Thursday, October 30, 2003

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

LOOKING AHEAD

Steelers vs. Seahawks, 4 p.m. Sunday, Seahawks Stadium, Seattle. TV: KDKA. Radio: WDVE-FM (102.5), WBGG-AM (970) and Steelers Radio Network.

NOTEBOOK

LB Kendrell Bell apparently has lost his job as the right rush end in the dime defense. He's disappointed but understanding. "I don't like it, I'll be honest. I don't like it just because of the player I am, but whatever's best for the team is what I go by."

Bell won NFL defensive rookie of the year in 2001, when he played inside linebacker but came off the field on passing downs. Coach Bill Cowher put him at right rush end in the dime defense last season and moved Joey Porter to middle linebacker. But a severe ankle injury in the preseason ended Bell's days at right end, and he played only on running downs in 2002.

The Steelers put him back at rush end in the dime this season, but last week they moved Porter back to that spot, took Bell off the field and put James Farrior at middle linebacker. Bell will remain at inside linebacker in their base and nickel defenses. He's second on the team with 42 tackles, leads the team with 9.5 tackles for losses and is third with two sacks.

"I feel I was getting more comfortable out there," Bell said of playing right end. "Of course, Joey's been rushing a lot more than me. Right now, we are sort of, basically, desperate. We need a good performance at the rush end to get pressure and everything, and maybe the best choice was to go back to someone who kind of mastered it."

It's possible Oliver Ross could replace Todd Fordham at right tackle Sunday in Seattle. Fordham allowed one of the two sacks of QB Tommy Maddox against the St. Louis Rams. Cowher said Tuesday that he planned no lineup changes "at this point, today."

WR Antwaan Randle El was named NFL special teams player of the week for his 84-yard punt return against St. Louis. It was a banner day for the special teams, who have been on top of their game the past three weeks and have been the best part of the Steelers' play recently. Safety Chris Hope sprung Randle El with a booming block and LB Clark Haggans added another.

The Steelers signed S Russell Stuvaints for the fourth time in less than six months. He rejoined their practice squad, which means the McKeesport High School graduate can breathe easier about paying the rent. Like all practice squad players, Stuvaints receives $4,000 a week. He signed May 2 with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie from Youngstown State. They cut him Aug. 26 after training camp and signed him to their practice squad six days later. Figuring now he could afford a place of his own, he moved out of his mom's home in McKeesport and into a North Hills apartment. But Sept. 30, the Steelers released him because they needed to sign an offensive lineman to the practice squad. On Oct. 7 they re-signed him to the practice squad. Two weeks later they cut him again. Yesterday he rejoined them after they released OT Morgan Pears from the practice squad, and Stuvaints said he's finally figured out how this thing works. "If a guy gets hurt, they have to make a change." When he was first cut, Joe Linta, his agent, told him to go Downtown and file for unemployment compensation. But he never did because he has never been unemployed long enough. Twice, he was supposed to visit other teams when the Steelers called him back, once minutes from stepping on a plane for San Diego when his beeper went off. He was supposed to visit Buffalo Tuesday.

Seattle's injury list: TE Ryan Hannam (knee) and LB Tracy White (foot) are out; LB Chad Brown (foot) and WR Koren Robinson (hip) are questionable.

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