Niners linebacker Jeff Ulbrich helping coach Seattle’s special teams unit as an assistant.

”I put in a call to Jeff threatening him to keep his mouth shut,” 49ers quarterback Alex Smith joked Wednesday.

Singletary knows San Francisco must take care of its own business, something the 49ers didn’t do often away from Candlestick Park last year. They lost six straight road games, five in a row by a combined 19 points, before winning their season finale at St. Louis. That stretch included a 20-17 loss at Seattle in early December in which the Niners gave the game away late.

”They have several of our players, some of our players that are really bright guys,” Singletary said. ”You know Jeff Ulbrich, Mike Robinson. Robinson knows our offense as well as anybody, and Jeff knows our defense as well as anybody. But at the same time, it’s just a matter of us going up there and being prepared to play and to focus on the details of what we have to do.”

McCloughan caught on with the Seahawks as a senior personnel executive in June, now working as the right-hand man to general manager John Schneider. McCloughan is someone Schneider considers a top talent evaluator, and McCloughan worked as Seattle’s director of college scouting from 2000-04.

”It makes sense when you look at it. To have Scot go up there in the personnel department, they’re the same guys he evaluated and brought here,” Smith said. ”It makes sense he would give them a shot up there.”

When Balmer refused to show up at training camp for a week last month, the Niners traded their 2008 first-round draft pick out of North Carolina to Seattle. After San Francisco cut Jones, he briefly earned another shot with the Seahawks. Robinson, the former Penn State quarterback who had been the 49ers’ special teams captain, got a fresh start with a division opponent.

”It’s kind of what you expect because most of the guys he drafted them, so of course he likes them,” receiver Josh Morgan said of McCloughan’s influence. ”He drafted them for a reason.”

Since McCloughan and the 49ers parted ways, San Francisco’s football operations have been run by Trent Baalke. He was responsible for selecting two offensive linemen with the team’s first-round draft picks in April, and both Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati will make their NFL debuts at Qwest Field on Sunday as starters on the Niners’ revamped offensive line.

McCloughan did not return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment. He has been traveling regularly in recent weeks, according to first-year Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.

Carroll has found McCloughan helpful.

A few days after linebacker Andra Davis joined the Buffalo Bills in free agency this spring, Paul Posluszny was impressed when he got a phone call from his new teammate, who wanted to break the ice.

If Posluszny, who plays the same position, was going to lose his defensive play-calling duties to the eight-year NFL veteran as Buffalo makes the switch to a 3-4 scheme, he was reassured by the all-in message Davis delivered.

”That was pretty special,” Posluszny recalled. ”Just the fact that he wanted to reach out and say, `Hey, man, I’m excited to be part of the group. Let’s get something going here,’ that was great.”

It’s hard enough for teams to make the switch to a 3-4 in one offseason. From Davis’ perspective as a newcomer and someone familiar with the nuances of the system, the phone calls he made to several Bills players were the least he could do in a bid to start establishing trust and respect.

”We’re a team,” said Davis, who also reached out to linebacker Kawika Mitchell. ”It’s not one guy bigger than the team. I just wanted them to know the type of guy I am.”

Ready or not after months of preparation and a few hiccups along the way, the Bills are set to unveil their new defense on Sunday, when they open the season at home against AFC East rival Miami.

Coach Chan Gailey is taking a wait-and-see approach.

”When you’re new and you’re putting in something, you’re trying to develop it faster than it probably should,” Gailey said this week. ”But you have to do that because the games start counting this week. So you had better be ready. We’ll see how we do.”

Gailey prompted the switch after taking over as head coach in January. Gailey prefers the 3-4 style because of its aggressive approach and ability to keep opposing offenses guessing from where the pressure might be coming.

Although the strength of the Bills defense remains its deep and talented backfield, the unit’s front seven has been transformed with numerous players at new positions.

