Friday, October 24, 2003

By Gerry Dulac, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

LOOKING AHEAD

Rams (4-2) at Steelers (2-4), 1 p.m. Sunday, Heinz Field. TV: WPGH. Radio: WDVE-FM (1020), WBGG-AM (970) and Steelers Radio Network.

NOTEBOOK

LT Marvel Smith (pinched shoulder nerve) practiced lightly again yesterday, but he has been officially ruled out of the game Sunday against the St. Louis Rams. So was TE Jay Riemersma, who has a sprained medical collateral ligament in his knee. The Steelers want to be careful not to rush Smith because they're fearful his injury, if continually aggravated, could cause him to miss the rest of the season. Smith has practiced each of the past two days but has been kept him out of contact drills.

With the decision to start RB Jerome Bettis, that means Amos Zereoue will return to being the third-down back. That also could mean less playing time for Verron Haynes, who was playing in most third-down situations while Zereoue was the starter. "We'll see," said Haynes, a fifth-round pick in 2002. "I hope not." Zereoue, who was not happy about losing his starting job, said that won't affect his performance. "Whatever they ask me to do, I just can't go out there and be lackadaisical," he said. "I have to play ball. I still want to win. That's the No. 1 thing here. It's not about individuals right now. A lot of guys want to go out there and do what they have to do to win ballgames, and I feel the same way."

Keydrick Vincent, who becomes the starting left guard with Alan Faneca's move to left tackle, thought he might get a good shot to be the starting right guard after his rookie season in 2001. But the Steelers drafted Kendall Simmons with the No. 1 pick, and Vincent remained a backup. "Going into my second season, I didn't know what they were going to do because I was always told, you never know what they're going to do in the NFL," said Vincent, an undrafted free agent from Mississippi. "I didn't get my shot. Evidently this is my shot, so I got to make the best of it."

With the temperatures beginning to drop, K Jeff Reed said it becomes more difficult to kick field goals because the ball becomes harder and does not travel as far. That was why he enjoyed kicking in the rarefied air at Denver's Invesco Field two weeks ago. Reed kicked two field goals from 67 yards in pregame warm-ups and averaged 4.5 seconds on some of his kickoffs in the game, including one that traveled 2 yards deep in the end zone. That is anywhere from a half-second to second longer than normal. "We tackled them at the 13 on that one," Reed said. "That is such an advantage." No wonder the Broncos are tied for second in average starting field position by an opponent (25.5).

The Rams might be "The Greatest Show on Turf" in St. Louis, but their high-wire act comes tumbling to earth on the road. The Rams are 0-2 on the road this season and have lost nine of their past 10 away games, dating to last season. Their last road victory came Nov. 3, 2002, in Arizona. What's more, QB Marc Bulger, who is 10-2 as a starter since replacing Kurt Warner, is 1-2 on the road. "I know we have not won many road games lately and we struggled," Bulger said. "But our guys have played on every surface and have won on every surface." The Rams, though, have never won on the type of surface -- synthetic fibers weaved through natural grass -- at Heinz Field. "The Steelers are going to have to play on it, too," Bulger said. "They might be used to it, but however much it slows them down, it will slow us down. It all equals out."

October usually has been a month in which the Steelers have harvested victories. They have won more games (32) and have a better winning percentage (.727) in October than any other month under Bill Cowher. But that has had little effect this season -- the Steelers are 0-2 in October.

The Steelers are preparing as if Rams RB Marshall Faulk (hand/knee), who has missed the past three games, will play. Faulk has resumed practicing, though lightly, and remains questionable on the team's official injury report. Faulk rushed for 116 yards on 42 carries and had 12 catches for 66 yards in the first three games. SS Adam Archuleta (ankle/questionable), who did not play in the victory against Green Bay last week, is expected to play against the Steelers. ..... The Rams have 12 sacks, but half of them have been registered by DE Leonard Little, who is tied for second in the NFC with six sacks. Little goes against RT Todd Fordham.

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