Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette Ben Roethlisberger and his mother, Brenda Roethlisberger, sit on one end of a giant soup spoon-shaped scale, balanced by cases of Chunky soup during a weigh-in to help support food banks. Max Starks and his mother, Eleanor Starks, also were weighed. The combined weight of the Roethlisbergers and Starks will be donated to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Click photo for larger image.

Most Steelers seem to prefer playing on a good artificial surface over what they play on at Heinz Field. Not their coach.

"I would never like to see artificial turf," Bill Cowher said yesterday. "I'm very happy with what we have."

The Steelers play on DD GrassMaster, a combination of Kentucky bluegrass reinforced by a small percentage of artificial fibers. Players slipped often on the grass in their Sept. 7 opener, held at night, and many more slipped Sunday, when the game started at 4:15 p.m.

The first big play of the game featured two slips, by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Ty Law as he tried to cover Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes, who then slipped and fell to end his 50-yard gain.

"I think it was that time of day," Cowher said. "The sun went down, and there was a natural drop in temperature. I don't think it had as much to do with the field as it did the time of day."

The New England Patriots are the latest team set to replace its grass surface with FieldTurf, reportedly before they play the Chicago Bears Nov. 26 in Gillette Stadium. (By the way, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has a 17-1 record on artificial turf).

The Steelers practice often on FieldTurf at their indoor field, but Cowher prefers the real stuff on game day.

"It may be a little unsettling for some of the players," Cowher said, "but in the long run, for the health of players, it's the right thing to do."

Arnold Harrison to start

Arnold Harrison likely will get his second start at right outside linebacker Sunday in Atlanta with veteran Chad Brown entering on passing downs.

Cowher listed starter Joey Porter as doubtful with the hamstring injury that kept him out of the game Sunday and ruled his backup, James Harrison, out with the high ankle sprain from the Oct. 8 game in San Diego.

Two players who missed the Kansas City game are questionable: punt returner Willie Reid (foot) and offensive guard Kendall Simmons (foot). Three players are questionable: cornerback Deshea Townsend (hamstring), fullback Dan Kreider (ankle) and center Jeff Hartings (knee)

Simmons burned his heel applying an ice treatment last week and, because he's a diabetic, the Steelers are taking a cautionary approach.

"You have to be careful with that," Cowher said. "That led to some of the things that took place. His skin is more sensitive, and you have a higher risk of infection with a burn of that nature with the state of where Kendall is at. We're very sensitive to that."

Brown fits right in

Chad Brown, 36, had the Steelers' only sack Sunday. He played primarily in passing situations as a rusher from his old spot on the right side, although he did see some late action at outside linebacker. This, after practicing just two days with the Steelers last week.

"A lot of it came back to him," Cowher said. "It was good to get him some reps, and I think he'll be a lot better with a full week of work this week. We'll see how it goes."

The what-if game

Cowher did not go as far as saying that his team played a perfect game while beating Kansas City, 45-7, Sunday, but he did play the game he says he dreads -- the what-if game.

"My first thought was that if we would have hit a couple of those plays in the previous weeks' games, we would have had a different result," Cowher said. "But it just seems like everything we called, we were hitting on. We got off the field after that first series on third down and we got a couple of punt returns from Santonio [Holmes]. It was just good to see."

Foote wins custody case

Linebacker Larry Foote has gained full custody of a 10-year-old son he did not know about until two years ago.

Foote filed earlier this year for custody of Trey-veion Hammond. The boy's mother, Khalila Shanese Hammond of Inkster, Mich., did not attend the custody hearing Monday in Michigan.

Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl A. Matthews gave full legal and physical custody of the boy to Foote. Hammond is to have "reasonable parenting time" with her son.

"Larry is excited and thrilled by the judge's decision. All he wants is to care for the boy and provide him with everything he needs to grow and succeed," Foote's lawyer, Francis X. Bujold II, told The Detroit News.

Foote, 26, has homes in Pittsburgh and the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield Township.