Steelers Notebook: Cowher considering changes in starting lineup
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Injuries have compelled coach Bill Cowher to make several changes in his starting lineup in the past two games. He may make more this week based on merit.
Cowher will decide whether to replace two starters, one on offense and one on defense, when the Steelers play the Raiders in Oakland Sunday. He is considering replacing Kendall Simmons at right guard with Chris Kemoeatu, and starting Bryant McFadden at right cornerback in place of Deshea Townsend.
Kemoeatu and McFadden are second-year players who started for the two injured veterans recently.
Kemoeatu started against Kansas City and then split time with Simmons Sunday in Atlanta.
McFadden started the past two games, although Townsend played in dime defenses.
Simmons had a heel injury and Townsend a hamstring injury but neither is listed on the injury report this week.
Cowher might consider the 344-pound Kemoeatu a better matchup than the 315-pound Simmons against the bigger defensive linemen of the Raiders.
"We'll see how it goes," Cowher said. "Both of those guys played well and I haven't made a clear-cut decision at this point. Obviously Chris is a bigger guy and Kendall can get to the second level quicker than Chris can. They both have strengths where one's a little stronger than the other guy, but they're both good players."
Cowher said McFadden played "OK, but we'll see how that goes this week."
Injury list
Steelers: Linebacker James Harrison (ankle) is out. Safety Mike Logan (hamstring) and wide receiver Willie Reid (foot) are doubtful. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (concussion), wide receiver Cedrick Wilson (groin), linebacker Clark Haggans (ankle), linebacker Joe Porter (hamstring) and nose tackle Casey Hampton (hamstring) are questionable. Safety Tyrone Carter (shoulder), wide receiver Santonio Holmes (toe) and fullback Dan Kreider (ankle) are probable.
Hidden identity
Cowher often has talked about how it takes at least a handful of games before a team earns an identity. Asked at his news conference yesterday if his 2006 Steelers had acquired an identity, Cowher responded, "If there's an identity, it's not a good one right now. I would not identify a bad identity. I would hope that would change."
No regrets on timeouts
Had the Steelers had a timeout remaining Sunday, the final eight seconds of regulation would not have been automatically run out as required after the false start called against receiver Nate Washington at Atlanta's 33.
Cowher lost one timeout in the second half when he unsuccessfully challenged a 1-yard touchdown run by Warrick Dunn, then used his final two timeouts trying to "ice" Atlanta's kickers on field-goal attempts. The last one came with 30 seconds left before 46-year-old Morten Andersen, the NFL's second-leading career scorer, tried a 52-yard field goal.
The coach said he had no regrets.
"No, not really. There are always calls you want to come back, but the utilization of timeouts? No. You could say maybe keep the second one after the first one. And then after the second one, I called it again.
"I was really glad when I saw them bringing Morten back on. I was really glad I called it because I thought he was out of his range, for sure."
Cowher began his coaching career in charge of special teams. Does he believe that icing the kicker works?
"It did this time. I don't know. We probably cut it a little close. But I think that's the best effect."
Saints game later
The NFL changed the time of the Steelers' game against New Orleans at Heinz Field on Nov. 12. Kickoff now will be at 4:15 p.m., instead of 1 p.m. It will be broadcast on Fox.
The league also announced that it had moved the Chicago Bears-New York Giants game that Sunday afternoon to 8:15 p.m. at night, the first move in the new flexible schedule that allows the NFL to switch afternoon games to Sunday night to be shown on NBC-TV.
First Published October 25, 2006 12:00 am
