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Saturday, August 14, 1999 By Chuck Finder and Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writers
Forget 39-year-old Norm Johnson, despite chants from the Three Rivers crowd for "Norrrrm." By all appearances, the Steelers' front office has forgotten about him already, and he won't be kicking for them anymore.
The place-kicks last night against the Chicago Bears were handled by rookie Kris Brown, who elicited boos for himself and cheers for Johnson early -- after watching his first kickoff get returned for a touchdown and missing his first field-goal attempt.
The first field-goal try came with 11:15 left in the second quarter, from 38 yards. It slipped to the left of the upright.
His second try sailed right down the middle, from 49 yards, with plenty of extra length, for a 24-13 Steelers lead midway through the second quarter.
By his third try barely three minutes later, the jeers changed to cheers. Brown kicked a 48-yarder in a driving rain, again right down the middle, for a 27-13 Steelers lead. He added a 19-yarder early in the fourth quarter and was 3 for 4 on field goals and a perfect 3 for 3 on extra points.
Like his initial field-goal try, Brown's opening kickoff -- and attempted tackle -- brought a negative reaction from fans. He booted the football 72 yards, to 2 yards deep in the end zone, from where the Bears' James Allen returned it 102 yards for a touchdown. Just past halfway to the touchdown, Allen met with the seventh-round draftee and stiff-armed Brown to the ground.
Brown later kicked off 60 yards to the Chicago 10 and 65 to the Chicago 5. On the fourth kickoff, Brown was pressed into tackling duty again, pushing Marty Booker out of bounds after a 62-yard return of a 64-yard kickoff.
Fourth-year punter Josh Miller also kicked off twice during the first half, 66 yards to the Chicago 4 and 60 yards to the Chicago 10.
For all the brouhaha about Kordell Stewart's growth under a new contract and new offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, Chicago has a riskier business venture in rookie quarterback Cade McNown, playing his second NFL exhibition game in eight days.
After an impressive performance in a 9-7 victory over Indianapolis last Saturday -- and that on just two days of practice after signing an incentive-laden seven-year, $22 million contract -- McNown entered in the second quarter against the Steelers and stumbled.
His second play was a fumbled snap, which he recovered. His third play was an interception, the left-handed rookie rolling right and trying to force a sideline pass that DeShea Townsend intercepted in front of receiver Macey Brooks.
McNown, the player selected immediately before No. 13 Troy Edwards by the Steelers, went 10 for 23 and 123 yards, after a 4-for-10 start with the interception that DeShea Townsend returned 45 yards for a touchdown.
The Steelers' offense opened in what likely will become a familiar formation: Three wide receivers, one tight end and one back.
They have abandoned using four or five wide receivers, formations that became a staple on passing downs the past several seasons.
Rookie wide receiver Troy Edwards made his debut in a Steelers uniform on the third play of the game. Will Blackwell came off the field with a shoe problem and Edwards replaced him outside.
Edwards returned the first Chicago punt 12 yards. He fumbled another in the second quarter, picked it up, eluded two tackles and returned it 28 yards to midfield. On a third return, he ran 43 yards.
Out of action were: center Dermontti Dawson (knee), halfback Jerome Bettis (knee), offensive tackle Wayne Gandy (shoulder), noseguard Joel Steed (knee), defensive end Nolan Harrison (hamstring) and reserve tight end Jerame Tuman (hamstring).
Starting in place of the injured were: Jim Sweeney at center, Richard Huntley at halfback, Anthony Brown at left tackle, Jeremy Staat at noseguard and Orpheus Roye at defensive end.
The Steelers survived last night's game with no serious injuries. Rookies Troy Edwards (left thigh bruise) and Antonio Dingle (hit in stomach), and Will Blackwell (hit in the head) had minor injuries but returned to play.
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McNown struggles