PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Buffalo quarterback EJ Manuel welcomed the opportunity to watch Ben Roethlisberger practice this week, certain he could glean something from the way Pittsburgh star goes about his job. Apparently, theres still much to learn. For Manuel and his rebuilding club both, particularly if they have to carry on without Sammy Watkins. Manuel passed for 148 yards in a half of work but failed to lead the Bills to the end zone yet again in a 19-16 loss to the Steelers on Saturday night. Watkins, the fourth overall pick in the draft, left in the first quarter with a rib contusion and did not return. Buffalo coach Doug Marrone declined to elaborate on the former Clemson players status. The Bills (1-2) host Tampa Bay next Saturday. "Theyre going to run tests and everything and well see how he is," Marrone said. With Watkins sidelined, the Bills were given a somewhat sobering glimpse of what they might look like without the fourth overall pick in the draft. Manuel completed 17 of 27 passes with an interception as Buffalos first-string offence continued to have trouble turning yards into points. Four times the Bills drove into Pittsburgh territory in the first half only to come away with a pair of Dan Carpenter field goals and two failed fourth-down attempts. "The whole night I thought we were moving," Manuel said. "We had long drives, 86-yard drives. We just didnt capitalize in the red zone." Something thats become an alarming trend with the preseason more than half over. Marrone abandoned his original game plan in hopes of getting something going. He kept the starters in the entire first half looking for a spark. Hes still waiting. So are his players. "We just have to finish," tight end Scott Chandler said. "We have to get in the end zone." Manuel played well during a pair of joint practices with the Steelers this week and some of it carried over under the lights. Buffalo (1-2) moved the ball with relative ease during a half in which the first-string offence racked up 212 total yards. All those first downs, however, translated into just six points. "In the two games that weve lost this year, weve had a lot of opportunities," Marrone said. "We have to be able to score more and not give up the big plays early on." Roethlisberger, working with an offence he insists can be one of the more explosive in the league, threw a pair of touchdowns in just over a quarter of play. He hit Brown in stride on Pittsburghs second play from scrimmage and the Pro Bowl receiver ran away from a pair of defenders on his way to a 76-yard score. "It was a great read by Ben," Brown said. "The defensive back got caught up with another guy. Ben hit me in the spot and I was able to get up to speed and turn the corner." The Steelers (1-1) got the ball back moments later when rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier — who missed the preseason opener with a right knee injury coach Mike Tomlin called a "boo boo" — showcased why Pittsburgh took him with the 15th pick in the first round. Shazier stepped in front of Manuels pass intended for Chandler and returned it 27 yards to the Buffalo 37. The play highlighted a breakout night for Shazier, who finished with 11 total tackles in addition to his pick. Working almost exclusively out of the no huddle, the Steelers took advantage. Facing third-and-11 at the Buffalo 16, Roethlisberger waited for Wheaton to beat Stephon Gilmore to the left corner. Wheatons hauled it in before tumbling out of bounds to make it 13-3. Roethlisberger played one more series before giving way to the backups. "The communication was what I wanted to work on, and we didnt have mental errors of what I saw so far," Roethlisberger said. "It was a good start to the no huddle." The Bills operated at nearly the same pace, just without the same result. Twice Marrone had his starters go for it on fourth down in Pittsburgh territory in the first half. And twice they came up short. Manuels pass to T.J. Graham on fourth-and-1 at the Pittsburgh 21 was knocked down by defensive lineman Cam Heyward. Manuel returned for one final drive at the end of the half and moved the ball to the Pittsburgh 3 only to see his fourth-down throw to Chandler batted away by Robert Golden. "It would have been good if we would have finished with a touchdown on one of those drives," Chandler said. "Wish we would have made it on that last one." Clearance Paul George Shoes . