Sunday, October 12, 2003

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

The reason the Carolina Panthers are unbeaten is the same reason the Steelers are 2-3: The running game.

Stephen Davis has made a difference in Carolina. He has four 100-yard games and he has done more than help the offense. He has helped the defense by keeping them off the field and grinding out yards, the way they once did it in Pittsburgh.

"Stephen Davis is the best thing that's ever happened to us -- defensively, Carolina Panther-wise," said Panthers safety Mike Minter. "We've never had a back that could do that."

Kordell goes home

Kordell Stewart finally gets a chance to go home and play.

Stewart, a New Orleans native, was supposed to make his first start in his hometown in the fourth game with the Steelers last season. Instead, that was when Steelers coach Bill Cowher switched to Tommy Maddox as his starting quarterback. The year before, Stewart and the Steelers were one win away from a trip to New Orleans and the Super Bowl until New England upset them in the AFC championship game at Heinz Field.

So, unless he trips and breaks something stepping off the bus this morning, Stewart will start for the Chicago Bears in the Superdome against the Saints today.

"It will be nice to spend some moments with my family because I haven't seen them in months," Stewart said.

Great relief pitching

Gus Frerotte has a better passer rating in his 2 1/2 games than starter Daunte Culpepper, who was out with an injury. But there is no quarterback controversy in Minnesota.

"This is Daunte's team," said Frerotte, a Ford City High School graduate. "I took over for him a little bit. He's been able to get healthy and we got two wins out of it. The great thing is the guys have confidence in me. They know that no matter what happens down the road, either one of us can go in and run the offense."

Frerotte has a 119.9 passer rating; Culpepper's is 108.0.

Pittsburgh connection

Two former Steelers defensive coaches put their 5-0 records on the line today when Carolina plays at Indianapolis. The Panthers' John Fox was coaching at Pitt when the Colts' Tony Dungy was the Steelers' defensive coordinator.

Dungy resigned after the 1988 season rather than take a demotion to secondary coach. Chuck Noll then hired Fox as his secondary coach, his first job in the NFL.

"Anytime you follow somebody somewhere, there's a bond," Fox said. "I talked to Tony. He's told me about players. There was communication there. When you've been in this business as long as I have and he has, you get to know people pretty well."

Parcells fond of Philly

Bill Parcells loves the City of Brotherly Love. Not even becoming the Dallas Cowboys coach could change that.

"I think Philadelphia is one of the great sports towns in this country," he said. "They've got tremendous passion for their teams. They are vocal. I'm an East Coast guy; I know what that place is about. I'm from a place very much like it. I like going there. They have good fans. They can be a little rough on you. They are the ones who booed Santa Claus. I know because I was there."

Quick slants

Nineteen teams have started 5-0 since 1990, the year the league expanded the playoffs to include 12 teams. Of those, 18 made the playoffs, with the 1993 Saints the only team that missed out. Eight of those reached the Super Bowl and five won it.

The Washington Redskins (27) and Dallas Cowboys (24) lead the NFL in big plays (20 yards or more). Denver is next with 23 and the "dink-and-dunk" Steelers are tied at No. 4 with the Chiefs.

Could Rush Limbaugh have been right about one thing? Donovan McNabb, a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback, ranks 14th in the NFC with a 51.3 passer rating, 15th with a 50.4 completion percent, 15th in average yards per attempt and has only one touchdown pass and five interceptions.

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