Time moves on but the issue over the extra time placed on the game clock of the Steelers-Patriots game Sunday won't.

	Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Steelers coach Bill Cowher greets Patriots quarterback Tom Brady before the game Sunday. Click photo for larger image.

Yesterday was coach Bill Cowher's turn to make his first public statements about the extra 52 seconds that were added by the home clock keeper and missed by the officiating crew and just about everyone else.

"That's really a nonissue," Cowher said. "At the time when it happened, obviously nobody saw it. So much football was left to be played."

Cowher did add one interesting fact: Had those 52 seconds not been added early in the fourth quarter and as the Patriots were driving toward a field goal that would put them up by seven with 3:21 left in the game, he probably would have called a timeout on third down.

"I let it run to 3:21, knowing we had three timeouts," Cowher said. "I thought we had plenty of time to move the ball down. If it was under three minutes as it would have been [had the 52 seconds not been added], I probably would have used a timeout at that point to save the time."

In other words, it still might have come down to the same amount of time at the end for the Patriots, who scored on Adam Vinatieri's 43-yard field goal with one second left for a 23-20 victory.

"You know what?" Cowher said. "It was what it was. We all played the same scenario. The bottom line is, we didn't get it done and they did. And I don't think the clock was an issue at all. ... I don't think it had any bearing whatsoever on the game, I truly believe that."

Driving Miss Daisy

Ben Roethlisberger will attend the homecoming game of his alma mater, Findlay High School in Ohio, this weekend and also drive his sister and her "date" to the homecoming dance.

"She's not old enough to drive, so I'm taking her to the dance. I'm chauffeuring her and her friend to the dance. My mom was going to take her in the minivan but I'm going to do it."

"I'm going to go in, I'm going to test the punch, make sure it's not spiked at the dance. I'm going to take care and make sure he doesn't try anything crazy."

Bettis practices

Jerome Bettis practiced for the first time since his calf muscle was pulled in the third exhibition game.

"I think, again, he's ready to go and certainly get a chance to get out there and get some work for the first time in a number of weeks," Cowher said. "It's encouraging with that. Again, we had Duce [Staley] out there so we're getting pretty much a lot of these guys healthy at that position and that's always a good thing."

Even with Staley and Bettis healthy, Willie Parker, who leads the AFC with 327 yards rushing, will start at San Diego.

"Willie's done a good job," Cowher said. "Willie's earned an opportunity he's been given, and I don't anticipate changing Willie. But certainly we'll have to sit down and see how the rest of the mix plays out."

Quick slants

Rookie running back Noah Herron, released Friday to make room on the roster for rookie wide receiver Nate Washington, signed to the practice squad as did undrafteed rookie linebacker Arnold Harrison of Georgia, who was in training camp with them. Rookie fullback Zach Tuiasosopo was released from the practice squad. ... After practice today, the Steelers have off until Monday, when they begin preparations for their next game, Oct. 10 in San Diego.