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Thursday, August 24, 2000 By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
There's nothing wrong with the Steelers' offense that Peyton Manning couldn't help.
Since that isn't going to happen, they'll settle for the return of their running game.
It's not just fresh troops that arrive when the Steelers play their final exhibition game tomorrow night in Washington. It's Jerome Bettis and Richard Huntley, the featured attractions of what might be the deepest backfield in the NFL, now that they're healthy.
"We have a lot of talent, a lot of good backs," said fullback Jon Witman.
Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala, the other missing link, likely will return next week. He has been out the past two games with cracked ribs, although he has practiced this week. Bettis hasn't played or practiced since the first quarter of the first game July 30 in Dallas. Huntley hasn't played in a game this summer because of a hamstring pull.
"I think when we're all together it's like having a balled-up fist swinging and hitting somebody," Huntley said. "That's a big punch. Right now, we're all getting healthy and getting a chance to come back."
The Steelers are counting on Bettis and Huntley to hammer defenses this season. Bettis, who has accumulated Hall of Fame-like statistics through eight NFL seasons, and Huntley combined for 1,658 yards rushing last year.
Witman has developed into a good blocker, and his coaches are growing more confident in his ability to run and catch passes. Fuamatu-Ma'afala can play either halfback or fullback and ran for 122 yards on 15 carries Aug. 5 against Miami.
Steelers Notebook:
Columnist Bob Smizik:
Amos Zereoue, who has started in all their absences, gives them a change-of-pace, open-field runner.
"We have a lot of talent," Witman said, "a lot of different things we can do with everyone. Fu can go to fullback or tailback. With Jerome and Huntley back there, they'll be going in and out, getting the same amount of playing time. The good thing about it is everyone should be fresh the whole game."
Even with their top two halfbacks out most of the summer, the Steelers have averaged 5 yards rushing a carry. Zereoue leads them with 159 yards. Witman has seven carries for 39 yards -- one more carry than he had last season.
"We have a little bit of everything you want in a backfield," Bettis said. "You have power, you have speed, you have shiftiness, aggressiveness, guys who run to daylight. You have just about anything you want in a particular play. I think it makes an offensive coordinator's job easier because, based on the play, you can put the personnel in to really help that play. That gives us an advantage."
They have everything, really, except a passing game. And without that, they fear the running game will have nowhere to go.
"Regardless of what anyone says, if you can't pass the ball, it's going to be really, really hard for you to run the ball in this league," Bettis said. "If the passing game was nonexistent it would be crazy to think we'd be able to run the ball effectively."
So, even though the big backs are getting healthy, the offense won't necessarily follow unless they can get some semblance of a passing game going.
"Last year, we couldn't pass the ball, and, if you can't pass the ball, they're going to stack eight men in the box and you're not going to be able to run," Witman said.
"You have to be able to pass the ball in this league."
But can they?
"We have to. Have to," Witman said.
But for the moment, they'll settle on getting their running game back in shape and ready for the opener against Baltimore's stifling defense.
"They need to play," Coach Bill Cowher said. "They need to get involved in some of the timing. It will be good to get them in that last game.
"For a runner, it's hard to miss a whole preseason. Jerome did it a year ago, but we're going up against a pretty stout defense the first game out of the box, so it's good to get him and Richard some work this week."
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