NOTEBOOK
Bill Cowher wants his defense to put more heat on the quarterback, but not their own man. QB Kent Graham came away with a swollen right thumb and forefinger and a cut in the fingernail when his right hand struck LB Jason Gildon's helmet. X-rays taken immediately after the play showed no broken bones, which came as a relief to Graham and Gildon.
Graham had just thrown a pass toward WR Courtney Hawkins when he hit Gildon on the follow-through. Graham yelped and shook his hand in pain. He yanked his helmet off and angrily flung it to the ground.
"I was little emotional," Graham said in the locker room afterward. "It's a little sore."
His hand was encased in ice, and he was to apply more ice last evening. It will be re-examined today, but he said it should not prevent him from playing in Cleveland on Sunday. Graham was relieved the hit caused no broken bones.
"Under normal circumstances, if you're rushing and you see you have a clear shot to the quarterback, your supposed to pull back," Gildon said of the rules they follow to protect their quarterback in practice. "It's to avoid accidents. I didn't see the guy to pull off. Once I turned around, I was in his follow-through, I guess. I was hoping it wasn't as bad as it sounded."
Gildon said he's had similar mishaps with quarterbacks Kordell Stewart and Neil O'Donnell in practice.
"I think it's just one of those things that happen."
Coach Bill Cowher will list two defensive starters as questionable for the Sunday game at Cleveland. LB Levon Kirkland, who has a sprained ankle, practiced some yesterday but did not do much during the full team drills. SS Lee Flowers has a groin injury and did not practice. Brent Alexander moved to Flowers' spot and Scott Shields' practiced at free safety. RB Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala, also listed as questionable with a hamstring injury, practiced. DE Chris Sullivan, who missed the first game after he had back surgery, will be listed as probable. He practiced yesterday. Cowher said if Sullivan goes through a full week of practice he will start Sunday.
Backup NT Kendrick Clancy will be listed as doubtful with a high ankle sprain. DE Kevin Henry, not on the injury list, did not practice yesterday because of what he termed a "tweak in my groin."
Cowher, on what he would say to someone who says his offense is too difficult: "I would say that he does not know a whole lot about football."
RB Amos Zereoue and WR Courtney Hawkins were inactive for the opener, but Cowher said that could change Sunday. He also said Zereoue has come a long way since his rookie season.
"Of all the guys we had at training camp, he was the one guy who was there every day. I think this year he has come back with a very mature approach to the game. I think he has grown up tremendously from last year."
Cowher said the depth and quality of his backfield is why Zereoue was not active in the opener.
"It is nothing that Amos has not done. It is what is right now in front of him."
As a former Browns player and coach, Cowher always will have memories from his days in Cleveland and of old Cleveland Stadium. But the rivalry no longer takes on more meaning to him as he moves into his ninth season as the Steelers' coach.
"No, those days are in the past. It takes more meaning right now because we are 0-1 and we are playing up there and we need this win."
Cowher does have a chair from the old stadium and a hook from one of the Browns' old lockers in his office.
"My most vivid memories are walking underneath the ground and coming up through the dugout and coming up on the field. ... The pipes were older, and you wondered what it would be like if there were an avalanche."
Steelers Report: 9/13/00 
