Steelers notebook
Bettis still listed as questionable; Peterson still the kicker PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis remains listed as questionable, meaning there is a 50-50 chance he will miss Sunday’s game against Tennessee.
Bettis hasn’t carried in three games because of a strained left knee and is well off the pace he needs for a seventh consecutive 100-yard season. With seven games remaining, he has 326 yards rushing and only one 100-yard game.
Bettis practiced last week, but coach Bill Cowher said he had a setback late in the week. As a result, Amos Zereoue again replaced Bettis and ran for 123 yards in the 34-34 tie with Atlanta.
Bettis will try to practice again Wednesday.
“We’ll see how the knee responds,” Cowher said.
Because of the knee injury and a groin problem last season, Bettis has been healthy for only seven of the Steelers’ last 15 games, counting the postseason.
STILL THE KICKER: Todd Peterson’s gear is in his locker. His name is on the roster.
Despite a difficult afternoon Sunday against the Falcons, Peterson hasn’t been replaced as the Steelers kicker and apparently won’t be any time soon.
That doesn’t mean coach Bill Cowher is happy with the kicker, who missed two field goal attempts and an extra point Sunday.
Peterson is only 12-of-19 overall and has had three field goal attempts blocked at Heinz Field. Two of the blocks occurred in overtime.
“There are some inconsistencies now and there is no question we need him to be a more consistent kicker down the stretch if we are to go where we want to go,” Cowher said. “No one is going to work harder than him. No one has a better mindset than him.
“We are going to continue to work through the mechanics to see if we can find whatever it is that gets him to kick more consistently. I have all the confidence in him.”
Peterson is 3-of-7 on kicks of 40 yards or longer, and he has shown such limited range the Steelers haven’t tried him from 50 yards and beyond. He is 9-of-15 from 30 yards or longer, with his longest field goal being 46 yards.
DYING GRASS?: The Pittsburgh Steelers may switch to artificial turf at Heinz Field for the 2004 season if they keep having problems with their grass field.
Despite being resodded two weeks ago, the field was slick and sandy for the Temple-Pitt and Steelers-Falcons games last weekend. Players from all four team complained about the conditions.
Part of the problem is the sand base beneath the surface. The sand allows the field to drain quickly in wet weather, but doesn’t permit the grass roots to grow as deeply or firmly. The sand also keeps making its way to the surface, causing a loss of traction.
“There’s more sand on that field now than there was in the beginning, and we have to do something about that,” Steelers president Dan Rooney said. “We’re bringing experts in. We have talked to the people at Penn State. We’re bringing others in, just to find what they recommend.”
Steelers players like the FieldTurf artificial surface installed in their indoor practice facility. That turf has longer strands and is more grass-like that the carpet-like artificial turf surfaces the Steelers once played on at Three Rivers Stadium.
Despite the problems, Rooney said the Steelers will keep working to get the grass better, and that a switch to artificial turf won’t take place until at least 2004.
Cowher prefers the game to be played on grass.
The Pirates, who play down the street from the Pirates, have had no grass problems during their two seasons at PNC Park. The grass there was lush and thick even at the end of the season.