Oct 20, 2005 2 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – A calf injury prevented Jerome Bettis from leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers’ bench for three games. His own coach kept him there Sunday. Coach Bill Cowher has since apologized for not playing the NFL’s No. 5 career rusher during the second half of the surprise 23-17 overtime loss to Jacksonville, one that dropped the Steelers 11/2 games behind AFC North leader Cincinnati.

While Bettis wasn’t happy with the decision, he declined Wednesday to criticize Cowher.

“I do know that I would have loved to have been in there late in the game,” said Bettis, whose strong running in the fourth quarter the week before at San Diego helped secure a Steelers victory. “Coach and I talked about all the situations that happened in the game and everything that was going on. But it’s a conversation I’m going to keep and not talk about.”

Considering the heat Cowher is taking for not sitting down quarterback Tommy Maddox during a miserable, four-turnover day and for not playing Bettis during a game the Steelers (3-2) expected to win, maybe Bettis felt that would be piling on.

Cowher explained at length Tuesday why Bettis was held out after being limited to 4 yards on four carries in the first half, pointing out the Steelers used a no-huddle offense much of the second half. But while Bettis was sitting, starter Willie Parker was struggling to get yards, gaining 37 on 15 carries in the second half.

“Why was he not in the game in the last series?” Cowher said of Bettis. “That’s a legitimate question … I wish I would have gotten him in the game in the second half.”

By contrast, Bettis carried on seven of the 10 plays during the decisive drive in San Diego that led to Jeff Reed’s 40-yard field goal with six seconds remaining and a 24-22 victory.

Because Bettis was on the bench for nearly all of Sunday’s game, the Steelers effectively were without the three players on offense most responsible for the Chargers’ victory: Bettis, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (knee) and wide receiver Hines Ward (hamstring).

Roethlisberger said he did everything he could to convince Cowher he was ready to play despite a hyperextended left knee, but couldn’t do so.