NFL THE HALFWAY POINT : Steelers Bounce Back to Life

After the Pittsburgh Steelers lost their first two games of the season by a combined score of 92-10, the fans and media savaged the team and suggested the NFL had passed Coach Chuck Noll by. Six weeks later, at the midpoint of the regular season, the Steelers are 4-4 and one of six AFC teams in line for the AFC’s second wild-card berth.

Quarterback Walter Andrew (Bubby) Brister III is not all that surprised. But he’s probably the only one.

“I said a long time ago if at the midway point we were 4-4 we’d have a good chance to win nine or 10 games and make the playoffs,” Brister says. “We probably still have some non-believers in (the media), but we believe in our locker room.”

After facing six 1988 playoff teams in the first seven games, the Steelers see two over the second half.

The Steelers aren’t the only story of note at mid-season. There is finally a new commissioner and the league can address the labor dispute, drug testing and a new TV contract. Here’s the on-the-field halftime report:

The good: The New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers, winners of two of the past three Super Bowls, each has a league-best 7-1 record. None of the teams who have won Super Bowls in the 1980s have a losing record.

The bad: The Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams -- each 5-3 -- got off to terrific starts, then went down in flames with matching three-game losing streaks.

The ugly: The Dallas Cowboys are halfway to an 0-16 season. Coach Jimmy Johnson, who lost four games in his past four seasons at the University of Miami, has been walking the sideline with glazed eyes. Unfortunately, Dallas (along with Seattle) has the toughest second-half schedule in the league; opponents are a combined 40-24. Fortunately, Dallas has six of the 1990 draft’s first 81 picks.

Amazingly, the 1-7 New York Jets have Coach Joe Walton under contract through 1991.

Where did he come from? Why, Azusa Pacific, of course. We’re talking about Kansas City running back Christian Okoye, the “Nigerian Nightmare.” The 253-pound former sprinter (yes, it sounds incongruous) has carried 177 times for a league-high 810 yards. The last time a running back from that franchise won the league rushing title was in 1960, when Abner Haynes gained 875 yards for the AFL Dallas Texans.

What’s their line? The Phoenix Cardinals, who have lost 14 starters for at least one game, played four defensive ends on their line at one point in last week’s game in Dallas.

Still the franchise: After Philadelphia quarterback Randall Cunningham produced 73 percent of the Eagles offense a year ago, Coach Buddy Ryan promised he would be better supported this season. Cunningham, who is headed toward his third consecutive team rushing title, has contributed 78 percent of Philadelphia’s 2,693 total yards.

Thirtysomething-else: Phoenix wide receiver J.T. Smith, 34, and former Cardinals teammate Ottis Anderson, who turns 32 in two weeks, are making a case for a senior football circuit. Smith has 60 catches for 759 yards and five touchdowns and is on pace to destroy Art Monk’s league record of 106 in a single season. Anderson has carried 179 times for 609 yards and seven touchdowns for the Giants -- and is on pace to break the Guinness modern record for time in a whirlpool.

Silver stench: The Detroit Lions’ Silver Stretch offense has merely stretched the credibility of offensive coach Mouse Davis. In eight games the Stretch has produced three touchdown passes, 16 interceptions and 34 sacks.

The San Francisco treat: 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice has caught 42 passes for 869 yards (20.7 average) and nine touchdowns. In fewer than five seasons he has caught 58 touchdown passes in 55 starts.

Umm, umm, bad: Atlanta Coach Marion Campbell, who has presided over a 2-6 first half, has a 33-77-1 career record in the NFL. He is expected to retire at the end of the season when his contract runs out.

Youth is served: Minus Harry Carson, George Martin, Kenny Hill, Jim Burt, the Giants defense has improved dramatically, compared with the first half of 1988. Points allowed: 109 vs. 168; passing yards: 1,591 vs. 1,900; interceptions: 13 vs. 7; touchdown passes allowed: 8 vs. 15; first downs: 131 vs. 163.

Onward and upward: Last season Tampa Bay quarterback Vinny Testaverde threw an NFC-record 35 interceptions. Can he throw the 26 he needs in his last eight games to break that mark?

Sudden impact: The following rookies are among the top three tacklers for their teams: Denver safety Steve Atwater (71, first), Phoenix linebacker Eric Hill (46, second), New Orleans cornerback Robert Massey (39, second), Giants safety Myron Guyton (50, third). There are a handful of Rookie of the Year candidates: Detroit running back Barry Sanders (112 carries, 597 yards); Atlanta wide receiver Shawn Collins (29 catches, 457 yards); Indianapolis wideout Andre Rison (25 catches, 353 yards); Giants running back Dave Meggett (9.5-yard punt-return average, 14 catches, 246 yards); Atlanta cornerback Deion Sanders (three interceptions, 11.7 punt-return average).

Fresh wheels: Herschel Walker has carried 50 times since being traded to Minnesota and gained 305 yards in three games. It took Walker five games and 81 rushes to gain 246 yards in Dallas. Redskins’ Gerald Riggs has carried 154 times for 658 yards since arriving in Washington, although he has lost three fumbles.

Magik man: Green Bay quarterback Don Majkowski, the 10th-round pick out of Virginia in 1987, has completed 171 of 280 passes for a staggering 2,303 yards. His quarterback rating of 88.4 is surpassed only by San Francisco’s Joe Montana, Bobby Hebert of the Saints, Houston’s Warren Moon, Cincinnati’s Boomer Esiason and Buffalo’s Jim Kelly. Green Bay’s offense, ranked 24th last year, is No.2.

Miscellaneous: Buffalo running back Thurman Thomas has an outside chance to match the 1985 feat of San Francisco’s Roger Craig by clearing 1,000 yards for both running and receiving. So far Thomas has rushed 113 times for 502 yards and caught 33 passes for 379 yards.

Rams’ wide receiver Willie Anderson is averaging 31.7 yards on 15 catches.

Linebacker Mike Merriweather, the Vikings’ other trade acquisition, has 54 tackles, third on the team, plus four forced fumbles, three interceptions and 2.5 sacks.

Massive turnover: Detroit has a minus-21 turnover net; the Lions have lost 31 balls so far.

Houston leads the NFL with 76 penalties, worth 599 yards.

The 49ers have completed an amazing 70 percent of their passes.

Denver’s Simon Fletcher leads the AFC with 8.5 sacks.

The Bears’ defense is ranked 22nd in the league, averaging 355 yards per game.