Marcus Stroud makes the switch from tackle to end, and will play opposite Dwan Edwards, who joined Davis as the Bills only other significant offseason free-agent addition. The tackle spot will be anchored by Kyle Williams, a blue-collar player who at 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds is relatively undersized for the responsibility to plug the middle.

The linebacking corps has changed, too, with former defensive ends Chris Kelsay, Chris Ellis and Aaron Maybin shifting to the outside positions.

What gives Gailey hope that the transition will go smoothly is Buffalo’s veteran makeup. Of the 11 projected starters, 10 have three or more years of NFL experience. The other is free safety Jairus Byrd, who’s coming off a rookie season in which he earned a Pro Bowl selection after finishing tied for the league lead with nine interceptions.

”Experience is vital,” Gailey said. ”It’s like a point guard who knows where the other nine guys are on the court. Good football players know where everybody is around them. We’re fortunate.”

The Bills didn’t expose much of their new scheme during the preseason in order to keep it under wraps for the regular season. Buffalo rarely blitzed in passing situations and also lined up in 4-3 formations, which the team will occasionally use.

It’s expected that the Bills will display more exotic flavors once the season opens.

Concerns remain at how quickly the unit will find its chemistry. The starters proved particularly porous in allowing a combined 617 yards, 34 first downs and 56 points in the first halves of their first three preseason games.

But the defensive secondary continued to build on its turnover-generating reputation by forcing four interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.

”Obviously, there were plays that we’d like to get back,” Posluszny said. ”At least we’ve got a couple of days to get everything squared away, because obviously now everything counts. And we’ve got to be right.”

Stroud isn’t overly concerned. He believes the defense is ahead of schedule in its development because of Davis calling the plays and his familiarity with the 3-4 scheme.

Darrelle Revis and Rex Ryan looked at each other, huddled in a conference room in Florida, and immediately knew they had the same game plan.

The New York Jets’ star cornerback wanted to get back on the football field.

The brash and boisterous coach badly wanted him there.

”He was smiling like he took a trip to Disney World,” Revis recalled Monday. ”I was smiling back because this is like a home to me, the New York Jets. It was just good to see him and work something out when we were down there to try to get me back up here.”

Revis signed a four-year deal Monday, ending a 36-day holdout that included some acrimonious moments between his agents and general manager Mike Tannenbaum. There were also plenty of doubts that the All-Pro cornerback would play this season.

Perhaps the most crucial moment of the negotiations came Saturday, when both Ryan and owner Woody Johnson flew to Revis’ home in South Florida to meet with him, his mother Diana Gilbert and uncle and former NFL player Sean Gilbert to try to solve the contract impasse.

”I think that was a breakthrough, them coming down because I haven’t seen them,” Revis said. ”It was talks with my agents and Tannenbaum most of the time. I just thought when they both came down, it was a big step in this whole situation.”

Both Ryan and Johnson said the decision to visit Revis was a group idea, although agent Neil Schwartz said the coach reached out to them Friday night about setting it up.

”First off, I like to travel,” a smiling Ryan said of how the trip came about. ”That was probably what one of the reasons was. We don’t do things exactly by the books of other teams, but we do it our way. It’s the New York Jet way.”

Both the Jets and Revis’ agents spoke all weekend until they reached an agreement around 11 p.m. Sunday.

That was after Ryan lost his cool, a moment that’s sure to be featured on the next episode of ”Hard Knocks” on HBO. During a conference call between the Jets and Revis’ agents, Ryan got frustrated at the sides not being able to seal the deal.

”I stormed out of there and was ripping everybody on both sides,” he said. ”After I threw my little tantrum and the deal was getting done, they brought me back up.”

Added agent Jonathan Feinsod: ”He told us that he was going to go coach his football team and he was sick and tired of us.”

When cooler heads prevailed a few hours later, Revis had finally agreed to a deal.

”It was a long process,” he said. ”It was rough on me. You know I’m a football player and I love to play the game and I’m happy it’s over with. I can go play football now.”

Revis is expected to practice Tuesday and be ready to play in the season opener next Monday night at home against Baltimore.

