As a way to combat the heat he is expecting in Jacksonville, Coach Bill Cowher said he plans to rotate a lot of players to keep them from wilting. Among those he listed was running back Jerome Bettis and the beefy guys along the defensive line.
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All those hot days at St. Vincent this summer were pointed toward tomorrow's opener in Jacksonville. (Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette) |
"Keeping those guys fresh will be very important," Cowher said of the defensive linemen.
There was no mention of rotating the beefy guys on the offensive line.
They sweat.
They wilt.
They dehydrate.
But they don't come out of the game unless there's an injury. Doesn't matter if the heat index is 120 or the wind chill is minus-30.
"The quarterback, the O-line and the secondary," said left tackle Wayne Gandy. "Everyone else gets a break or two here and there. That's just how it's always been."
"That's the way we like it," said guard Rich Tylski, who spent four seasons in Jacksonville. "You have five guys out there and we trust each other and take pride in working together. That's the nature of the offensive line."
Maybe it's because the Steelers will likely dress eight offensive lineman against the Jaguars, leaving three in reserve. Or because most of their backups were still walking on college campuses last year. Or maybe it's just because the offensive line, more than any other position, requires five guys working together in unison, understanding the pace and speed of the game.
Whatever the reason, there is more of a possibility for a snow squall at Alltel Stadium tomorrow than there is for a Steelers offensive lineman to come out of the game for some heat relief.
"We were making jokes after the long drive against Detroit that the [Lions] defensive line was already tapping out and we wanted to come out, too," said guard Alan Faneca. "But we just don't do that."
But if a 290-pound defensive lineman has to come out of the game to beat the heat, why not a 300-pound offensive lineman?
"He has to chase the ball," Gandy said of defensive linemen. "You know he's just a little more tired than you. That's why you're hoping the guy you're going against stays in the game with you."
Gandy gets an even better break against the Jaguars. The guy he normally goes against -- defensive end Tony Brackens -- will not play after his knee was injured on an illegal chop-block in the preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys.
Brackens, who has 37 career sacks, will be replaced by second-year defensive end Paul Spicer, who had three sacks in the preseason. Unless an injury occurs, Spicer will not have to worry about facing a different left tackle.
Offensive lineman are like sprouting dandelions. Once they start, they don't stop.
"You get in a rhythm and that's the important thing about playing offensive line -- getting into the rhythm of the game, how it's being called, how a player's playing," Gandy said. "Just throwing someone in there cold and trying to get them to pick up the pace is kind of hard."
After four seasons of juggling personnel and trying to find a right tackle, the Steelers enter the 2001 season with an offensive line that is more a strength than a question mark.
They lost their best player, seven-time Pro Bowl center Dermontti Dawson, who was released. But they replaced him with Jeff Hartings, a converted guard who was signed in free agency from the Lions.
Hartings had problems making the transition in the preseason but overcame some early troubles with the center snap.
But the Steelers will get a better idea of how Hartings, a six-year veteran from Penn State, has progressed now that the regular season is ready to begin.
"I don't think I'm a full-fledged [center] yet," Hartings said. "The games are a lot different than preseason. The speed picks up and you're playing an entire game. These games are really where you're going to get better."
Especially if the Jaguars want to see just how well Hartings has made the transition.
"Really, we don't know because it hasn't been full speed yet," Gandy said. "I'm quite sure teams are going to try to put somebody on top of him sometimes in pass rush to see how he reacts, to test him. Especially someone who's never had to snap and react."
What's more, because of the crowd noise, the Steelers will use a lot of silent counts on offense, putting an extra burden on Hartings.
"You can learn a lot from the mistakes you make and I expect to make some mistakes," Hartings said. "But hopefully I can learn from them."
He won't have to worry about getting enough reps.
NOTES -- The players voted Bettis (offense), Jason Gildon (defense) and John Fiala (special teams) to serve as team captains for the season. ... CB Chad Scott did not practice again yesterday and is not expected to play. He continues to be listed as doubtful on the injury report. ... WR Keenan McCardell, who had hernia surgery Aug. 16, and four other Jaguars starters practiced yesterday and are expected to play against the Steelers. They are: OT Tony Boselli (knee), CB Fernando Bryant (shoulder separation), TE Kyle Brady (staph infection) and LB T.J. Slaughter (shoulder separation). Also, backup WR Alvis Whitted (ankle) practiced and is expected to play. ... Since Cowher became coach, the Steelers are 3-2 against division opponents in season openers. However, they are 3-1 on the road, winning at Cleveland (1999), Baltimore (1998) and Houston (1992). ... Cowher needs nine wins to reach 100 (including postseason). His 86 regular-season victories rank seventh among active coaches. ... Kordell Stewart has 22 rushing touchdowns in his past four seasons, tops among NFL quarterbacks. ... Jacksonville has won its past five season openers.
Offensive linemen expect no rest in Jacksonville heat 
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