Steelers Notebook:

WIFE2HOT4U · September 7, 2006

Patrick Cobbs has his head down more than normal these days, and it's not from disappointment that the New England Patriots traded him to the Steelers. That fact is the little halfback from Joe Greene's alma mater has his head buried in a playbook.

"Right now, it's just lot of learning," Cobbs said as he took his head out of his playbook for a quick interview. "I have to learn a whole new playbook and get caught up with these guys who have been doing it for two or three months.

"I'm just in my playbook every day and every night, just trying to learn this much and get it down as fast as I can to help this football team."

Cobbs, from North Texas State, likely won't be active for the opener tomorrow night against Miami ahead of Duce Staley. But as he picks up the Steelers' offense, he could make a case for playing. He played on every special teams in New England this summer.

"That will probably be an area I maybe can help this team out, too," Cobbs said. "Obviously, there are some good backs here. I have to get caught up first of all, and we'll see what happens."

He led the Patriots in the preseason with 188 yards rushing on 38 carries (4.9 average) and three touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.

A tough schedule

Denver coach Mike Shanahan successfully lobbied the NFL from scheduling the Broncos for the opener tomorrow in Heinz Field, citing it as unfair because his team's final exhibition game was on the road Thursday night.

Miami's Nick Saban, whose Dolphins played at home Thursday night, claims not to have tried to influence the scheduling.

"I never had anything to do with it in terms of whether we did or didn't," Saban said. "It's the same for both teams."

While there still are seven days between games, normal for an NFL regular-season schedule, there was a large cutdown between them as teams had to pare their rosters from 75 to 53 by Saturday evening. That's the same day the Steelers put in their game plan, which normally takes them into the early hours of the next morning. They turned around and added eight players to their practice squad Sunday. There also are other personnel issues as teams scour other teams' waiver lists or, in the case of the Steelers, pick up a player in a trade.

"It is difficult management," Saban said. "On the plus side of it, I think it's a great opportunity for our organization and our team to play a night game and open the season for our league. There are a lot of positives in it, too."

Bettis is busy

Jerome Bettis may have retired from the Steelers, but he'll be spending plenty of time in Pittsburgh this week.

Today, the Steelers will unveil Bettis' locker in the Coca-Cola Great Hall at Heinz Field. The ceremony begins at 5 p.m., with gates opening at 4:30 p.m. Parking is available in Gold Lot 1A. Also today, Bettis will sign autographs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the unveiling of the DVD "Pittsburgh Steelers: Road to XL" at the Robinson Township Giant Eagle.

He will make his debut tomorrow night as a studio analyst for NBC television when the Steelers kick off the NFL season against the Miami Dolphins at Heinz Field.

On Friday, he will be back at Heinz Field beginning at 6:30 p.m. for the first Caring for Kids All-Star Event, presented by his The Bus Stops Here Foundation. Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch will receive the first Jerome Bettis Award for Humanity and Community Service. Tickets can be obtained through e-mail at savethedate_pgh@yahoo.com or by phoning 412-913-5957.

Injury update

Coach Bill Cowher upgraded wide receiver Hines Ward (hamstring) and center Chukky Okobi (knee) to probable for the game while downgrading tight end Jerame Tuman (hamstring) to doubtful.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, out after an appendectomy, visited the Steelers' facility and attended practice last night but was unavailable for interviews.

The rest are listed as probable: cornerback Chidi Iwuoma (concussion), safety Mike Logan (ankle), offensive tackle Willie Colon (hamstring), offensive tackle Max Starks (knee). The Dolphins list guard Joe Berger (foot) as out and cornerback Travis Daniels (ankle) as questionable.

Advisory

The Steelers have advised fans to arrive early and be in their seats no later than 8 p.m. for the game tomorrow. A special pregame program featuring Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts and a ceremony commemorating the Steelers' five Super Bowl titles will take place. An official Steelers Terrible Towel wave will take place before kickoff and will be led by Corey O'Connor, the youngest son of late Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor.

Captains picked

The players elected captains for the season -- on offense Hines Ward and Alan Faneca; on defense, James Farrior and Joey Porter; on special teams Sean Morey and Clint Kriewaldt.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06249/719345-66.stm

WIFE2HOT4U · September 7, 2006

Steelers obtain RB from New England

Staley's status unclear after deal for Cobbs

Saturday, September 02, 2006

By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The story of Willie Parker and how he came to be the Steelers' starting halfback is such a good one that the team went in search of a similar one yesterday when they acquired rookie Patrick Cobbs in a trade with New England.

Cobbs, like Parker with the Steelers two years ago, came to the Patriots as an undrafted halfback. He was invited to their training camp after a tryout in May. He became one of the surprises of New England's preseason, leading the Patriots with 188 yards rushing on 38 carries (4.9 average) and three touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 115 yards and another touchdown.

The trade shows how worried the Steelers are with the depth at the position behind Parker, where they have third-down back Verron Haynes and veteran Duce Staley.

The Steelers last night acknowledged the trade after the Patriots reported it on their Web site. According to the Patriots, they will receive an undisclosed draft choice from the Steelers for Cobbs.

Unlike Parker, Cobbs, 23, played a prominent role for his college team at North Texas. In fact, he is the school's career rushing leader with 4,050 yards.

The Boston Globe reported that Cobbs had a contract to play for Montreal of the Canadian Football League before the Patriots signed him after that tryout in May.

Moving day

Chuck Noll once said that cutting players from his team wasn't the problem, stopping was. He did not make that statement during the Steelers' four Super Bowl wins in the 1970s, but rather in the middle of a four-year stretch when they missed the playoffs in the '80s.

Still, with 53-man rosters these days, even the coach of the defending Super Bowl champions should not have that tough of a time deciding who to keep and who not to keep as the deadline looms at 6 p.m. today for him to reach the final roster limit.

Coach Bill Cowher made some moves yesterday, but the Steelers for whatever reasons, refused to make them public.

Through various other sources, however, some of their moves became known.

They released quarterback Shane Boyd, giving rookie Omar Jacobs a shot at making the roster or at least becoming No. 3 on the practice squad. They released punter Mike Barr for the third consecutive summer, going with veteran Chris Gardocki for his 16th NFL season. They released rookie tight end Charles Davis, a fifth-round draft choice, and must decide between undrafted rookie Jon Dekker and newly acquired Tim Euhus as their third tight end, if they keep three.

An intriguing move to watch for today is whether the Houston Texans release veteran tight end Mark Bruener. If they do, the Steelers could move quickly to sign him.

Halfback Cedrick Humes, a seventh-round pick, also is out as are offensive guard Tim Brown, nose tackle Scott Paxson, defensive end Lee Vickers, wide receivers Walter Young and Lee Mays, linebacker Ronald Stanley and fullback Brandon Joe.

Linebacker Richard Seigler has a right foot injury and could be waived/injured. Veteran offensive tackle Barrett Brooks' season ended in the game Thursday when he sustained a torn quad in his right knee. He goes on injured reserve.

Once eligible players clear waivers, the Steelers will begin forming their nine-man practice squad which will include British citizen Marvin Allen, a receiver, as a designated extra player. Some players cut yesterday and today likely will be signed to that unit.