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Friday, October 18, 2002

By Gerry Dulac, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

LOOKING AHEAD

Steelers (2-3) vs. Colts (4-1), 9 p.m. Monday, Heinz Field. TV: WTAE. Radio: WBGG-AM (970), WDVE-FM (102.5) and the Steelers Radio Network.

NOTEBOOK

Former Steelers safety and defensive coordinator Tony Dungy makes his first return to Pittsburgh as a head coach when the Indianapolis Colts come to Heinz Field Monday night. As part of the festivities, Hall of Fame QB Terry Bradshaw will make his first appearance on a field for a Steelers game since he retired in 1983. Bradshaw, who played two seasons with Dungy, will serve as an honorary co-captain for the coin toss. Dungy was asked yesterday if he will connect with his former teammate. "If he is not rooting for the Colts, which I assume he is not going to, then it will be hard to talk to him," Dungy said. "It's going to be fun for him, I think, to come back there. I am happy to see him come back because I know he hasn't been there much. I doubt I will see him."

Rookie Antwaan Randle El had never returned a kickoff until he had to replace an injured Troy Edwards in the preseason. But, after his 99-yard return for touchdown Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, Randle El finds himself as the leading kick-returner in the National Football League with a 29.6-yard average. He also ranks 10th in the AFC in punt returns, averaging 6.1 yards. "Kickoffs are a lot different," said Randle El, who averages 29.6 yards on 11 returns. "A person can field the ball and not have to worry about getting smacked. I guess that's the biggest difference. A kickoff return, you have to hit it more north and south right away. A punt return, you can make a guy miss, do some jukes, then get out. But, the kickoff, you got to hit it as soon as you get a chance." Randle El said he was never used as a kick returner in high school and college because his coaches didn't want him to get injured. But when Randle El was moved to wide receiver for the start of his senior season at Indiana, he was also allowed to return punts. When he moved back to quarterback after the first game, he still returned punts. "I'm starting to like kick returns now," Randle El said. "I like that punt return, though. The focus is on you. Everybody's watching you."

SS Lee Flowers admitted he didn't have to do much to get two interceptions against the Bengals and end a 30-game drought in which he did not have an interception. "I'm going to be honest with you, those picks were thrown directly to me," Flowers said. "It wasn't like I had to make a big play on the ball." Nonetheless, the interceptions were not an accident. Because opposing teams have been throwing more, the Steelers have been playing more two-deep coverage. That means Flowers, who is known more as a run-stopper, has had more pass-coverage responsibilities. "I'm just trying to make my game more versatile," Flowers said. "We're playing teams differently now. With teams passing so much, you got to play more cover two. Back in the old days, you'd play Eddie George two times a year, Corey Dillon, Fred Taylor. Now we have to find out where receivers are, whatever the game requires. If it's changing and you need to adjust to it, I'm just trying to do it. You look around the league, you see guys with six or seven picks average, they stay in cover two the whole game, like the safeties from Arizona and Miami. Those guys, at the same time, they get down in the box they can't stop the run."

Rookie ILB Larry Foote acquitted himself nicely in Cincinnati after his performance against the New Orleans Saints. And he did it almost immediately. The Steelers talked all week about the devastating blocking of Lorenzo Neal, the Bengals' 245-pound fullback. They watched him on film blow up Colts' MLB Rob Morris the week before. But, in the first quarter, the 230-pound Foote took on Neal and knocked him sideways with a thundering collision. "He lit him up," said ILB Kendrell Bell, the player Foote has replaced the past four games. After that, Neal did not appear to be much of a factor in the Bengals' running game. "It set a tempo," defensive coordinator Tim Lewis said. "It gives you a sense of confidence and it lets him know, 'Hey, I've watched the tape, I know what you plan on doing to me and I'm not standing for it.' " Foote said he gets a lot of help on the sidelines from Bell, who has played less than one quarter since mid-August because of a pair of high ankle sprains to the same leg. "He tells me about the little things, just make sure you got some depth," said Foote, a No. 4 pick from Michigan. "He tells me about the [offensive] linemen -- 'They're big so don't let them hold you; make sure you use your hands,' Things you know you can do to them, but sometimes they're not on your mind. It helps you out. He's watching me every play. When I come to the sideline, he's like a coach to me."

RB Jerome Bettis (knee) returned to practice after sitting out Wednesday. Flowers (shoulder sprain), who practiced Wednesday, sat out yesterday. So did backup TE Jerame Tuman (thigh). Bettis and Flowers are listed as probable on the team's injury report. Also, RB Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala (torn rib cartilage), who has missed the past two games, practiced for the second consecutive day, wearing a flak jacket. He is listed as questionable. The Steelers are concerned about Fuamatu-Ma'afala taking a direct hit to the injured area. Tuman, who is listed as questionable, has not practiced this week. His backup is TE John Allred.