Steelers notebook
Linebacking corps hopes to make run at tag of best in the league PITTSBURGH – The Baltimore Ravens might’ve had the best linebacking corps in the NFL the last few seasons, and in spite of the loss of Jamie Sharper in the expansion draft they still might. A healthy Ray Lewis puts any linebacking corps into an elite class.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ corps, though, hopes to make a run at the tag, particularly with last year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, Kendrell Bell, back in the lineup.
After missing all but one quarter of the first five games, Bell returned last Monday night. He overcame a rusty start and some open-field whiffs to regain his explosive form by the end of the third quarter.
“He’s a remarkable player,” said defensive end Aaron Smith. “Even if he’s doing something wrong, he leaves a path of destruction on the way to the ball.”
Smith said that offenses must account for Bell up the middle, and that he should loosen up the ends where Joey Porter and Jason Gildon hope to reap the benefits. Porter already shares the AFC lead with six sacks. Gildon, the two-time Pro Bowler, has only one sack.
“When you have a guy like that coming up the middle,” said Gildon, “it definitely is going to give us more chances on the outside because they’ll have to account for him wherever he is. That being said, we’re going to have some shots on the outside to maybe be one-on-one and in a position to win.”
Gildon, Porter and Bell are joined by James Farrior to form one of the quickest linebacking units in the NFL. Is it the best?
“I think we can be. I really do,” Gildon said. “Given the fact we had a slow start, we still have a lot to show. But when it’s all said and done, we can be the best.”
COVERING TIGHT ENDS: Farrior has been an obvious upgrade over the departed Earl Holmes at the buck linebacker spot, but Farrior was cited by Coach Bill Cowher for allowing Marcus Pollard to catch a 41-yard pass for Indianapolis’ only touchdown Monday night.
“I just got caught inside on the play-action fake,” said Farrior. “Coach Cowher didn’t say anything to me until the end of the game. He said he expects me to do better than that. He said that he’s been talking good about me and then I go and do that (stuff). But you can take it better when you win.”
This week, Farrior will have plenty of tight-end responsibility against Todd Heap, who’s caught 23 passes – six more than any of the team’s wide receivers – and scored a team-high four touchdowns. Heap is called “The Stormin’ Mormon” by teammates.
“It’s a new guy every week,” Farrior said. “Last week, Pollard was the guy and he’s one of the better tight ends in the league. I’ll be faced with the same challenge this week. Hopefully, I won’t bite on any fakes.”
Steelers strong safety Lee Flowers will also cover Heap at times. Flowers said that Heap is very comparable to former Ravens tight end Shannon Sharp.
“He’s not Shannon. I can’t give him that yet, but he’s working his way up,” Flowers said. “You can tell from his routes what he’s learned from Shannon, so I would compare him to a younger Shannon, like when Shannon first got to Denver. He runs some good routes and he’s a heck of a player and they use him in a lot of different ways.”
INJURIES: The Steelers will miss running back Jerome Bettis (knee), center Jeff Hartings (knee) and back-up tight ends Jerame Tuman (quad) and John Allred (calf). They’ll have long-snapper Mike Schneck back in the lineup.
The Ravens will have their offensive line intact for the first time in three weeks but are expected to be without defensive end Michael McCrary (knee), the team’s only starter to miss the entire week of practice.
Linebacker Ray Lewis has missed two games with a partially dislocated left shoulder, but practiced Friday. Afterward, the team doctor dubbed Lewis “very, very questionable” and Coach Brian Billick said it would be a game-time decision.
“The concern is long term,” Lewis told the Baltimore Sun. “If I go in the way I’m feeling now, and it pops back out, then I’m out another six or seven weeks and we have no chance of doing things we’re trying to do this year.”
J.R. Jenkins, the Ravens kickoff specialist, is also expected to miss the game. In his place last week, Marty Stover kicked only one ball inside the 10. One of his kicks could only make it to the 22.
X’s & O’s: Uniontown-based Hagan Ice Cream has introduced Hagan Steelers Sundae Ice Cream, dubbed by the team as “the official ice cream of the Steelers.” … The Steelers rank 19th in the NFL in opponents’ kickoff-return average (23.3 yards), but dead last in opponents’ starting points (35-yarde line) after kickoffs. … The Steelers are 31-10 in October under Cowher. … Both Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox have started three games at quarterback, and both have faced competition that has combined records of 10-9. With Maddox, the Steelers have improved in the three main offensive categories. Points have gone up from 47 to 91; the average yards per carry has gone up from 3.1 to 5.5; and the average yards per completion has risen from 9.8 to 12.2. … The Ravens have fumbled 10 times in the last three games and lost five of them.