”I do think we may play Revis, I’m not sure,” Ryan quipped. ”I think he might need to practice for several weeks before we play him, but don’t be shocked if he’s out there.

”In other words, he’s definitely playing.”

The Jets and Revis’ agents declined to announce financial terms of the deal, but it is reportedly worth at least $46 million, including $32 million guaranteed. Revis said all along he wanted to be the highest-paid player at his position, something Feinsod said the Jets cornerback would be – without releasing terms.

”The numbers would reflect in our minds that he’s being paid as the highest-paid cornerback,” Feinsod said.

After months of waiting and wondering about his future, Revis was happy to be back on the field after flying up from Florida in the morning.

”This experience humbled me so much just because I love to play football,” Revis said. ”At one point, it was something that was taken away, that I love to do. I’ve never had anything taken away from me that I love to do. So this was a point in my life where it was serious.”

As he walked toward his teammates on the practice field, a strange feeling came over him.

”I had butterflies,” Revis said. ”I didn’t know how my teammates were going to accept me because I haven’t been here for a month.”

For a guy who routinely shuts down opponents’ best wide receivers, the acknowledgment of insecurity was stunning. After some loud, welcoming cheers – including a ”Rudy” clap – and good-natured ribbing, Revis knew he was finally back home.

After months of acrimonious negotiations, multiple stalements and a threat to sit out the entire 2010 season, the All-Pro cornerback finally reached a contract agreement with the New York Jets late Sunday.

FOXSports.com’s Jay Glazer is reporting the new contract is for seven years, but it may void to a four-year deal. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

”Barring something unforeseen, we expect Darrelle to be here (Monday),” General Manager Mike Tannenbaum said during a conference call early Monday morning.

”This is an intermediate step to what we hope is an entire career of Darrelle as a Jet,” Tannenbaum said. ”For him to retire a Jet, for him to hopefully go to the Hall of Fame one day as a Jet and for him to be in our ring of honor.”

The 11th-hour agreement came to fruition after Jets coach Rex Ryan and owner Woody Johnson reportedly flew to South Florida on Sunday to meet with the team’s top defensive player and the NFL’s best shutdown cornerback.

”That was an important step in the process, but there was still obviously more work to be done,” Tannenbaum said. ”We spent all day looking at it and probably about (11 p.m. Sunday), we made a very significant breakthrough to finding a landing spot that was good for both sides.”

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Check out the best shots from this week’s games in the preseason photo gallery.
The agreement ends Revis’ 36-day holdout a week before the Jets begin their season next Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens. Revis planned to fly from his home in South Florida to New Jersey on Monday.

“To my family, [agents Neil Schwartz & John Feinsod] I love u guys I’m comin home baby!!!” Revis wrote on his Twitter account early Monday morning. “Revis Island LET’S GO.

“It not has only been hard on u guys but it has for me, too. I just want to tell y’all that I’m sorry for this process and I can’t wait to get back on the field.”

Revis clearly had outplayed the value of his rookie contract, which was to pay him $15 million over the next three seasons, including $1 million in 2010. After fellow All-Pro Nnamdi Asomugha secured a three-year, $45.3 million contract from the Raiders in 2009, Revis demanded that he be the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL.

With that, he sought $16 million a season from the Jets, rejecting a 10-year, $120 million contract offer as well as a four-year, $40 million deal — largely because of the small amount of guaranteed money in the offers.

Revis’ agents were asking for a 10-year, $162 million contract, with more than $40 million guaranteed. His holdout began Aug. 1, when the team reported for training camp in Cortland. Tannenbaum said the nearly $600,000 in fines Revis accrued for sitting out would be handled by the team.

FOX SPORTS POLL
Now that Darrelle Revis is back, the Jets will …Go to the Super Bowl!Be nothing but hype
Tannenbaum acknowledged he wasn’t sure the deal would ever get done and said the Jets looked into trades for other cornerbacks over the weekend.

