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Tuesday, September 10, 2002

By Ed Bouchette, and Gerry Dulac, Post-Gazette Sports Writers

Oakland Raiders (1-0) vs. Steelers (0-1), 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Heinz Field. TV: ESPN; Radio: WDVE-FM (102.5), WBGG-AM (970) and the Steelers Radio Network.

Patriots nickel back Terrell Buckley didn't waste time making a contribution. Buckley, who was signed last week off waivers when LB Ted Johnson left the team, intercepted Kordell Stewart's second pass of the game. Buckley played for the Patriots last season but was released in the off-season. When Johnson returned to the team Friday, the Patriots released CB Tommy Knight.

Confused and outfoxed in their AFC title game loss to the Patriots, the Steelers tried a little trickery of their own on their first offensive series. On the second play, Wayne Gandy lined up at left tackle, then came to the right side and lined up outside right tackle Marvel Smith, creating an unbalanced line. The Patriots were not fooled. The play was an incomplete pass by Stewart.

The Steelers and Patriots previously opened the season on a Monday night in 1979, also at New England. The Steelers won, 16-13, in overtime en route to a 12-4 record and their fourth Super Bowl victory. The victory on that Sept. 3 night in Foxboro was Chuck Noll's 100th. Bill Cowher was trying for his 100th regular-season victory last night.

Hines Ward's 17-yard catch in the second quarter was his 222nd with the Steelers, tying him with Yancey Thigpen for 10th on the club's all-time reception list.

The officials nearly blew the flip of the coin by former president George H. Bush to start the game. Referee Tony Corrente told Steelers defensive co-captain Jason Gildon to make the call. Gildon clearly called "tails." Bush then flipped the coin and Corrente said it came up tails, New England wins the toss. The Steelers protested and, unlike the Thanksgiving game in Detroit in 1998, the officials corrected themselves.

First-year cornerback Nijrell Eason, waived by the Steelers on their final cut last week, had a workout with New England Saturday and will work out for Houston tomorrow.

The eight inactive players for the Steelers last night: Matt Cushing, Keydrick Vincent, Chris Hoke, Mathias Nkwenti, Lenzie Jackson, Justin Kurpeikis, Brett Keisel and No. 3 quarterback Charlie Batch.

The Patriots yesterday released CB Tommy Knight and made seven players inactive: Kevin Faulk, Ted Johnson, Stephen Neal, Greg Robinson-Randall, Tom Ashworth, David Givens and No. 3 QB Rohan Davey.

The Steelers were 3 1/2-point favorites by kickoff.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft, during pregame ceremonies to officially open new Gillette Stadium, proclaimed, "We've been waiting together for this night for 42 years." Then, as celestial music blared through the new P.A. system, a banner reading "New England Patriots, World Champions 2001" was unfurled and Kraft declared "Gillette Stadium is officially open and ready for the defense of our World Championship."

ILB Kendrell Bell, who missed the final two preseason games with a high left ankle sprain, appeared to aggravate the injury in the first quarter. Bell was injured on the play on which Tom Brady threw a 4-yard scoring pass to TE Christian Fauria. He hobbled off the field. But Bell returned for the next series and made the tackle on the first play back -- a 2-yard pass over the middle to Troy Brown. Two plays later, though, Bell went back to the sideline and was replaced by rookie Larry Foote. Bell did not return.

Foote is the backup to Bell at the "mac" linebacker position. But the decision to use him there was surprising because veteran John Fiala got some time at that position in the preseason when Bell was injured. Fiala was beat out for the starting "buck" linebacker spot by newcomer James Farrior. Even before he was reinjured, Bell did not line up in his new position in the dime defense -- rush end -- against the Patriots. He was replaced in that defense by OLB Clark Haggans.

DB Hank Poteat left in the fourth quarter with a toe injury.