Case Study in Success

Raven quarterback Stoney Case was cut by the Colts before the season because the Colts thought he hadn’t learned their offense after four months in the system. But after Case spent six weeks in the Raven system, Coach Brian Billick was comfortable enough to name Case his starting quarterback and bench Scott Mitchell.

In Pittsburgh, Kordell Stewart isn’t scrambling or throwing deep, allowing opposing defenses to stack the line of scrimmage against running back Jerome Bettis. There’s a new offensive coordinator (Kevin Gilbride) this season, but it sure sounds like old times.

After showing measurable improvement this season with victories over AFC Central doormats Baltimore and Cleveland, the Steelers were bogged down again Sunday by mistakes, poor execution and easy-to-diagnose play-calling in a 29-10 loss to Seattle.

“They never really stretched the field, and that enabled us to stay close and keep them from running,” said Jay Bellamy, who made one of five interceptions thrown by Stewart and Mike Tomczak.

“We knew if they threw anything, it would be short.”

Cincinnati fullback Brian Milne, after he was released Wednesday: “There’s not a lot of people that want to play here. You can go around locker to locker and they may not tell you that, but if you look in their eyes--they don’t want to play here.”

That pretty much sums up why the Bengals are 0-3.