Special Concern Remains

BY MATT PAWLIKOWSKI Sports Correspondent PITTSBURGH - Frustration ran deep as the Steelers walked off the field following the final series of their 18-12 loss to the Bengals on Sunday. Guard Chris Kemoeatu nearly broke his helmet in disgust. Linebacker James Harrison was fired up and ready to take someone's neck off. Other players slumped on the bench with towels over their heads as all they could do was ponder what went wrong. It was almost a surreal situation at Heinz Field, as the Steelers were swept by the Bengals in the season series for the first time in 11 years, and fell to 6-3 on the year. "From the get-go something was just missing. Something was weird about the day," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. "I don't know if it was the weather in November, I don't know what it was. Seemed like even the crowd in the beginning ... everyone was just kind of different. But no excuse, we need to play better." Roethlisberger, who has been among the elite of the NFL's quarterbacks this season, completed just half of his passes for 174 yards and had a passer rating of 51.5. He was erratic, at times overthrowing open receivers on critical plays. The ground game, which had made a return during the five-game win streak, was nonexistent as offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, to the dismay of many, dialed up just 18 running plays. Roethlisberger was also right to an extent about things being weird. Last year during Week Nine, there was snow on the field, not people in the stands wearing Hawaiian shirts. It didn't feel like Steeler Football weather. Even more strange was a game in which the defense didn't allow a touchdown, which should be more than enough to win most games. The problem, which now has plagued the team in four of the last five games, was kick return coverage. This time it was an unheralded Cincinnati rookie named Bernard Scott who made the unit look like paper mache once again. Scott, who had not returned a kick since Week Four against Cleveland, fielded Jeff Reed's first-quarter kick on a bounce and rolled 96 yards for a score. He joined Cleveland's Josh Cribbs and the Vikings' Percy Harvin in doing so against Pittsburgh. "I've been here for 12 years and I've never seen this many touchdowns scored on our kickoff team in one season," Hines Ward said. "We have to rectify it, we have to get guys on there inspired to play. That just takes our crowd out of it and gives them momentum." Steeler coach Mike Tomlin obviously was disgusted after the game, and said he will look into all avenues to improve the unit. "I'm open to all considerations at this point," Tomlin said. "Let's be honest here, we've had three returned on us haven't we? I'd put myself out there if I thought I could do the job." Translation: Having veterans and regular starters out on the field if necessary might not be out of the question in the final seven games. "It's something where everybody is going to have to pitch in and do their job to make that part of our game better," linebacker James Farrior said. "It's affecting the outcome of the game. We have to get better in that area." That area is just one that the Steelers must improve if they want to get back to the playoffs this year. But there is still a lot of Football left and the players are not about to let the loss get to them. "These things happen, we have some things to correct, but it's onward and upward," defensive tackle Brett Keisel said. "It's tough when you lose to a division opponent twice, but they are a good Football team. We still have a lot of Football left to play. We didn't make plays today, hopefully we can do that next week." Ward agreed with Keisel. "It's tough," Ward said of the loss. "But the season is not over. Anything can happen. They did what they had to do for the year. Is the season over? No.''