Sunday, October 15, 2000
Players to watch
• WHEN BENGALS RUN
Pittsburgh's Levon Kirkland is one of the best inside linebackers in the league and the leader of the four-linebacker defense.
Kirkland makes a lot of tackles in the running game and should see a lot of Cincinnati's featured back, Corey Dillon, this afternoon. The Bengals like to run between the tackles, and if the offensive line can maintain their initial blocks on Steeler linemen, it's up to the linebackers to make the tackles.
Kirkland, who has 100-plus tackles in six of his eight seasons, is third with 31 tackles for the 2000 Steelers. A two-time All Pro, he's durable, too, having played in 133 games in a row with 113 consecutive starts.
• WHEN BENGALS PASS
Peter Warrick has stated his case politely but effectively. He wants four of five passes thrown his way each game — not the three he had against Tennessee, when he had one catch for 10 yards.
Warrick is as close to a can't miss pro as there is, but he has only 16 receptions in five games. But part of the blame is his. He dropped at least four catchable passes the first two games. Still, he has game-breaking potential like no other Bengal.
Bengals coaches said this week that Warrick will alternate on punt returns with Craig Yeast. Unless he's getting 10 receptions a game on offense, Warrick should handle every punt.
He's that good.
• WHEN STEELERS RUN
Defensive end Michael Bankston, a reserve, has been getting a lot of playing time with starter Vaughn Booker out. Booker, who returned to practice last week, will not play in Pittsburgh.
Bankston has stepped in a made several plays. He has 23 tackles, including a team-high tying nine last week against the Titans.
The Bengals will need another strong game from Bankston to help slow Pittsburgh's running game and Jerome Bettis.
Even in part-time duty this season, Bankston leads Cincinnati defensive linemen in tackles. Bankston will be matched against rookie right tackle Marvel Smith, who regained the starting job because of a knee injury to Shar Pourdanesh.
• WHEN STEELERS PASS
After five games, Plaxico Burress, the 6-foot-6 Pittsburgh rookie wide receiver, has 12 catches for 170 yards and no touchdowns.
Bobby Shaw, their 6-foot No.3 receiver who will take home about $5.5 million less than Burress this year, has 173 yards on 11 catches and the team's only touchdown receiving.
Burress was the second receiver drafted this year. The first was Peter Warrick. The two rookies are friends, but Burress would like his breakout game to come on the day he lines up on the same field with the only receiver drafted ahead of him. Burress' height could be a big problem for Cincinnati's short cornerbacks, Rodney Heath and Tom Carter.
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Players to watch
