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Notebook: Smith set to return to offensive line
Jerry DiPaola is the Tribune-Review high school sports editor. He can be reached via e-mail.
All-Pro left guard Alan Faneca, who has started at left tackle the past five games, said he plans to move back to guard Sunday against the Cleveland Browns to make room for Marvel Smith, who has missed most of the past seven games with a pinched nerve in his neck.
"That's the way coach (Bill Cowher) said we're going, and let's roll with it," Faneca said.
Faneca said Smith's return should help the offensive line's overall performance.
"Anytime you are missing somebody of Marvel's caliber for as long as we have been, we need to feed off that," he said. "Having Marvel back is going to be huge for us. It's one more horse in the stall for us. We're going to play better because we've been getting better, and we're going to play better because Marvel is back."
Smith will wear a neck brace for support.
"I've been practicing," Smith said. "The only adjustment will be the speed of the game."
INJURY UPDATE
Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward practiced yesterday with a sore neck and sore tongue that he bit while diving for a pass Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers. He also suffered a mild concussion in the game. Ward, who is not on the injury list, is expected to play against the Browns, if results of a post-concussion test that he took this week allow it.
Four Steelers missed practice: tight end Jay Riemersma (doubtful, sternum), guard Keydrick Vincent (questionable, groin), running back Jerome Bettis (probable, separated shoulder) and wide receiver Antwaan Randle El (probable, toe).
Cornerback Dewayne Washington is questionable with a knee injury, and four other players are probable: wide receiver Plaxico Burress (shoulder), linebacker Clark Haggans (ankle), strong safety Mike Logan (foot) and tight end Jerame Tuman (shoulder).
Bettis played the entire game against the 49ers and took repeated hits near the injured area, but he expects to play in Cleveland.
"Every hit," he said. "Think about it.
You have to block. Every time you carry the rock they are hitting you."
FEELING BETTER
Before the season, Steelers center Jeff Hartings wasn't sure if his sore knees would allow him to play next season. Now, he said he feels better than he has felt since 2001 and a return in 2004 is on his agenda.
"Yeah, I'm on Vioxx (painkiller). I'm on a couple Tylenol to get through it. But I'm having a lot of fun because it feels good. I love playing football. I feel I'm having fun, and I'm comfortable. I definitely think that next year looks good."
Hartings, 31, said the rehabilitation exercises suggested by noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews have helped.
Hartings, who has played in the NFL since 1996, has three years remaining on his Steelers contract that is due to pay him $3.7 million in base salary next year.
TOUGH ROAD
Browns coach Butch Davis feels no sympathy for the Steelers, the only team in the NFL that is forced to travel the week after playing a Monday night game on the road.
"Anytime you play on Monday night, it's tough, whether you are the home team or the away team," Davis said. "And, obviously, if you are the away team, it's a tough situation."
Davis does believe, however, that the league's scheduling formula should be altered to prevent teams from the AFC North to play both AFC West and NFC West opponents in the same season.
"I mentioned to (Browns president) Carmen Policy the scheduling idea of how you end up with the AFC West and NFC West in the exact same year," Davis said. "As opposed to counterbalancing that with the South or someplace that's close."
The current scheduling formula had the Steelers playing in Denver, Seattle and San Francisco in the past six weeks -- after playing in Kansas City on Sept. 14. The Browns have the same four road trips spread out from Sept. 21 to Dec. 14, and they are in Seattle and Denver in two of the next three weeks.
Logan said the short week is tough, "but everybody is focusing. We have a job at hand. So, it kind of changes your mindset a little bit."
The Steelers are 9-7 overall under Cowher after Monday night games.
LOOKING FOR STABILITY
The Browns have had nine offensive linemen, two running backs, two quarterbacks and three fullbacks start this season. "We're trying to find 11 guys who know each other's first names in the huddle," Davis said.
