Raiders Face ‘90s Version of the Vaunted Steel Curtain : Pro football: Defensive battle looms against Pittsburgh’s stingy and blitzing unit in another crucial game.

In the euphoria of the Raider locker room last Sunday after a victory over the New Orleans Saints, the question was like a bucket of cold water poured onto a hot barbecue.

What about those Pittsburgh Steelers next week?

Raider tailback Harvey Williams wiped a smile off his face and got serious, his eyes getting wider as he replied, “We’re going to have to screw our bolts in our helmets tighter and get ready.”

The Steelers have been eliciting that reaction all season, surging through the NFL with hurricane force, leaving destruction in their wake by playing the kind of defense that became known as “the Steel Curtain” during their Super Bowl glory days in the 1970s.

The Steel Curtain of the 1990s, the one Pittsburgh will hang at the Coliseum today for its crucial game against the Raiders, includes cornerback Rod Woodson, good enough to be voted onto the NFL’s all-time team at the age of 29, and a blitzing, attacking front seven that leads the NFL in sacks with 40.

But with Mike Tomczak officially named the starter Friday for quarterback Neil O’Donnell, who is suffering from hip and ankle injuries, the Steelers might meet their match today in a Raider defense that seems to have peaked at just the right time.

As a result, there might be a lot of bolt-tightening on both sides of the ball today, and a lot of bodies flying, but few points scored.

With injuries limiting its offensive capabilities, Pittsburgh has depended on its bruising defense and the foot of kicker Gary Anderson, who has made good on his last 19 field-goal attempts. He won last week’s game, beating the Miami Dolphins with a 39-yard field goal in overtime.

In fact, three of the last four Steeler games have gone to overtime, Pittsburgh winning two.

The Steelers have given up only 32 points in their last three games. And it all starts with that devastating blitz.

“They blitz 20 to 25 times a game,” said Raider receiver Tim Brown. “If you’re not prepared to handle it, it can cause havoc for you.”

The success of that blitz can be seen in the fact that former Ram Kevin Greene and Greg Lloyd lead the team in sacks from their linebacking spots. Greene has 10 sacks and Lloyd eight, meaning nearly half of that league-leading total is coming from blitzers.

The Steelers lead the AFC in defense, giving up 287.5 yards a game, and are second in pass defense at 190.1. They have given up only 169 points, placing them second in the AFC in that department behind the Cleveland Browns, who are tied with the Steelers atop the AFC Central.

None of this can bring much joy to the Raiders, who have given up 32 sacks, tied for the third-highest total in the league.

But Raider quarterback Jeff Hostetler worries Woodson.

“The most dangerous thing he’s doing and he can do to us is his scrambling ability,” Woodson said. “He can run the ball a great deal. And he’s a tough quarterback. I don’t think we’ve faced a quarterback that’s that tough all year.”

At 6-5 and locked in a fierce battle for a postseason spot, the Raiders find themselves in a crucial game that probably comes down to three questions:

--Can Woodson stop Brown?

Brown, who caught a career-high 80 passes last season, is on a pace to surpass that mark with 63 catches and five games remaining.

Said Brown of Woodson: “He is the only guy who is so confident of his ability that he takes chances and lets you run by him because he knows he can come back and get you. He takes a lot of chances. Either he gets you or he loses. If he loses, the scoreboard lights up.”

Woodson, who doesn’t lose very often, joked about how he plans to stop Brown.

“I think we’re going to put 11 guys on Tim,” he said, “and let the rest of the guys go.”

--Can the Steelers run on the Raiders?

Although the Steelers lead the AFC in overall defense, the Raiders lead against the run, giving up only 84.5 yards a game. In the last two games, against the Rams and the New Orleans Saints, the Raiders have surrendered a total of 38 yards.

Pittsburgh depends on the run. Tomczak passed for a career-high 343 yards last week in relief of O’Donnell, but Barry Foster and Bam Morris are the offensive focal points. Foster, who sat out nearly four games because of a knee injury and returned to the starting lineup last week, has rushed for 635 yards and scored four touchdowns. Morris has 579 yards and four touchdowns.

Raider Coach Art Shell said, “We expect them to come in here and stay with their strength.”

--Will center Don Mosebar play and be effective?

Mosebar is trying to recover from a twisted ankle that left him limping after last week’s game. He improved slowly during the week.

As the anchor of the offensive line, Mosebar is critical in holding off the Steeler hordes.

Of one thing there can be no question: This will be a day to tighten the bolts.

Raider Note:

Cornerback Lionel Washington will not play for the second consecutive week because of a bruised calf muscle.

RAIDERS

TODAY’S GAME

* Opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers.

* Site: Coliseum.

* Time: 1 p.m.

* Records: Raiders 6-5, Steelers 8-3.

* TV: Blacked out in L.A.

* Radio: KFI (640), KWKW (1330).

* Rosters: C19.