Wednesday, October 08, 2003

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Bill Cowher promised no tactical changes yesterday to the Steelers' lineup after his team lost the past two games at home to slip to 2-3 and out of first place in the AFC North Division.

	The past two game at Heinz Field have produced little worth looking at. (Peter Diana, Post-Gazette) Steelers Report: 10/8/03 ... a word from our columnist Mark Madden: Steelers need relevance; Maddox needs insurance

But check back with him today, tomorrow and again over the weekend because he did not pledge anything beyond the time in which he spoke during his noon news conference yesterday.

He did declare left tackle Marvel Smith as out for Sunday's 4 p.m. game in Denver because of a pinched nerve in his shoulder that has caused him to miss the past two games except for three plays Sunday. Oliver Ross will replace him.

Other than that, Cowher was coy about making possible alterations to a lineup that has been outscored 129-97 overall and lost each of its three games by an average of 19 points.

He said he planned no other changes "at this time." Asked if that could occur later in the week, he said, "This time is this time today. Anything can change. Sometimes, injury creates that as a possibility, as well."

Cowher and some of his players acknowledged they need better play in the line, at quarterback and in the running game. Steelers cornerbacks have come under fire all season, the defense ranks as the easiest in the league to score touchdowns against inside the 20, and they have only nine sacks and two forced fumbles.

Suggestions abound for ways to shake things up:

Either use running back Jerome Bettis, the NFL's 10th career rushing leader, more or even return him to a starting job he had held since 1995 before he was replaced by Amos Zereoue to start the season.

Return Mark Bruener to starting tight end to help the blocking.

Start Mathias Nkwenti at left tackle.

Use No. 3 cornerback Deshea Townsend more in the regular defense.

Put James Farrior back as the middle linebacker in the dime defense, move Joey Porter to right rush end and have Kendrell Bell alternate either with him or with Jason Gildon.

Put more starters on special teams.

Change the quarterback.

Blitz more.

Throw the ball more.

Run the ball more.

Not all of them were offered to Cowher yesterday, but surely he has heard most of the suggestions. His answer to one possibility was an answer to all. Will Amos Zereoue continue to start at running back?

"At this time, I don't plan any lineup changes," Cowher replied.

Sunday night, Cowher promised to re-examine everything the Steelers were doing after they were blown out by Cleveland, 33-13, at home, a game Pro Bowl receiver Hines Ward called "embarrassing."

Two days later, the exam wasn't finished, Cowher said.

"I have not really come to any conclusions. The conclusions that you come to are the obvious facts that exist out there. You turn the ball over for returns, we are not scoring touchdowns, and we are not coming up with plays at times in the game when the momentum is there to be had. We are not seizing that opportunity."

Quarterback Tommy Maddox had three interceptions returned for touchdowns and a fourth returned to the 1 this season. His passer rating, the best in the league after the first game, has slipped closer to the bottom at 74.5, mostly because he has thrown an AFC-high eight interceptions and only five touchdown passes.

Maddox also had two interceptions returned for touchdowns last season, both at home against Houston. Cowher does not know why it's happening so often with his quarterback, who was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year for 2002.

"I have seen my fair share and I don't know if there is any logical explanation," Cowher said.

Maddox became annoyed Sunday night when he was asked if he still has confidence in himself. Cowher, though, said he does worry whether his quarterback can maintain his confidence.

"Yes, I think you certainly have to be concerned about that. But, until people go through it, you really don't know. It is something to talk about it; it is one thing to make sure that people understand that if you stay in this business long enough, you will experience everything.

"A lot of it is not the experience, but it is how you deal with it. Time will tell. But, you are concerned from a confidence standpoint just from the ability to come back."

Quarterbacks Steve McNair and Tim Couch completed 35 of 41 passes against the Steelers in Heinz Stadium the past two Sundays.

"There are some zones where they are going to complete those, and certainly those are still high numbers," Cowher said. "But, I don't think you can conclude a whole lot from that. I don't like to look into stats from that standpoint. I think the bottom line is wins and losses. That is probably the most important stat to look at."

That's not strong these days either.

"This is not about individuals," Cowher said, "it is about our football team and finding a way to get out of this way we are playing. That is going to take more from everybody and not worrying about anyone else but yourself. There is still a lot of football to be played and the most important thing is to look at the big picture and playing better than we did the week before, and that has to start this Sunday in Denver."

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