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. Paul George Shoes Free Shipping . Hoffman, the former star closer, will evaluate and help co-ordinate all pitchers at Double-A, Triple-A and the big league team. Byrnes says Hoffman "will be a key part of finishing the development of our younger pitchers. https://www.cheappaulgeorgeshoes.com/ . This weeks topics include his take on the Kevin Pillar incident, All-Star snubs, the firing of Padres general manager Josh Byrnes and more. Paul George Shoes Deals . The three Calgary natives will compete after the sport was skipped by the Vancouver Games in 2010 but later included on the program for Sochi, Russia. The fight to include womens ski jumping prior to Vancouver went to the courts only to have the Supreme Court of Canada rule against the athletes appeal in 2009. Cheap Paul George Shoes . Orlandos Glen Davis tried to get in the way, only to be driven back into the padding under the basket as the Pelicans forward slammed home a windmill jam.NEW YORK -- Cold, shorter rest, a bigger ball. No matter the challenges, Masahiro Tanaka is making a smooth transition from Japan to the major leagues for one major reason: his split-fingered fastball. Tanaka allowed two bunt hits in eight dominant innings on a frigid Wednesday, Carlos Beltran homered for the third straight game and New York welcomed the Chicago Cubs to the current Yankee Stadium with a 3-0 victory in the opener of a day-night doubleheader. "That split is not something you want to sit on. Its not something youre going to be able to handle," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "But, as it was coming out of the hand, as the guys were coming in, they were saying, Gosh, it looks like a fastball. It ends up diving." And it makes batters look silly. The 25-year-old Japanese right-hander struck out 10 for his second straight start, this time while wearing three-quarter sleeves on a 43-degree day that felt much colder because of a brisk wind. Tanaka (2-0) gave up a replay-aided hit to Junior Lake in the second inning, and Anthony Rizzo pushed a bunt toward a vacated third base with a shifted infield leading off the seventh. Tanaka has 28 strikeouts in 22 innings, the most strikeouts for a Yankees pitcher in his first three career starts, according to the Yankees via the Elias Sports Bureau. Tanaka threw 107 pitches, and Shawn Kelley allowed a single to Rizzo as he finished the three-hitter for his fourth save. "It was cold out there and I did feel it but I was able to control myself, control the grip and manage myself to pitch the way I did today," Tanaka said. Dean Anna had a sacrifice fly and Jacoby Ellsbury added an RBI tap-out against Jason Hammel (2-1) in Chicagos first regular-season game in the ballpark, which opened in 2009. The Cubs have yet to win in the Bronx. They were swept in the 1932 and 38 World Series and lost all three-games in 2005, their only interleague series in New York. With Tuesdays rainout postponing Jackie Robinson Day festivities, the Yankees planned to unveil a plaque honouring Nelson Mandela before the nightcap. Players from both teams were to wear No. 42, and Michael Pineda was set to make his first start for New York since he was spotted with a mysterious brown substance on his hand Thursday against Boston. Travis Wood was slated to start for Chicago. After an overnight storm, the grounds crew used blowers to melt the ice on the tarp before removing the covering from the infield.dddddddddddd Snow still covered the grass in right field while the Cubs took batting practice, and many players wore ski caps. But it wasnt too cold for Beltran. He connected on a 1-1 changeup from Hammel with one out in the first. Anna started again at shortstop for Derek Jeter and drove in his run with a fly to left field in the fourth. Jeter missed three games with a tight quadriceps but manager Joe Girardi said the captain would start the second game. "Right now I feel good at the plate, and am seeing good results, said Beltran, the current AL player of the week. New York added a run in the fifth when Junior Lake lost Brett Gardners liner to left in the sun for a double. After Gardner advanced on Beltrans groundout, Ellsburys bat made contact with catcher John Bakers glove before dunking a ball in front of the mound. Catchers interference was called but under rule 6.08 (c), the Yankees had the choice to reject the interference call -- it would have put runners at the corners -- and take the play as it unfolded on the field. The elected for the latter, with Gardner scoring and Ellsbury tagging out by Hammel. "With one out you take the run," Girardi said. Tanaka gave up six runs -- five earned -- in his first two starts combined, all before the third inning was over. This time he was sharp from the start. He walked his second batter this season and lowered his ERA to 2.05 ERA. Lake bunted toward the third base side, and Tanaka fielded it cleanly. Initially, first base umpire Manny Gonzalez called Lake out but Cubs manager Rick Renteria requested a challenge and the call was overturned. Hammel was nearly as good. He yielded three runs and five hits, striking out five. "I thought I threw the ball pretty well, but he was better today," Hammel said. "I was very impressed. Strike thrower, obviously, his split finger is devastating." NOTES: Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira (right hamstring) is working out in Tampa, Fla. He is eligible to come off the DL Sunday. ... The Cubs have played in 122 ballparks. ... The Yankees swept two exhibition games from the Cubs at the new stadium before opening day in 09. ... Renteria asked for a second review on a close play at first base in the seventh. The replay umpire ruled the call stands, which means there wasnt conclusive evidence to overturn the call on the field. ' ' '