Larger text
Smaller text
Print
E-mail
Notebook: Haggans will play 'special' role for team
Jerry DiPaola is the Tribune-Review high school sports editor. He can be reached via e-mail.
While starting for Joey Porter, Haggans was pulled from most of the special teams, but he will return to all four phases -- kickoff coverage and return and punt coverage and return -- Sunday in Cincinnati. Porter, who has recovered from his gunshot wound, will relieve Haggans of most of his linebacker and pass rush duties.
Even when special teams struggled, Cowher used starters on those units, and this year, linebacker James Farrior covers punts and free safety Brent Alexander covers kickoffs.
"We don't want to use (starters) on all four phases," Cowher said, "but we have no problem using them."
Still, special teams remains largely the domain of young backups, who are playing there for one of the few times in their college and pro careers.
"We have some young guys, and the only way they are going to get experience is to be out there," Cowher said. "(But) you don't want it to be at the expense of points given up.
"A lot of times when you come from college, and myself included, you didn't do a lot of special teams. It's kind of learning on the run, but you understand, though, there is no margin of error. That's the way they have to understand it."
Farrior was brutally honest when he said the Kansas City Chiefs' special teams "wanted it more than we did" in the game last Sunday. If the remark bothered Cowher, he didn't admit it.
"I think it's healthy when you have players talking about what the expectation level is, what the standard is, and when it's not acceptable there should be frustration," he said. "That doesn't bother me at all."
No. 1 returner Antwaan Randle El said Cowher has emphasized special teams ever since he arrived last year.
"A lot of it has to do with the loss to New England (in the AFC Championship game) a couple years ago," Randle El said. "I know it's big to him."
Porter will start
Cowher made the return of Porter official when he upgraded him to probable on the injury list and said he will start against the Bengals. Porter was shot in the buttocks Aug. 31 in Denver, and missed only two games.
"He'll be ready to go," Cowher said. "We may monitor how much he plays, based on how he feels. The injury is fine. It's more from of a conditioning standpoint. He hasn't played in two weeks and hasn't done much until this week."
Porter may sit out some of the specialty defenses, especially the dime, where James Farrior has played exceptionally well in Porter's middle linebacker spot.
"It's nice to be able to have both those guys," Cowher said.
Center Jeff Hartings (ankle) and running back Verron Haynes (MCL knee sprain) missed practice, but Hartings will return today. Safety Mike Logan (quad) returned after missing one day of workouts.
Time to run?
The Bengals' pass defense has improved, but it might be tied to the willingness of the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders to run. The Bengals are allowing 159 rushing yards per game and 5.3 per rush.
Look for the Steelers to make a special effort Sunday to get their ground game on track.
"Denver has some success running the ball," quarterback Tommy Maddox said. "The Raiders had some success running the ball. We're going to have to have some success running the ball."
Patient Amos
Starting running back Amos Zereoue said alternating with Jerome Bettis doesn't allow him to get in a rhythm, but he understands the reason behind it.
"It's the fact that Jerome can still get the job done," Zereoue said. "Jerome still has a lot left. You cannot just have a guy like that not doing anything. It's not his name keeping him around. He's still a good player."
Zereoue doesn't like being pulled from the game, but he has accepted it.
"This is not going to put me over the edge. It's early in the season. It's not time for me to panic. We're still trying to find out how we're going to do it."