”This was one of those things where I really wasn’t optimistic,” Tannenbaum said. ”I really wasn’t. I’m an optimist by nature, but this was really hard. There was a lot of heavy lifting, a lot of work put into it.”

Since early August, the team and Revis’ agents agreed to keep all negotiations confidential after things got testy through the media.

There were some accusations made by both sides, with Johnson saying he was ”rebuffed” by Revis’ agents when he asked if he could be part of a meeting at the Roscoe Diner in Roscoe, N.Y. Schwartz responded by saying that was ”a blatant lie” and that Johnson was given ”incorrect” information. He also said he’d meet Johnson ”any time, any place.”

Ryan even got into it, suggesting he give the team a day off from practice so the entire organization could sit down with Revis, his agents and anyone else the star player wanted in an effort to complete a deal.

Then came a code of silence from both sides — and the fear that Revis could sit out the entire season, as his uncle once did. In the end, though, Revis will be back with the team in time to begin a season Ryan and the Jets are convinced will be special.

Even if there was a surprise among Cleveland’s cuts, the Browns would have blown it with their timing.

The team didn’t reveal its roster cuts until three hours after submitting them to the NFL offices on Saturday, a sign the Browns may be busy working the waiver wire to make more changes to their 53-man squad.

The biggest news – literally – was that the club activated Pro Bowl nose tackle Shaun Rogers from the physically-unable-to-perform list. Rogers missed all of training camp and the exhibition season while recovering from a leg injury. Last week, the league announced he would not be suspended for an offseason weapons charge, and will not have to miss any games.

The 6-foot-4, 350-pound Rogers missed Cleveland’s final five games last season after getting hurt. Rogers did not play in the preseason last year either, and the Browns are hoping he can return to anchor their 3-4 defense.

The most notable cuts were to two draft picks: defensive back Larry Asante (fifth round) and defensive lineman Clifton Geathers (sixth round).

The team also waived veteran cornerback Brandon McDonald, quarterback Brett Ratliff, tight end DeAngelo Smith and terminated the contract of wide receiver Bobby Engram.

McDonald, who started 27 games over the past three seasons, announced his released on his personal Twitter page – hours before the team’s list was made public. McDonald was in and out of the starting lineup several times because of blown coverages over tackles.

He got into some trouble early in training camp for making offensive comments on his Twitter page about Bengals wide receiver Terrell Owens.

General manager Tom Heckert had been scheduled to discuss his first season-opening roster since joining Cleveland in January with the media. However, the team pushed back Heckert’s teleconference until Sunday, when the Browns are expected to make more roster moves and add players to their practice squad.

The Browns are likely to make some changes at linebacker. They still have 12 on their roster.

Ratliff’s release means rookie Colt McCoy will be the Browns’ No. 3 quarterback. After a rough preseason, McCoy completed 13 of 13 passes for 131 yards in Cleveland’s 13-10 win over Chicago in the final exhibition game on Thursday night.

The Oakland Raiders have plenty of roster moves they need to make before the start of the season.

Apparently trading for Matt Leinart isn’t one of them. The Raiders denied a report from ESPN on Wednesday that said the team has had discussions about trading with Arizona for Leinart.

”The Raiders have never discussed trading for Leinart,” the team said in a statement. ”The Raiders are very happy about their quarterback situation.”

Oakland acquired Jason Campbell in an offseason trade with Washington and is pleased with what he’s brought as the starter. Campbell led Oakland to touchdowns on the opening drives of the last two exhibition games. He sustained a stinger and an injured right wrist last week against San Francisco but is expected to be ready for the season opener Sept. 12 in Tennessee.

Bruce Gradkowski and Kyle Boller are slated to be the backups as quarterback appears to be one position that is set heading into the final exhibition game against Seattle on Thursday night.

Oakland must reduce its roster from 75 to 53 by Saturday, giving some of the fringe players one last chance to make a good enough impression to make the team.

