When they tear up the artificial surface and demolish Three Rivers Stadium next year, perhaps Qadry Ismail will purchase a piece of the turf as a souvenir. Problem is, which part?
Ismail has spent so much time covering the length of the field against the Steelers that it will be difficult to decide which part Ismail, a Baltimore Ravens wide receiver, should retain for posterity. In two games, he has gobbled up more riverfront property than a real-estate developer.
Ismail has scored four touchdowns in his past two games at Three Rivers against the Steelers, all of them 50 yards or longer. Last year, he scored on passes of 50, 54 and 76 yards in a 31-24 Ravens' victory. Yesterday, he caught a 53-yard touchdown from quarterback Tony Banks the first quarter that proved to be all the offense the Ravens needed in their 16-0 victory.
Perhaps some of the Steelers' offensive players should ask Ismail what it's like to traipse into the end zone.
"One of the things we talked about all week was to be careful to communicate," defensive end Kevin Henry said. "And we didn't."
In the end, the only offense the Ravens needed was Matt Stover's 23-yard field goal just 8 minutes, 10 seconds into the first quarter. That gave Baltimore a 3-0 lead.
But, just in case the Steelers had delusions about their offense performing under Kent Graham, along came Ismail to burn the Steelers' secondary on a play that looked strikingly familiar to the one that preceded it just moments before.
He got some assistance from free safety Brent Alexander, who was supposed to provide deep help on the play and didn't ... much to the chagrin of cornerback Chad Scott.
"They blew the coverage on that," Ismail said. "Actually, Chad and I were talking about that a couple plays later. It wasn't necessarily his fault as much as it being a heads-up play and making the play when the coverage gets blown like that."
Ismail's touchdown gave the Ravens a 10-0 lead in the season opener, and that was not good news for the Steelers. Not with their offense. Not when they're forced into some passing situations against a team that likes to rush the passer.
"That was all on me," said Alexander, who was named the starting free safety last week when Coach Bill Cowher demoted Scott Shields. "Everyone wants to say, 'We, we, we' but I'm the free safety. When the coverage gets blown, that's me. That's what a free safety does. That's the way it goes."
Tim Lewis, the Steelers first-year defensive coordinator, tried to exonerate Alexander, who was acquired in free agency from the Carolina Panthers. He said Alexander became confused about what play the Ravens were running because they were using personnel similar to another offensive set the Steelers had studied during their film preparation of their AFC Central Division opponent.
The confusion arose when the Ravens put their fullback, Obafemi Ayanbadejo, in motion to the right. When that happens, Alexander is supposed to follow Ayanbadejo to the same side of the field. In effect, he becomes the strong safety on that play.
The Ravens had used a similar set on the previous play and tried the same thing -- a deep hitch-and-go pass to Ismail down the right sideline. But that coverage was man-to-man, and Banks overthrew Ismail, who was wide open because Scott fell down. The play was negated, though, because running back Priest Holmes was penalized for chop-blocking inside linebacker Earl Holmes, who injured his ankle on the play.
"When Chad saw the free safety to his side, he's thinking it's the weak side and he'll get help [deep]," said strong safety Lee Flowers. "It was a miscommunication. Any offense is going to see that. It was just a blown communication on our part. Brent and I have to do a better job of that."
Scott, the left cornerback, let Ismail run by him, thinking he had deep help. When he realized he didn't, he turned and ran after Ismail. It was too late. Ismail had at least 5 yards on him and caught the ball at the Steelers' 17. He ran easily into the end zone.
"He's thinking he's got help over the top," Flowers said. "That's why he was lagging so far behind."
Alexander never got back to pick up Ismail.
"That play was supposed to be zone coverage," Ismail said. "They blew the coverage and we were able to capitalize. Tony made a great play. The angle at which he threw [the ball] allowed me to catch it on the run and go."
The touchdown probably didn't matter. In this game, there was little ebb and flow, little surge of momentum, really no turning point. Just a mundane Ravens victory against a team that cannot afford to make a mistake, even one early in the first quarter.
"My No. 1 job is make sure everyone is on the same page," Alexander said. "That's what a free safety does. That's my job."
Key Play: Steelers' blown coverage allows Ismail to play the hero once again 
