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Townsend, Foote expected to start

Saturday, January 04, 2003

By Chuck Finder, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Go ahead and write in Deshea Townsend's name as a Steelers starting cornerback against Cleveland in the AFC wild-card game tomorrow.

	Deshea Townsend celebrates an interception against the Ravens Sunday. (Matt Freed, Post-Gazette)

Chad Scott sat out practice again yesterday, his right thumb in a cast, his right arm in a sling, his place on the injury report downgraded from questionable to doubtful. His position will be filled by the veteran backup with the wild hair usually braided. Townsend isn't new to this role, having started a half-dozen Steelers games in his five-year career, most recently last Sunday.

The only difference is, last Sunday against Baltimore was the first time the Steelers won when Townsend started, ending an 0-5 skid.

"That's good," he said yesterday. "Start a streak."

Go ahead and pencil in rookie Larry Foote's name as a Steelers starting inside linebacker. Kendrell Bell sat out practice again yesterday. Bell went out of the game last Sunday with a sprained left ankle. It's the same injury that kept him out for two exhibition games, four regular-season games and most of the opener at New England.

Steelers Coach Bill Cowher holds out hope that Bell can play tomorrow, though this is the same coach who historically prefers his players to suit up for one practice before competing on an NFL Sunday.

If Bell doesn't play, expect Browns running back William Green and quarterback Kelly Holcomb to try to pick on Foote up and down Heinz Field. Foote expects it.

	More Steelers Coverage: Steelers Report: 1/4/03 ... a word from our columnist Stan Savran: Bettis' role needs some re-evaluation

"Oh, yeah, they should," he said. "I mean, if I was the offensive coordinator, playing a young rookie, I would."

There you have it, the Steelers (10-5-1) -- a team with Super Bowl expectations at season's start -- must open the playoffs tomorrow against the surging Browns (9-7) without their most dangerous interception threat and the defender most dangerous to opposing offenses.

Townsend, Foote and the rest of the Steelers don't seem to mind.

First of all, Townsend isn't a newbie. He has been a fixture in the secondary since his second season, 1999, when he started four games in place of an ailing Scott and began a regular stint in the team's nickel and dime pass-coverage packages. He started the 2001 season opener at Jacksonville, again in Scott's stead, and finished the final regular-season game of his walk-contract year with two interceptions -- the first of his career, and both coming off Cleveland's Tim Couch.

"We were fortunate to get him back here, that's the whole thing," said Dewayne Washington, who starts at the opposite cornerback spot. "See, Deshea makes plays. We look at it like we have three starters."

With Scott out with a broken his right thumb from the Tampa Bay game, Townsend started last Sunday against Baltimore ... and seemingly almost fell asleep. The Ravens opted instead to work against Washington on the other side of Heinz Field, getting him in single coverage with Pro Bowl tight end Todd Heap, testing him on the game's decisive play on a Jeff Blake-to-Randy Hymes pass into the end zone with 14 seconds remaining.

"They sure did pick on me," Washington said. "If they want to come after Deshea, they really got to work on it."

Townsend, at 5-foot-10, 191 pounds, was credited that day with four tackles, one pass deflection and an interception in the end zone where Blake, on Baltimore's first drive, tried to force a pass to Heap who was blanketed by Townsend and safety Lee Flowers. Only one time did the Ravens seem to isolate a receiver on Townsend, and that came on a third-quarter out pattern to Travis Taylor -- for eight yards.

Despite the fact that Holcomb will replace r the injured Couch as the Browns' quarterback, Townsend expects a heavier workload tomorrow, when Hank Poteat takes his normal spot in the pass-defense packages.

"The Browns throw anywhere. The left [Scott's side] or the right. It doesn't matter," said Townsend, who began the season getting dressed down by Cowher on the sideline of the nationally televised game at New England. "They'll come at you when they want to. I'm ready for it."

The spot of more concern is probably putting Foote first ahead of the limping Bell. There, the Steelers are replacing the 2001 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year with a 2002 rookie. Foote, 6-foot, 234 pounds, came up with the biggest special-teams play last Sunday, if not the biggest defensive play, by courageously recovering Chester Taylor's muffed kickoff return at Baltimore's 31. That arranged the Steelers'winning touchdown. You survive scratchings and attempted eye-gougings from the Ravens, and you get rewarded with a start? Well, not exactly.

He started four early-season games for the ailing Bell and acquitted himself decently, for a rookie, outside of a gap-control problem that lead to a Deuce McAllister touchdown in New Orleans. Foote collected three tackles after Bell exited the New England game, then got three more against Oakland, five against Cleveland and four at New Orleans. And, by all accounts, he is a better player now than he was back then.

"I think he's come a long way," Cowher said. "I think for Larry, he played a lot early, then he had a chance to sit back and watch Kendrell play. I think he learned from that. Now, he's got a chance to apply what he observed."

Added James Farrior, expected to start alongside Foote: "I think Larry's definitely a better player than he was when he first got out there. He'll show it Sunday."

Just don't expect Foote to wreak the havoc on opposing offenses that Bell does. "There's not many people who can play like him," Foote said. "He's a different breed."