”I think you have to show up. They’re on the bubble for a reason because they have not shown up to this point,” coach Tom Cable said. ”You have to make an exclamation point on Thursday night.”

The biggest questions left to be answered for the Raiders are the starters at center, fullback and cornerback; the backup running backs and receivers; the primary kick and punt returners; and which linebackers and defensive backs make the roster as backups and special teams players.

Cable said recently this will be the toughest cut-down decision in his four years with the organization because of the improved depth.

”There’s definitely going to be some eye-openers,” safety Michael Huff said. ”But that’s what goes with being a good organization, being a team that has quality depth and great players. There’s always going to be competition, and there’s going to be players that could start for other teams but because we have so much depth here, they won’t be able to play here.”

Among the players who have started in past years for Oakland but aren’t guaranteed roster spots this season are safety Hiram Eugene and linebackers Thomas Howard, Ricky Brown and Sam Williams.

All three linebackers started games last year when Cable said that unit was one of the biggest weaknesses on the defense.

Williams has done well on special teams this summer, and Brown provides versatility with the ability to play middle or outside linebacker. Howard was once viewed as a building block on the defense starting 62 of 64 games in his first four seasons.

WAKE UP, MATT
FOX Sports Arizona: Judging from his reaction to his recent benching, Leinart simply doesn’t get it.
He intercepted six passes in 2007, returning two for touchdowns, but is fighting for a backup spot this season with players such as Williams, Brown and Quentin Groves.

”It’s just a blessing to be out here and playing this game we all love,” Howard said. ”People forget that it’s an opportunity, and that’s how I am looking at it – as an opportunity to go out and play.”

Cable hasn’t named starters at center, where Samson Satele appears to have the edge over rookie Jared Veldheer, and cornerback, where Chris Johnson and Stanford Routt are fighting for a starting job opposite Nnamdi Asomugha.

Marcel Reece has done his best to seize the fullback job that entered camp as an open competition. Luke Lawton will miss the first two games with a suspension and undrafted rookie Manase Tonga is the only other fullback on the roster.

Reece has four catches for 87 yards, bringing an added element with his ability to make plays in the passing game.

”He just continues to get better,” Cable said. ”That’s the thing that he’s shown us is that, from one week to the next he’s going out and improving on whatever his negatives were from the week before. It’s starting to show up more and more that this guy, you can coach him, he’ll take it and he’ll go get it again. I certainly think that he’s really showing himself the right way.”

With Michael Bush’s status for the opener in doubt because of a broken left thumb, the Raiders might end up keeping both Michael Bennett and Rock Cartwright as backup running backs to Darren McFadden.

The Raiders will also have some difficult decisions to make at receiver and defensive back. Louis Murphy, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Chaz Schilens appear set as the top three receivers, with players like Johnnie Lee Higgins, Jacoby Ford, Yamon Figurs, Nick Miller and Todd Watkins fighting for the other spots.

With all those players other than Watkins competing for the return jobs as well, special teams could play a big role in who makes the team.

“I think this goes beyond the football field,” he said. “I’ve done everything they’ve asked of me and more – outplayed the competition in training camp and preseason.

“Obviously there’s something that’s going on; I don’t know what it is.”

The reason Leinart doesn’t know? He hasn’t asked.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt has maintained an open-door policy since he arrived four years ago but Leinart has yet to walk through that door and clear the air.

If you believe that is Leinart’s fault, you’re right. If you believe Whisenhunt is also at fault, you may have a point.

Football is a historically hierarchical world where orders are barked and obeyed. It is a widely accepted belief that coaches are not obligated to explain their rationale to players, much less put them on the couch and analyze personality conflicts.

But Whisenhunt is not an ordinary coach. He’s a communicator. And this is no ordinary relationship. This is his quarterback — the most important player on the field.

This is:

A guy who, until one week ago, everyone assumed was the starter.

A guy who will certainly play at some point this season, unless the Cardinals trade him.

A guy with whom it makes sense to have a working relationship.

