Steeler Saga Cries Out for Explanation

There were no tears this week, but Pittsburgh quarterback Kordell Stewart still had plenty to say after the Steelers lost to the lowly Cincinnati Bengals, 25-24, Sunday at Pittsburgh.

Stewart, who threw a temper tantrum upon being pulled from last week’s 16-3 loss at Tampa Bay, was benched again after completing only five of 13 passes for 30 yards in the Steelers’ fourth consecutive loss--a defeat that ended their playoff hopes.

“There was no ability to move the football,” Steeler Coach Bill Cowher said of Stewart’s benching. “We just have absolutely no confidence with our offensive football team.”

But Stewart pointed out that replacement Mike Tomczak, who completed five of 11 passes for 77 yards, wasn’t much better.

“A lot of fingers are pointing at me, but it’s not just one individual,” Stewart said.

Stewart’s right.

It takes a team effort to score a season-total 21 touchdowns on offense--one less than Denver’s Terrell Davis. The Steelers have barely half as many touchdowns as last season when they had 41 and played the Broncos in the AFC championship game.

Asked if he feared Cowher would be upset with his remarks, Stewart said, “It’s not about what he says. It’s what I know. I’m my own man.”

Steeler President Dan Rooney called it one of the most disappointing seasons he could remember and promised to “take a long, hard look at it.”

Of course, it’s all a matter of perspective.

The Bengals would be happy if they had the Steelers’ 7-8 record. Instead, they’re 3-12, with two wins coming against Pittsburgh--the first time they won a season series from the Steelers since 1990.

“We swept the Steelers and knocked them out of the playoffs. That’s big,” Bengal safety Sam Shade said.

PANTHERS SPEAK OUT ABOUT SIGN LANGUAGE

The Carolina Panthers answered any questions about whether they were still willing to play hard for embattled Coach Dom Capers.

The Panthers, responding to reports that Capers is about to lose his job, put together a winning fourth-quarter rally for the first time this season in defeating the St. Louis Rams, 20-13.

Carolina’s Michael Bates showed the players were behind Capers even before the game started. When he came out for pregame warmups, he spotted a sign hanging on the Ericsson Stadium railing that urged Capers not to let the door hit him on the way out. Bates went over to the sign, tore it down and gave the fan a stern lecture.

“I asked him if he was around two years ago when we went to the NFC championship game,” said Bates, Carolina’s Pro Bowl special-team player. “I asked him what he thought about Dom back then. And he didn’t have anything to say to me.”

WHERE IN ‘DA WORLD WERE ‘DA BEARS FANS?

James Allen of the Chicago Bears rushed for 163 yards against the Baltimore Ravens, the best single-game rushing performance by a Bear back since Walter Payton gained 176 against the Eagles in 1986.

Not many Bears fans were there to see Allen’s performance, though.

After a local TV station bought up the remaining tickets to ensure the team’s 125th consecutive home sellout late in the week, the fans still stayed away. There were 26,091 no-shows in the 66,944-seat stadium.

The fair-weather Bears fans not only missed Allen, they also lost out on seeing the Bears hound Raven quarterback Jim Harbaugh, making his first appearance at Soldier Field since he was waived by Chicago following the 1993 season.

Harbaugh completed 20 of 35 passes for 185 yards.

“A lot of fans love me, some hate me,” Harbaugh said. “I recognized the equipment trainer, Jim Schwantz, Barry Minter, and [assistant coach] Ron Rivera. Not too many players.”

SNAKING HIS WAY INTO ELWAY TERRITORY

Eight times in his 25 games as the Cardinals’ quarterback, Jake Plummer has brought his team back from behind or broke a tie in the fourth quarter. He has done it six times this season, including the last two weeks in must-win situations against Philadelphia and New Orleans.

“I don’t know if it’s the look, but it’s something,” Plummer said of his impact on teammates. “The guys out there see when I come in the huddle the confidence I have in the situation and they build on that and they come out there and make the plays.

“It’s not going to happen every single time. But when it does, it makes the wins that much sweeter.”

It also makes Plummer more valuable.

The Cardinals called a news conference for today amid speculation Plummer would be given a contract extension.

MORA CAN NO LONGER TEMPER HIS COMMENTS

Jim Mora was hired as coach of the Indianapolis Colts last January after being out of the NFL since resigning as the coach in New Orleans midway in the 1996 season.

Mora, 63, left after 10 1/2 years of coaching the Saints, one day after a profanity-laced tirade following a loss to the Carolina Panthers.

After Sunday’s 27-23 loss to Seattle, there was no profanity. But Mora’s temper flared for the first time this season as his team finished 0-8 on the road.

“There is absolutely no excuse for our team to lose that game. And we can’t be content with being close. We are a young team. Baloney. The rookie quarterback [Peyton Manning]. The heck with that.

“I’ve been calm with you guys, but you don’t see me in that locker room or in meetings or on the practice field. I ain’t calm now.”

--Compiled by Gary Klein

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE PLAYMAKERS

PASSING

*--*

Player, Team Cmp Att Yds TD JAKE PLUMMER, Cardinals 32 44 394 0 JEFF BLAKE, Bengals 20 36 367 1 PEYTON MANNING, Colts 23 39 335 1 STEVE YOUNG, 49ers 18 23 267 2 KERRY COLLINS, Saints 25 43 265 1 STEVE MCNAIR, Oilers 29 49 263 3 BRETT FAVRE, Packers 14 22 253 3 C.WHELIHAN, Chargers 19 39 251 1 KOY DETMER, Eagles 24 43 231 0 R. CUNNINGHAM, Vikings 16 30 210 3 SCOTT ZOLAK, Patriots 14 30 205 2 STEVE STENSTROM, Bears 19 28 202 1

*--*

RUSHING

*--*

Player, Team No Yds TD RICKY WATTERS, Seahawks 32 178 1 JAMES ALLEN, Bears 23 163 1 JAMAL ANDERSON, Falcons 30 147 2 EMMITT SMITH, Cowboys 25 110 0 GARRISON HEARST, 49ers 27 107 0

*--*

RECEIVING

*--*

Player, Team No Yds TD ANTONIO FREEMAN, Packers 7 186 3 DARNAY SCOTT, Bengals 7 152 1 TORRANCE SMALL, Colts 3 120 0 BRANDON BENNETT, Bengals 3 119 0

*--*