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Saturday, October 28, 2000

By Gerry Dulac, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Jerome Bettis, who admits he was spoiled when Tim Lester was his fullback, has to adjust to having another new partner in the backfield tomorrow against the Baltimore Ravens. And, unlike the Ravens, who can replace their injured fullback (Obafemi Ayanbadejo) with a former Pro Bowler (Sam Gash), Bettis has to get accustomed to an undrafted rookie who was on the team's practice squad just two weeks. Dan Krieder, a free agent from New Hampshire, will be the third fullback in three weeks to line up in front of Bettis. "It's going to change my timing a little bit in the sense that I need to understand what Dan likes to do in terms of straight-ahead blocking," said Bettis, who is fourth in the AFC with 628 yards rushing. "It took me a while to get into a mode where I'm understanding a different fullback in front of me. I was spoiled so much with Tim Lester I didn't know how to make the adjustment. I learned how to make the adjustment with Jon [Witman] and I think it's going to be a lot easier the second time around [when Witman comes back]."

Witman has been the starting fullback since the Steelers elected not to re-sign Lester after the 1998 season. He had elevated his game this season and was given a lot of credit for the running game's resurgence. But Witman's right leg was broken against the Cincinnati Bengals Oct. 15, and he was put on injured reserve, ending his season. He was replaced by Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala, who had never played fullback before this season, but Fuamatu-Ma'afala's foot was fractured Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, and he is out at least four weeks. The Steelers likely will use a lot of two-tight end sets featuring Mark Bruener and Corey Geason against the Ravens, though Bettis said he prefers playing with a fullback in the backfield.

"I think everybody [does], except Barry Sanders," Bettis said. "The fullback gives you the availability of going straight up the gut and creasing the defense. You love to have a guy in front of you because you can go north and south a lot faster with two guys as opposed to one."

*WR Troy Edwards did not practice again yesterday and has been downgraded from probable to questionable with a bruised hip. Edwards, who was injured when he was tackled by former teammate Orpheus Roye in the victory Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, said he hopes his hip responds enough to allow him to play against the Ravens. Edwards has just 13 catches for 126 yards. "It was already bad. I've been trying to practice and I still got pain, and it never got better. Hopefully, it will go down some overnight ... and I hope I can play." WR Bobby Shaw (back) and RB Amos Zereoue (toe) have been upgraded from questionable to probable and will play against the Ravens.

C Dermontti Dawson is the only Steelers player among the early vote-getters for the 2001 AFC Pro Bowl team after one week of online fan balloting. Dawson leads all centers with 10,902 votes. Fan voting, which counts one-third toward choosing the team, runs through Dec. 8. Votes by players and coaches comprise the other two-thirds.

Ravens CB Robert Bailey, who was signed in free agency to be the team's nickel back, has been added to Baltimore's injury report with a bad back. He is listed as probable. DT Tony Siragusa, who had to leave the game last week with a spinal injury, and C Jeff Mitchell (ankle), who missed the past two games, remain questionable.

Despite adding tight ends Shannon Sharpe and Ben Coates and two No. 1 draft picks to their offense, the Ravens haven't scored a touchdown in the past four games. That has surprised many of the Steelers' players, including LB Jason Gildon, who said part of the problem might not be the players but the coach, Brian Billick. "Their head coach has been referred to as a genius in some circles, and sometimes that can either help or hurt you. If you take it for what it is, you go out there and put in the work and study what he's trying to do, it will definitely help you. On the other hand, maybe some guys get intimidated and feel that what he's asking is too much. It's one of those situations where maybe he's asking too much of those guys. They have a lot of young talent. You wonder why [they aren't producing]?"