Pittsburgh Steelers running back Willie Parker (39) celebrates scoring a second-quarter touchdown with teammate Nate Washington (85) in NFL football action in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008.

PITTSBURGH (AP) _ Gary Kubiak did what football fans always beg coaches to do: He went for it in a key short-yardage situation. The problem was the Houston Texans didn't get it — and, just like that, their chances of beating the Pittsburgh Steelers all but evaporated.



The Texans lost a gamble, a challenge and, likely, their opener in the first five minutes of the season. Willie Parker ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns during a 38-17 Steelers victory Sunday that was effectively over early in the second quarter.



"We got our tail kicked," Kubiak said. "We got manhandled."



The Steelers won their sixth consecutive opener, the NFL's longest streak since Miami won 11 in a row from 1992-2002.



For one game, it seemed like a replay of the Steelers' Super Bowl-winning season of three years ago.