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Saturday, November 03, 2001

Compiled by Gerry Dulac

Steelers (5-1) vs. Baltimore Ravens (4-3), 1 p.m. tomorrow, Heinz Field. TV, radio: KDKA; WDVE-FM (102.5), WBGG-AM (970).

Two days ago, after sustaining a strained left hamstring, LT Wayne Gandy said he felt as "healthy as a horse." Yesterday, despite sitting out the final practice of the week, Gandy said he felt "like a new car." By tomorrow, when the Baltimore Ravens visit Heinz Field for a 1 p.m. game, he probably is hoping to feel good as gold.

The Steelers officially added Gandy to their injury report and listed him as probable for the 1 p.m. game against the Baltimore Ravens. Gandy, though, said he expects to play against the defending Super Bowl champions. "I don't want to miss this one. I don't want to be standing on the sidelines with a lollipop."

If Gandy can't play, Oliver Ross, a third-year player who has never started in the NFL, will line up and face Pro Bowl DE Michael McCrary. Also, backup RB Amos Zereoue (shoulder sprain) did not practice for the third day in a row and, barring a rapid recovery, will probably not play against the Ravens. However, Zereoue sounded as if he were capable of playing. "It's up to Coach [Bill] Cowher. I feel all right. I'll have to wait and see. They wanted to utilize me as little as possible [in practice]."

Little by little, the Steelers plan to increase the playing time for rookie nose tackle Casey Hampton, the team's No. 1 pick. He was moved into the starting lineup in Monday night's victory against Tennessee, though he continued to rotate every other series with Kendrick Clancy, the team's No. 3 pick in 2000. But Hampton, 315 pounds, is so hard to move in the middle and plays so well against the run that the Steelers will start keeping him on the field more, perhaps playing him two series to every one by Clancy. But Cowher said he does not want to abandon some type of rotation because it helps to keep players fresh for later in the season. The only player on the defensive line who is not rotated is DE Aaron Smith. "It's only going to benefit us," Cowher said. "I think it's going to help us down the road."

Cowher has done a good job of getting his team prepared to play each week, using different devices to motivate the players and get them focused on the task at hand. After the Steelers beat Buffalo and Cincinnati to get to 2-1, Cowher said he would know more about his team after back-to-back road games at Kansas City and Tampa Bay. After the Steelers won those games, he refused to get caught up in the quick start and said the next two games against division rivals Tennessee and Baltimore would be a more telling sign of where the team is headed.

Then, after the Steelers easily beat the Titans, Cowher said the Steelers can't claim anything until they beat the defending Super Bowl champions. "They do an excellent job of motivating us," said cornerback Dewayne Washington, referring to the coaching staff. "And each week it really is a different challenge because we're kind of going down untreaded waters right now. We haven't been this successful since I've been here. It's good to see the coaches continually keep things in perspective and not let us get a big head because we really haven't done anything yet."

WR Plaxico Burress on the Ravens' defense: "You don't even have to watch film of those guys to know what you're going to get. Those guys will hit, hit, hit till the game's over. They got one of the best middle linebackers, arguably, in this game. Everybody knows that. They're going to get violent."

Art Modell once went 15 years without watching his former team, the Cleveland Browns, win a game in Three Rivers Stadium. Modell tried everything in those years (1970-85) to break the hex -- moving the team hotel, flying in, busing in, even sprinkling dirt from old Cleveland Stadium on the artificial surface at Three Rivers Stadium. "We had a lot of success here -- we won one and lost 100," Modell said. He is hoping that will change Sunday when his new team, the Ravens, plays at Heinz Field. Modell will attend the game, the first time he has attended a game in Pittsburgh since he moved the Browns franchise to Baltimore. He is off to a good start. The Ravens have won the past two meetings in Pittsburgh.

Jerome Bettis, who hasn't rushed for more than 100 yards in his past five games against the Ravens, needs 101 yards to pass his former Notre Dame teammate, Ricky Watters of the Seattle Seahawks (10,516), for 12th place on the NFL's all-time rushing list. ... Since last season, the Steelers are 8-0 when Kordell Stewart completes better than 59 percent of his passes (5-0 this season). ... The Steelers are the only NFL team to not allow any first-quarter points this season. ... The Ravens have won 11 of their past 15 games against AFC Central opponents, including playoffs. ... Ravens TE Shannon Sharpe, who has 657 career receptions, needs six catches to pass Ozzie Newsome for most catches by a tight end in NFL history. Newsome is the Ravens' vice president of personnel. ... In his only appearance against the Steelers, RB Terry Allen rushed for 172 yards at Three Rivers Stadium (12/20/92) as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. ... The NFL Gatorade Punt, Pass & Kick competition will be conducted before the game. A total of 40 girls and boys in age groups 8-9, 10-11, 12-13 and 14-15 will compete. The participants advanced from local and regional tournaments. Winners will advance to the national finals at a divisional playoff site in January.