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Tuesday, January 07, 2003

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Steelers (11-5-1) vs. Titans (11-5), 4:30 p.m. Saturday, The Coliseum, Nashville, Tenn. TV: KDKA. Radio: WBGG-AM (970), WDVE-FM (102.5) and the Steelers Radio Network.

Another NFL team might soon come calling on offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey to interview for a vacant head coaching job. Mularkey, who interviewed with the Cincinnati Bengals Saturday, has been mentioned as a possible candidate in Jacksonville, where Tom Coughlin was fired at the end of the season. "I've been working a lot longer and dreamed more about winning the Super Bowl than I have about being a head coach," Mularkey said. "That's my priority and my focus right now and this will not sway."

WR Hines Ward noticed the many Steelers fans fleeing Heinz Field near in the middle of the fourth quarter when the Steelers trailed Cleveland by 12. "Those are the fans who jump on the bandwagon when things are good, and when things go bad they want to talk bad about us and leave the stadium," Ward said. "But hopefully we can get them back on the bandwagon and stay on the bandwagon." With 104 yards receiving for Ward and 100 for Plaxico Burress, it was only the second time in playoff history two Steelers receivers topped 100 yards. Lynn Swann had 124 yards and John Stallworth 115 in Super Bowl XIII against Dallas Jan. 21, 1979.

Unlike their past three opponents -- Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Cleveland -- the Steelers and Tennessee Titans have not had the kind of rivalry fueled by trash-talking. "Tennessee just goes out and plays," HB Amos Zereoue said. "All the tough talk doesn't really exist between us and them." Zereoue had one final rip at the Browns when he heard that CB Corey Fuller had predicted the Steelers will "be going home next week. They'll be joining us." Zereoue said, "That what usually happens when you lose a game. He can watch us."

All-Pro G Alan Faneca after he realized the Steelers' 17-point second-half comeback to defeat the Browns in the playoffs was not a dream: "Waking up this morning, it was like, all right! We have one more week. We have to go in and work hard because we can't make this be the last week, either. It was just a feeling of accomplishment to go out there and do what we did. The feelings and energy that comes from that inside of you is not much you reach, even as a professional athlete, that you get to play in a game like that. They are very few and far between."

The players came in for brief meetings for an hour or so yesterday morning. They will be off today and will resume practice tomorrow. They leave for Tennessee Friday afternoon.