Middlesbrough started positively, but the normally-reliable Whittaker was off colour. He shot straight at Boro old boy Aynsley Pears when he should have done better before he dragged another effort wide.
Luck was also against Whittaker when he hit the inside of the near post with a left-foot shot.
Blackburn had their moments as skipper Todd Cantwell fired into the side netting and former Rovers defender Callum Brittain deflected a Ryan Hedges shot wide before George Edmundson made a goal-saving challenge on Axel Henriksson.
Yuki Ohashi then missed a great chance when he dragged his shot wide after being played through.
Boro lost Alfie Jones and Matt Targett, while Ryoya Morishita went off injured for Blackburn, to worsen Hellberg’s mood and the Teessiders badly lost their way in the second half.
Blackburn had what few chances there were and Henriksson shot tamely at Sol Brynn before Matty Litherland also fired straight at the Boro goalkeeper.
Boro’s poor afternoon was summed up when skipper Hayden Hackney was booked for scything down Taylor Gardner-Hickman when he might easily have been dismissed.
