Sep 17, 2003 By Jim Wexell For The 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – If Joey Porter was ornery over not playing last week, as his coach had said, then he’ll be downright mean if he doesn’t play this week in Cincinnati. It appears, though, that Porter’s about to be activated after Steelers coach Bill Cowher listed his best defensive player as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Bengals.

“He’s not real happy he’s questionable,” Cowher said. “In his mind it’s not even a question.”

Porter, of course, was shot in the upper right thigh by an unknown assailant in the early hours of Labor Day in a parking lot outside a Denver bar. He missed the first two games of the regular season, but had been given hope last week when Cowher listed him as ‘doubtful.’ Porter didn’t play Sunday, but worked out during the week and felt no residual effects from the wound.

“He’s had some tests done and everything looks good at this point,” Cowher said. “It’s just a matter of watching him work, watching him hit, watching him run and accelerate, and move when he has to not think about it. He has to react. So I’m sure he’ll be upgraded at some point.”

Porter was replaced in the lineup by Clark Haggans at right outside linebacker, and in the dime defense by James Farrior.

Farrior leads the Steelers with 25 tackles and Haggans is second with 19. In comparison, two-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Jason Gildon has four tackles.

Cowher would not commit to starting Porter if he’s indeed healthy enough to play.

“I want to see where he’s at by the end of the week,” Cowher said. “He probably would start. How much he plays at that point? I don’t know. Clark’s played pretty well in his place. A lot of it might be more from a conditioning standpoint. (Porter) ran pretty good last week. He pushed himself pretty hard. Again, it’s not football shape. He’s been out a couple weeks now. A lot will have to do with how he feels.”

Porter would certainly help a defense that allowed 41 points against the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, but the Steelers made a roster move designed to help a running game that ranks 27th in the league. The Steelers added running back Dante Brown off the practice squad and released linebacker Erik Flowers.

Brown joined the Steelers last April as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Memphis and led the team in preseason rushing with 106 yards on 24 carries.

He was signed this week as insurance in case Verron Haynes can’t play. Haynes is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with a knee injury. The only other healthy halfbacks are Amos Zereoue and Jerome Bettis on a team that gained only 50 yards on 17 carries against the Chiefs.

After two games, the Steelers are averaging 74 yards per game, or nearly 100 below their league-leading average of 173.4 in 2001. The fall may have begun in the last playoffs when the Steelers averaged 78 rushing yards per game after averaging 132.5 during the 2002 regular season.

“We’re striving for balance, just like when we were running the ball and everybody wanted us to throw the ball more,” Cowher said. “Yes, we recognize we need to be more effective running the ball.”

Cowher also warned that it’s too early “to suddenly try to make changes.” And he was careful not to blame the offensive line or Zereoue, the starter who’s gained 104 yards on 26 carries so far.

“Sometimes you have to make your own holes. Sometimes they are there. Sometimes he does a great job of making something out of nothing,” Cowher said. “Again, I think it’s got to be our persistence in staying with it. As with anything else, the more you do something the better you become.”

Cowher did say “there might be a few” changes on coverage units that allowed Dante Hall of the Chiefs to return a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and a punt 45 yards to set up another touchdown, but he did not elaborate.

NOTES – Along with Porter and Haynes, Cowher listed center Jeff Hartings as questionable with a left ankle injury. Listed as probable are Haggans (knee), safety Chris Hope (groin) and safety Mike Logan (quad contusion).