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Tuesday, September 26, 2000

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Jerome Bettis is no wallflower, but he did not dance after he scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter against Tennessee. Titans linebacker Greg Favors stopped him. Bettis normally pumps his knees high after a score and he wanted to do it after he scored from 5 yards out to put the Steelers in front with 7:50 left. "The guy grabbed me, though, and stopped me from dancing. I was pretty ticked off about that. We got into a little scuffle there. After the game, we met in the middle of the field. He said no hard feelings but he didn't want me doing my dance. I was upset, because my home fans didn't get a chance to see me get my knees high up. I told him I'll dance the next time I see him."

Coach Bill Cowher won't reveal the extent of the injury to offensive tackle Marvel Smith, but others have indicated there was no major ligament damage. Smith left the game in the first quarter with a sprained knee. He likely will not play Sunday in Jacksonville. Larry Tharpe or Shar Pourdanesh will start at right tackle. Pourdanesh replaced Smith Sunday and finished the game. Tharpe was inactive for the game. Rookie nose tackle Kendrick Clancy, who missed the past two games with a high ankle sprain, plans to practice tomorrow and believes he'll be ready to play in Jacksonville. "It feels pretty good. I'm ready to go."

Bruce Coslet resigned as coach of the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday with a 7-28 record since 1998. He might have fared better if he had played the Steelers more often. His teams were 3-1 against them the past two seasons. The Bengals named former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau head coach, making him the fourth assistant to serve under Cowher to become an NFL head coach. The others were Dom Capers, Chan Gailey and first-year Saints Coach Jim Haslett.

Kent Graham is the only rated quarterback in the league without a touchdown or an interception. Denver's Brian Griese is the only other NFL quarterback without an interception.

The Steelers' kickoff team rank next to last in the NFL. They've allowed teams, on average, to start drives on the 37.6-yard line, 10 yards more than the average. Only Buffalo is worse, at 37.9. The NFL average is 27.6.

The Steelers' pass defense fell to 30th in the NFL, one rung above San Francisco. They rank 27th in overall defense. They are better at holding teams out of the end zone once they get to the 20. There, they rank No. 2 in the NFL, allowing touchdowns on just 2 of 10 possessions inside the 20.

Dan Rooney will complain to the league because CBS briefly pulled away from the Steelers' game Sunday to show the start of the Cleveland-Oakland game. The networks are bound to stay with a game in the local markets from start to finish. It's the second time in the past two years CBS has left a Steelers game for another.

Halfbacks Bettis and Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala each have five receptions, one fewer than wide receiver Plaxico Burress. Steelers receivers have just one 100-yard game in their past 27. Bobby Shaw had seven receptions for 131 yards against Tennessee in last season's finale.

A high school coach nominated by Steelers linebacker Mike Vrabel is one of six finalists for the 2000 NFL High School Coach of the Year. Vrabel nominated Gerry Rardin of Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuhahoga, Ohio. Former Steelers coach Chuck Noll is on the committee to select the winner.