Leinart’s on-field body language has been the subject of much analysis, but it was hard to miss his body language off it after Monday’s practice.

He was more than miffed at Whisenhunt about the demotion. He was disgusted, fed up and almost dismissive of Whisenhunt’s quotes when they were relayed through reporters.

That behavior does little to help Leinart’s cause, and there’s no question he should drag his behind through his coach’s door instead of sulking around the locker room.

But would it hurt Whisenhunt to be the bigger man and invite him in?

Is there anything productive that can come from this growing communications breakdown?

Maybe it doesn’t matter any more. Although he wouldn’t commit to it on Monday, maybe Whisenhunt has already settled on Derek Anderson as the starting quarterback on Sept. 12 in St. Louis — as many dialed-in local media members believe.

Maybe the Cards have already seen enough of Leinart’s act and are exploring trade options – even if that leaves two untested and un-ready rookies as the No. 2 and No. 3 QBs.

Whisenhunt said after the Bears game on Saturday that this decision would be based on more than stats. It would be based on intangibles like leadership, how each quarterback handles the huddle, and what kind of trust his teammates have in him.

After Monday’s practice, Whisenhunt praised all of those qualities in Anderson, though he added he was not making a comparison to Leinart.

He didn’t have to. The media made it for him.

We all know that TV analyst Cris Carter has been ripping Leinart. We all know Carter and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald are close friends. How many degrees of separation exist between those realities? How much sway do you think the team’s best offensive player would have in such a situation?

As for Whisenhunt, he dismissed the notion that he has a personality conflict with Leinart.

“I don’t know where that comes from,” he said. “It’s not about whether you like somebody or you don’t like somebody. It’s more about what you feel is right for the team.”

But if that’s the case, then the switch, if permanent, is perplexing because Anderson has done nothing to earn the starter’s position through training camp and the preseason.

He looked inaccurate and mistake-prone in practices and has exhibited the same qualities in three games. While he played well against the Bears on Saturday, completing 7 of 12 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown, so did Leinart, who completed 8 of 9 passes for 84 yards and a TD. He could have had another TD drive if running back Beanie Wells hadn’t fumbled at the Chicago 6-yard line.

In three preseason games, Leinart is completing 82.6 percent of his passes and has a passer rating of 110.2 with no turnovers. Anderson has completed 58.5 percent of his passes with two interceptions, a couple more near-misses and a passer rating of 70.2, which, by the way, is the lowest of the Cards’ four QBs.

Anderson has 287 yards passing to Leinart’s 161, but he also has 12 more passing attempts.

“I don’t know if there have been equal opportunities (for me),” Leinart said.

Part of that is his fault for checking down too early and not sustaining drives. It’s true Leinart has looked hesitant, but has he really done enough to warrant the demotion?

Has he failed so miserably in other areas that the Cards are willing to hand over the reins to a guy who completed 44.9 percent of his attempts last season with three touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a passer rating of 42.1?

You can say Anderson played for a lousy Cleveland team, but couldn’t you also say that Anderson played a contributing role in making them lousy?

Maybe there are factors we’re not seeing or hearing. Maybe Leinart’s teammates are whispering in Whisenhunt’s ear. We’d never know, since they don’t say those things publicly.
To his credit, Whisenhunt has always had a good read on the mood of his team.

But until we hear a better explanation, it’s hard to escape the speculation that this does go “beyond the football field” and into something personal. It’s hard not to think that Whisenhunt and Leinart simply aren’t a good fit for each another.

Ben Roethlisberger gave way to his backups after a quick night’s work. Now, he can get ready to make his case for a shortened suspension, too.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed during Denver’s 34-17 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday night that commissioner Roger Goodell and the Steelers quarterback will meet soon, but he declined to say when or where the meeting would take place.

Roethlisberger was suspended for six games after being accused of sexually assaulting a Georgia college student in March. He was not criminally charged in the case.

If Roethlisberger’s suspension is reduced to four games, he’ll be back for their game against Cleveland on Oct. 17. Otherwise, he’ll be out until the Steelers visit New Orleans on Halloween night.

