LOOKING AHEAD
Steelers (11-2) vs. Detroit Lions (1-12), 1 p.m. Sunday, Heinz Field. TV, radio: WPGH, WWCP; WDVE-FM (102.5), WBGG-AM (970). The Lions won't come in with a monkey on their backs -- they won their first game of the season yesterday. It's the first regular-season meeting between the teams since the infamous coin-flip fiasco on Thanksgiving Day in 1998, when the Lions won, 19-16, in overtime.
NEWS & NOTES
RB Jerome Bettis was one of eight players the Steelers made inactive last night. It was the first time The Bus has missed two consecutive games, and only the fifth game he has missed in his nine-year career. Bettis has groin and hip injuries. Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala made his second consecutive start at running back, but he was spelled more often last night by Amos Zereous than he was the previous game. The other inactive players for the Steelers were C Chukky Okobi, G Keydrick Vincent, DE Chris Combs, DT Chris Hoke, OT Mathias Nkwenti, LB Justin Kurpeikis and Tee Martin, who served as the third quarterback.
After thinking he would return from arthroscopic knee surgery, Ravens DT Sam Adams was deactivated for the game. Adams missed the Ravens' previous game against Indianapolis and had an extra week to rest because of the bye for the Steelers. But after testing his injured knee Wednesday, Adams still had some pain and did not practice all week. He was replaced in the starting lineup by DT Lional Dalton, who at 6 feet 1, 309, is at least 20 pounds lighter than Adams.
Mike Jones played middle linebacker in the Steelers' dime defense last night for the second consecutive game. Earl Holmes, who normally plays the position, has had a knee injury and Coach Bill Cowher preferred to use him only on the early downs.
LB Jason Gildon sacked Baltimore QB Elvis Grbac on the first series. It ended a two-game sackless streak by the Steelers and a three-game sackless streak by their linebackers. It was Gildon's eighth sack this season, giving him 58 1/2, one away from moving past Keith Willis (59) and into third place in Steelers history.
Ravens backup CB James Trapp (groin) did not return after blitzing and missing Kordell Stewart on an attempted sack in the second quarter.
Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala made a nice run on third-and-4 that led to Plaxico Burress' touchdown. Fuamatu-Ma'afala gained 5 yards, and he used a nice stiff arm on LB Ray Lewis to ward off a tackle.
NUMBERS
Steelers CB Chad Scott intercepted his fifth pass of the season, a career high for him. He also leads the team. Scott's interception came just before halftime.
The Ravens lost for the first time in December (8-1) since Brian Billick became head coach.
Baltimore extended its streak of not allowing a 100-yard runner to 50 consecutive games.
Attendance was 69,506, second most in PSINet Stadium history. The largest crowd was for last year's playoff game against Denver.
Steelers Report: 12/17/01 
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