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Tuesday, September 11, 2001

Compiled by Ed Bouchette

Browns (0-1) at Steelers (0-1), 8:30 p.m. Sunday. First regular-season game at Heinz Field. TV: ESPN. Radio: WDVE-FM (102.5), WBBG-AM (970) and the Steelers Radio Network.

The Steelers' injury situation yesterday appeared just about what Bill Cowher said it would be Sunday. WR Will Blackwell likely will be placed on injured reserve and miss the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The Steelers won't have to make a move until practice tomorrow. WR Demetrius Brown, on the practice squad, is the most likely candidate to be added to the roster. But rookie WR Tim Baker also is on the practice squad. The Steelers could try to sign a wide receiver off another team's practice squad, swing a trade or sign a free agent.

WR Plaxico Burress had an MRI to his right shoulder and said it was sprained, not separated. He hopes to practice tomorrow and play Sunday against Cleveland.

NT Kimo von Oelhoffen and rookie LB Kendrell Bell wore protective walking boots on their sprained right ankles. Cowher called them "lateral sprains." Bell predicted he will play against the Browns. P Josh Miller was diagnosed with a bruised thigh. WR Hines Ward has a sprained ankle he said won't keep him out of Sunday's game.

Cowher will update the status of those injuries today, and that of CB Chad Scott (knee sprain) and FB Dan Kreider (calf), who both missed the opener.

Donovin Darius won't be blocking any more punts anytime soon. The Jaguars discovered yesterday that their starting strong safety has a broken hip. Darius, who blocked a punt and knocked Miller out of the game on the same play, complained of pain in the hip last night and a check yesterday revealed the fracture.

Jacksonville Coach Tom Coughlin revealed at his news conference yesterday that the Jaguars noticed a flaw in the Steelers' punt protection long before Sunday and took advantage of it when Jon Witman missed a block and Darius blew by him in the second quarter. "We thought it would work," Coughlin said. "We had practiced it."

Ward almost missed the Steelers 4 p.m. charter flight Saturday because he was busy signing a contract extension for four years that will pay him $9.5 million, including a $2.5 million signing bonus. He did not have to worry, however, because Kevin Colbert, the team's director of football operations, was right next to him as everything concluded about 3:35 p.m. The two then sped off to the airport.

"With the new stadium, Heinz Field, and the new [practice] facility, everything is just right for me here," Ward said.