”I hope it’s a good meeting,” Roethlisberger said. ”Right now it’s been all about football for me. I haven’t had time to think too much about it because I’m not really sure even when it’s going to be. For me, it’s about just focusing on football and what I need to do to get ready for the next game, which is Carolina.”

Roethlisberger played just one quarter and was yanked in the middle of Pittsburgh’s second series.

”I was shocked,” Roethlisberger said of coach Mike Tomlin’s quick hook. ”It was the end of the quarter and he said I was done. I still wanted to go in, but he wasn’t going to have it.”

Tomlin had some evaluation to do.

Dennis Dixon has started only one NFL game, and he is expected to be Byron Leftwich’s backup when the season starts and Roethlisberger’s suspension begins. So, he got his first significant playing time with the starters.

Dixon threw two costly interceptions.

Rookie cornerback Perrish Cox picked off the first one in the end zone and Andre’ Goodman returned Dixon’s second interception 77 yards for a touchdown with 11 seconds left in the second quarter that gave Denver a 17-3 halftime lead.

Dixon finished 9-of-16 for 94 yards, two interceptions and a pair of sacks by Robert Ayers.

Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton was shaken up in the first half and left the game briefly after taking a hit from linebacker James Harrison.

Orton tried to make the tackle after Harrison picked up a loose ball and rumbled toward the end zone in the second quarter. Orton tried to tackle him low but Harrison put his helmet down and hit Orton on the back of the head and his left shoulder.

”I don’t know if I went after him or he went after me,” Orton said. ”You have to try to save a touchdown and took a pretty decent shot, yeah. Just got the wind knocked out of me. Felt pretty good afterward.”

Orton said it was obvious that Harrison went down to meet him head on, however.

”If that’s the way he wants to play then that’s the way he wants to play,” Orton said.

Broncos coach Josh McDaniels stopped just short of calling Harrison’s hit a cheap shot.

”It kind of looked like Harrison knew he was going to go low and then he took the liberty to go ahead and go after the quarterback,” McDaniels said. ”Whether or not it was a cheap thing, I’m not sure. I’ll have to see it on film, but it didn’t look right.”

Harrison said it was just a smart football move.

”I was being aggressive on the play,” Harrison said. ”I play aggressively. I was going to the ground and wanted to get as many yards as I could.”

While Orton was down, the officials huddled and ruled the play was an incomplete pass. Brady Quinn replaced Orton and was sacked on the next snap. Orton returned to the game on the Broncos’ next series.

Orton finished 9-for-14 for 80 yards with one interception, by William Gay.

Rookie Tim Tebow made his home debut for Denver after missing last week’s game with bruised ribs.

Although Tebow saved the touchdown with a tackle at the 5 on Crezdon Butler’s 40-yard interception return, Jonathan Dwyer (89 yards on 13 carries) took it in from there to cut it to 20-10 in the fourth quarter.

Tebow quickly atoned, driving Denver 74 yards in five plays, capped by a 3-yard TD strike to fellow rookie Eric Decker.

And Charlie Batch responded to that with a TD drive that made it 27-17 on Antonio Brown’s 7-yard scoring grab. But Batch’s next drive resulted in a 48-yard interception return for a touchdown by rookie Syd’Quan Thompson that gave Denver a 34-17 lead.

Minutes later, Thompson returned a punt 62 yards.

Pittsburgh linebacker James Farrior left the game after suffering a head laceration in the first quarter that required several stitches. Farrior’s helmet went flying when he helped stuff running back LenDale White for no gain on second-and-goal at the 2.

White scored a touchdown on the next play, his first for his hometown team that brought him into camp after injuries to Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter, neither of whom has played in the preseason.

White, who will begin this season on a month-long suspension for violating the league’s drug policy, is trying to revive his career that has hit speed bumps in Tennessee and Seattle, where his college coach, Pete Carroll, dumped him this summer.