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Thursday, November 28, 2002

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. Sunday, Alltel Stadium. TV: KDKA; Radio: WBGG-AM (970), WDVE-FM (102.5) and the Steelers Radio Network.

WR Hines Ward is on his way to becoming the first non-kicker to lead the Steelers in scoring since Franco Harris did so in 1977. Ward leads the Steelers in scoring with 72 points -- 11 touchdowns and three two-point conversions. With K Todd Peterson on injured reserve with 61 points and new K Jeff Reed unlikely to catch up with five games left, Ward already has a lock on the scoring race. Jerome Bettis is third with 42 points and Plaxico Burress has 36. Harris led the Steelers in 1977 with 66 points and in '76 with 84. He's the only non-kicker to lead them in scoring since RB Frenchy Fuqua in 1970. Ward also leads all NFL receivers in rushing with 114 yards on seven carries.

The Jaguars are one of only two teams (with more than five games against the Steelers) with a winning record against Coach Bill Cowher. Cowher is 6-8 against the Jaguars. The other? Tennessee, thanks to a 31-23 victory Nov. 17, is 11-10 against him.

With no fanfare, QB Kordell Stewart leaped past Neil O'Donnell to become the second-leading passer in Steelers history two weeks ago when he threw for 124 yards in Tennessee in relief of injured Tommy Maddox. Stewart has 13,126 career yards passing; O'Donnell 12,867. Terry Bradshaw is No. 1 at 27,989 yards.

Maddox said the meaning of Thanksgiving has changed for him somewhat since his injury Nov. 17 in Tennessee. "Thanksgiving was always a special time, but being what happened here recently, it means that much more to spend time with your family and appreciate playing with your kids and doing the things you can do. Yeah, I'm excited about it. I think that probably since the injury I've had Thanksgiving every day."

Homestead native Charlie Batch, used to playing every Thanksgiving Day when he was a starting quarterback with the Lions, will spend his first Thanksgiving at home in 10 years. His mother started cooking yesterday for a group of 40 at his house in Wexford. "Turkey, ham, everything, the whole nine yards," Batch said. "She starts at 1 o'clock today and carries on to the end. She said she'd be up first thing in the morning. The problem is, our weigh-in day is on Friday." The Steelers weigh in every Friday, and they can be fined for every pound they are overweight. "In Detroit, we used to weigh in Thursday, so you could eat Thursday night," he said.

Jerome Bettis traditionally has had more problems with his asthma in Jacksonville than most other places. "That's because that's the one place that's very, very humid that we play on a regular basis," he said. "The humidity there is always a little bit higher than most places, so it gives me a problem. Fortunately, we play them later in the season. When you play them in September and October, that's when it's really bad. Now, I don't think it's going to be that bad for my asthma. I'm sure I'll struggle a little bit. There's not much you can do; you just know it's going to come and prepare for it."

Defensive lineman Chris Hoke, cut last week, was placed on the practice squad.