Dermontti Dawson is going to try again.
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| Center Dermonti Dawson, second from left, says he isn’t worried about reinjuring his hamstring against the Ravens Sunday. (Darrell Sapp, Post-Gazette) | |
This time, he hopes he lasts longer than one series.
The past two times Dawson has tried to play after resting his nagging hamstring -- Dec. 12 against the Baltimore Ravens and the preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys -- he aggravated the injury and lasted only one series.
Now, after another prolonged rest, Dawson will start at center Sunday against the Ravens, and his intention is to last the whole game.
"It doesn't concern me at all," Dawson said of the hamstring injury that forced him to miss nearly the entire preseason. "You can't go into a game worrying about that. Being able to go through a full practice [Wednesday] and going at a good speed, I feel good."
Dawson has not played since he started July 30 in Dallas and aggravated the same hamstring that caused him to miss 10 games last season. The Steelers, of course, wanted their seven-time Pro Bowler healthy for the start of the regular season and were in no hurry to rush him back in the preseason.
Dawson tried several different methods of rehabilitation to expedite the healing process. One involved using different running techniques to help stretch the hamstring and the buttocks muscle. The Steelers got the idea from the trainers at the U.S. Track & Field Federation. The other was getting deep-tissue massages that were suggested by a visiting trainer who is a friend of Steelers trainer John Norwig.
Dawson said he has felt no twinges or discomfort during practice, though he realizes that "game speed is a lot different."
"You can't simulate game speed," Dawson said. "The way you contort your body is different. It's not the same as practice."
Edwards springs to life
Wide receiver Troy Edwards, who dropped three more passes in the preseason finale against the Washington Redskins last week, made several outstanding catches in practice yesterday that caught the attention of Coach Bill Cowher.
"He's really concentrating and focused; he's really worked hard," Cowher said. "We've seen him respond, laying out for the football in practice. No one feels more frustrated [about the drops] than him. It was almost a case of him pressing too hard. I'm not so sure that benching him would be the right thing."
Told about Cowher's remarks, Edwards said, "He's sticking with me because he trusts me and he knows I'm a good player."
Edwards said he's not concerned about the dropped passes.
"Which ones count now?" he said. "It's preseason. They don't count."
A new starter
Aaron Smith, the team's fifth-round pick in 1999, will make his first NFL start at left defensive end in place of Chris Sullivan, who is out at least two more weeks after back surgery. Smith began his rookie season backing up Kevin Henry at right end. Midway through the year, he was switched to the left side, and he likes it there better.
"I seem to do better on that side," Smith said. "For some reason, my steps are better, and I feel more comfortable."
A numbers game
Kimo von Oelhoffen wore No. 67 with the Cincinnati Bengals, and he wanted the same number with the Steelers. But it belonged to offensive tackle Shar Pourdanesh ... until this week.
Pourdanesh agreed to let von Oelhoffen wear No. 67, and he will wear No. 68.
"That was my number in college," Pourdanesh said. "When I was at Washington, 68 was already taken so I took 67, which was my high school number. When I got here, Brenden Stai had 68, so I took 67. Kimo asked me if he could wear 67, so it worked out for both of us."
Several other players changed numbers for the season opener.
Offensive tackle Larry Tharpe, who wore No. 79 in the preseason, has switched to No. 71 -- the number worn by Kris Farris in the preseason.
And rookie free-agent linebacker Donnel Thompson, who was wearing No. 44, will wear No. 90.
A name game, too
The uniform number wasn't the only thing Pourdanesh changed.
His hair, which was dyed platinum blond in the preseason, is back to its original color -- dark brown. And he said he is changing his name.
"It's no longer Shar Pourdanesh," he said. "It's Mr. Shar. So, from now on, I'm Mr. Shar. Like Prince."
A matter of no respect
Apparently the Steelers aren't getting any respect from the rest of the NFL.
The Sporting News polled 12 of the league's general managers and personnel directors and asked them to rank the top 100 players in the NFL.
The Steelers managed just one representative -- inside linebacker Levon Kirkland, and he was ranked No. 70.
The Steelers were one of five teams who had only one player on the list. The others were New Orleans, Philadelphia, Atlanta and San Diego.
The defending Super Bowl-champion St. Louis Rams had eight players on the top 100, followed by Tennessee and Tampa Bay with seven each.
Steelers Notebook: Dawson set to snap back Sunday 
