If an unsettled offensive line doesn't get its act together, a second consecutive nonplayoff season could be in the offing for coach Bill Cowher and Co.

The punishing Bettis is trying to bounce back from his least productive season since coming to the Steelers in 1996.  Tom Dipace

Most of the talk during the first few days of Steelers training camp focused on how the relationship between quarterback Kordell Stewart and new offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride would play out. But Tom Donahoe, Pittsburgh's director of football operations, was monitoring perhaps the most critical aspect of the Steelers' struggling offense -- the line. To improve an attack that ranked among the league's worst in total and passing yards, and scoring, Donahoe brought 14 offensive linemen to camp, the most ever during his seven-year tenure. After only two days of practice, however, he was down to 10. "That's the kind of thing that makes you old before your time," Donahoe says. "We wanted to improve the line because, frankly, if you can't block people, it doesn't really matter what your skill players can do."

The bizarre 48 hours began with the Steelers' first conditioning test. Tackle Jamain Stephens, the Steelers' first-round pick in 1996, reported to camp some 30 pounds overweight and was unable to run the required 14 40-yards sprints. Stephens, who had been a disappointment in his first three seasons, admitted that he hadn't done much training in the weeks leading up to camp, and that night he was released. It was a gutty move by coach Bill Cowher because the player whom Stephens was expected to replace at right tackle, Justin Strzelczyk, had reinjured his surgically repaired right knee in March and is expected to miss the entire season. Enter 6'8", 322-pound Outland Trophy winner Kris Farris, Pittsburgh's third-round pick last spring, from UCLA. He arrived at camp complaining about a sore ankle, and X-rays revealed he had a stress fracture in his right foot. He could end up on injured reserve.

Then 12th-year center Dermontti Dawson, the best player at his position in the game, went down with a sprained left knee and was expected to miss up to four weeks. Losing Dawson, who has started every game since 1989, would be a blow to the Steelers. "It would be like Colorado losing the Hoover Dam," says backup center Jim Sweeney. Sweeney's geography needs a bit of work, but his point is well taken. The 6'2", 292-pound Dawson makes all the line calls, rarely needs help blocking a premier defensive lineman and even pulls to lead the way for running back Jerome Bettis. "Because of Dermontti, our offense can do things other teams can't dream of," says Donahoe.

Donahoe breathed a sigh of relief when Dawson returned to practice the following day for some light duty, running and making snaps. Dawson rushed his return in part because he realized how much work the line needs to put in to learn Gilbride's offense. Pittsburgh's front five possesses Steel City work habits, an aggressive nature and a cohesiveness and an intelligence that begin with Dawson. "You can look at Kordell or Jerome, but the truth is, the line didn't play up to par last year," says Dawson. "We didn't play well enough for the rest of the offense to get the job done. When the line struggles, it has kind of a snowball effect on the rest of the team."

Playing behind that line, Stewart threw 18 interceptions and was sacked 33 times. The Steelers ran for only eight touchdowns, which tied for their lowest total in a nonstrike season. Bettis scored just three times and averaged 3.8 yards per carry -- both lows for him since coming to Pittsburgh in 1996. The Steelers finished 7-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time in Cowher's seven seasons.

Dawson was held out of Pittsburgh's first two exhibition games as a precautionary measure, but he'll make his 165th consecutive start in the regular-season opener. He'll be flanked by Alan Faneca, the Steelers' first-round pick in 1998, and fifth-year player Brenden Stai. While Pittsburgh appears to be solid up the middle, the tackle spots are another story. On the left side, Donahoe signed free agent Wayne Gandy from the Rams to replace the retired Will Wolford. At right tackle, second-year man Chris Conrad has the inside track over Anthony Brown, late of the Bengals.

Gilbride's running offense is similar to the one the Steelers employed last year. On pass plays, however, linemen will be required to hold their blocks longer; Pittsburgh averaged an AFC-low 10.15 yards per completion last year, so Gilbride wants Stewart to push the ball downfield while using tight end Mark Bruener more as a receiver than as a blocker. "The offense may be getting more complicated, but for us it's simple," says Brown. "Our only instruction has been to be physical. We want to keep thinking to a minimum and get back to being the physical, dominant line the Steelers are known for. Just beat your man. That's it. The last thing our offensive linemen want to do is think."

Or have another season like Pittsburgh's in 1998.

-- David Fleming

Fast Facts

1998 RECORD: 7-9 (3rd in AFC Central)
     NFL rank (rush/pass/total): offense 7/29/25; defense 13/18/12

1999 SCHEDULE STRENGTH (rank): 17 (tie)
     Opponents' 1998 winning percentage: .496; Games against playoff teams: 5

Player to Watch

The 1996 draft was almost half over by the time Florida A&M linebacker Earl Holmes received a call from Steelers coach Bill Cowher congratulating him on being selected by Pittsburgh in the fourth round. "No," replied Holmes, "congratulations to you for selecting the best linebacker in the draft." In '97 Holmes finished second among the Steelers with 96 tackles, and last year he had 80 stops and 18 quarterback pressures. Overshadowed by Pro Bowl inside linebacker Levon Kirkland, Holmes is one of the AFC's most underrated players. He not only can stuff the run but can also chase the ball from sideline to sideline.

Other Info

1999 Team Schedule
Team Depth Chart