How do you talk about football these days, about playing games, about the importance of attacking the opposition in a certain way in order to become victorious?
The Steelers' Jerome Bettis discovered a means toward that end while attending a memorial service Friday in Somerset County with teammates and others from the organization.
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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart, left, and running back Jerome Bettis attend a candlelight prayer service Friday in memory of the people who died on United Airlines Flight 93 in Somerset, Pa. (Gene J. Puskar , AP photo)
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There he learned about a Steelers fan who grew up in Western Pennsylvania, moved out of state and died in the crash of United Flight 93.
"He was a Steelers fan his whole life," Bettis said. "He bought season tickets in Baltimore so he could see us at least one time a year."
The man's parents attended the memorial service and told the Steelers of their son's devotion to the team. The parents boarded the Steelers' bus. They hugged several players and talked about their son. Many cried.
The parents requested that no information about their son be released, a wish the Steelers respected.
That, for Bettis, was motivation enough to get back to the work of playing football.
"To hear something like that and know you affected someone's life in a sense that he's following you and that he's a diehard fan, it just gives me a sense of urgency to go out there and uphold that."
Bettis and his teammates returned to work yesterday and held a practice at their South Side facility. Any sense of urgency is tempered by the fact they do not play this weekend. Unlike others, they have an opportunity to ease back into football.
"Fortunately for us, we have a little bit more time than other teams, so it's a gradual process," Bettis said. "We don't have to rush. Ultimately, we need to get through this process in order to get to the next process, and that's playing games."
Bettis is captain of the offense and linebacker Jason Gildon is captain of the defense -- two leaders of the team who will play an important role as the Steelers go from a loss in Jacksonville to an unspeakable loss two days later to recovery and now back to work as unusual.
They have the entire season ahead of them and must find a way to focus again on football.
"Despite all that happened, we have a job to do," Gildon said. "We can't lose sight of goals we set coming into the season. It's going to be up to the captains to get everyone on track now that we've had a few days off.
"You have to come back here and try to get back into routine as soon as possible. It has been a tragic few days, but we still have a job to do and we have to get back to that."
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will announce soon whether the league will make up the past weekend's games or cancel them and go to a 15-game schedule. If it reschedules the games for Jan. 5-6, four wild-card playoff teams will be eliminated.
Whatever scenario Tagliabue chooses, it will be hard for anyone in the NFL to claim that it is unfair.
"Whatever you want to do, Mr. Tagliabue, that's fine," Bettis said. "You want to play 15 games, we'll play 15. You want to play 16, we'll play 16.
"Everyone understands the ramifications. It may be a shorter season, or they may be fewer playoff possibilities. You understand that going in. It's an even playing field for everybody, and the good part, it's after the first game. It's not eight games in. Everyone still has an opportunity."
Things tend to get tedious for a team that constantly practices against itself. That is why Bill Cowher and Saints Coach Jim Haslett tried to arrange for common practices here this week, an attempt that was nixed by New Orleans' players. The Steelers, Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the weekend off. The Steelers and Buccaneers did not consider such an arrangement because they play Oct. 21 in Tampa, Fla.
The Steelers held a 90-minute practice yesterday and will practice through Thursday this week.
"It shouldn't be too hard for the young guys because all they know is practice," cornerback Dewayne Washington said. "That's all we've been doing. It's not like we've played many games.
"I think it's essential for us to keep our focus and have some guys to step up and let the younger guys know that. We still have a season ahead of us, we have only played one game. This week, I think, will be really critical for us to keep that focus."
Cowher likely will send his first-team offense against his first-team defense in practice this week, something he does not normally do during the season. He has found that it helps turn up the intensity.
"We had a long weekend," wide receiver Hines Ward said.
"Now we just have to come back and get something accomplished this week and get ready to play Buffalo the following week.
"Last year we started off slow. Losing to Jacksonville and then having three weeks before we play again, a lot of guys are eager to get back out there and get into things."
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NOTES -- CB Chad Scott not only returned to practice, he led his group in 40-yard dashes afterward. Scott missed the Steelers first game with a sprained MCL in his right knee. ... DL Kimo von Oelhoffen (high ankle sprain) was the only player who did not practice. "We're very healthy and we should be even healthier next week," Cowher said.
Steelers try to regain their focus as they return to practice 
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