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Monday, December 04, 2000

It was chilly at Three Rivers Stadium yesterday for the game between the Steelers and Oakland Raiders. Still, it didn't seem cold enough for hell to freeze over.

Steelers Kordell Stewart runs for a touchdown against the Raiders. (PeterDiana, Post-Gazette)

That's when a lot of people -- this writer included -- thought Kordell Stewart would come of age as a quarterback.

But Stewart is slowly beginning to make believers of even his harshest critics. He's never going to be a Peyton Manning. He's never going to consistently put up spectacular passing numbers. But his game is progressing to the point that what so many once believed to be impossible could come to fruition. After one season of exceeding promise and two of near-total failure, Stewart could well be developing into the Steelers' quarterback of the future.

It seems hard to believe, but his performance on the field can't be ignored.

The numbers didn't tell the story in the 21-20 win against the Raiders. Stewart completed 14 of 23 passes for 136 yards -- unimpressive even considering he missed all of the second quarter. These were numbers that brought to mind those frustrating seasons of 1998 and '99.

But this was different. He was making plays, hitting receivers and throwing for two touchdowns and running for another.

He's confident, he's comfortable. He has lost the "deer in the headlights" look that seemed to be part of his makeup. He's recognizing defenses, finding alternate receivers, waiting longer for his receivers to get open, often running successfully when they don't and throwing the ball away when that is required.

He's playing with confidence and inspiring confidence in his teammates.

He has done this before. He has fooled us in the past. He took the Steelers to the AFC title game in 1997, but soon enough defenses figured him out. It took some time, but it looks like he has finally figured out the defenses.

Bill Cowher remains confident, but cautious, about his quarterback.

"Kordell Stewart is a good football player, and I'm happy for him for what he did and how he did it," Cowher said. "He's gone through a lot, and I want to give the kid credit. Everyone can say what they want, but this kid keeps coming back."

He did that, for sure, yesterday.

Stewart did not play in the second quarter, having left the game and gone to the locker room with what was announced as a knee sprain. The Steelers indicated he would not return. Cowher later indicated he thought Stewart might miss several games.

But when the third quarter began, Stewart was at quarterback. It brought to mind Terry Bradshaw, who was near legendary for his ability to return after what seemed like serious injuries.

"I really think the individual effort of Kordell today really showed the people of Pittsburgh just how Kordell is really a gamer and how hard he believes that he needs to be in there," Jerome Bettis said. "Showing that individual effort when he is not 100 percent to me shows that the guy has the guts to help us to victories. I was telling myself, this is one tough son of a gun."

Stewart explained the injury was to his calf, not his knee, and that the trainers wrapped it and taped it in such a manner that he could perform without hindrance.

That was clear on the first possession of the second half with the Steelers trailing, 17-7.

He moved the team 91 yards in 16 plays and he was integral to that success, completing six of seven passes for 55 yards.

On the final possession of the quarter, he moved the team 47 yards in four play on an electrifying drive that took 47 seconds. Bettis ran the first 30 yards and Stewart the final 17 on a quarterback draw.

The six-play, 70-yard drive on the Steelers' first possession of the game was no less impressive. Stewart passed 13 yards to Bettis, 17 to Courtney Hawkins and 19 to Bobby Shaw in the end zone on a perfectly executed play.

It was the kind of play he rarely has made in the past, the kind of play he seemed incapable of making.

"I'm more relaxed, more confident with what we're trying to do with the offense," Stewart said.

"Personally, I just dug within myself, just stayed focused and really just kept fighting. Despite all the negative stuff that has been going on -- people counting me out, counting us out -- it's a more gratifying feeling right now to walk away from this thing with a victory."

With a victory and maybe a future as quarterback of the Steelers.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.