?pAfter a spirited apply final week Jerome Bettis strolled into the empty cafeteria at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ coaching facility and assisted himself to three oatmeal-raisin cookies, warming them in a close by toaster. Normally the 5’11", 255-pound running back again is cautious about indulging his sweet tooth, especially going into the playoffs, but he munched on these cookies with out remorse. The Bus is rolling toward retirement. He can eat what ever he pleases, anytime he pleases. ?That’s not the only change in Bettis’s regimen. As his 13th NFL period winds down, he’s stockpiling mementos: mangled gloves, muddy shoes, something that will remind him of his final taking part in times. But as he’s fast to stage out, his interest in keepsakes should not be taken as a sign that he’s lost his hunger for the game. Bettis nonetheless relishes his role as Pittsburgh’s battering ram. "It’s fair to say," he said in between bites, "that I am our Previous Reliable." ?The Steelers will need each ounce of Bettis’s desire this Sunday, when they travel to Indianapolis to encounter the 14-two Colts in an AFC divisional playoff. In a postseason weekend consisting of 4 rematches of normal-period games, the 1 in the RCA Dome retains the most intrigue. Though Pittsburgh posted a 31-17 wild-card win more than the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday, the sport essentially ended on the Bengals’ 2nd play, when Steelers defensive finish Kimo von Oelhoffen inadvertently delivered a direct hit on quarterback Carson Palmer’s left knee, tearing the ACL. The air went out of a raucous Paul Brown Stadium crowd, and the Steelers wore down their AFC North rival.After a spirited apply last week Jerome Bettis strolled into the empty cafeteria at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ training facility and helped himself to three oatmeal-raisin cookies, warming them in a nearby toaster. Normally the 5’11", 255-pound running back again is careful about indulging his sweet tooth, particularly heading into the playoffs, but he munched on these cookies with out regret. The Bus is rolling towards retirement. He can consume whatever he pleases, whenever he pleases. ?That is not the only change in Bettis’s routine. As his 13th NFL period winds down, he is stockpiling mementos: mangled gloves,Nike free run, muddy footwear, anything that will remind him of his last playing times. But as he is fast to point out, his curiosity in keepsakes should not be taken as a indicator that he’s lost his hunger for the game. Bettis nonetheless relishes his function as Pittsburgh’s battering ram. "It’s honest to say," he stated in between bites, "that I am our Previous Dependable." ?The Steelers will need each ounce of Bettis’s want this Sunday, when they travel to Indianapolis to encounter the 14-two Colts in an AFC divisional playoff. In a postseason weekend consisting of four rematches of regular-season games, the one in the RCA Dome retains the most intrigue. Though Pittsburgh posted a 31-17 wild-card win more than the Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday,nike free tilbud, the game essentially finished on the Bengals’ 2nd perform,nike free run 2, when Steelers defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen inadvertently delivered a immediate strike on quarterback Carson Palmer’s left knee, tearing the ACL. The air went out of a raucous Paul Brown Stadium crowd, and the Steelers wore down their AFC North rival.The job will not be so simple this weekend. The Colts dominated the Steelers, 26-seven, in their initial assembly, a Monday-evening game on Nov. 28. Reflecting on that reduction, which came in the center of a 3-sport dropping streak that almost ruined Pittsburgh’s playoff chances, the Steelers point out the same obstacles that have doomed most visitors to Indianapolis–the din inside the Dome, the pace of the Colts’ defense and the aggravation that sets in as soon as quarterback Peyton Manning’s high-scoring offense gets a lead.To avoid that fate, the Steelers will depend on their operating game, which has been the driving force in their five directly wins but which accounted for only 86 yards on the initial journey to Indy. That indicates a big helping of the fleet Willie Parker, who ran for one,202 yards and 4 touchdowns this year, complemented by the pounding of Bettis (368 yards, nine scores). The Steelers hope their ball-manage approach will open up up opportunities for the passing game as it did final Sunday. In opposition to a Bengals defense that often dedicated 8 and 9 men to stopping the operate, Ben Roethlisberger finished 14 of 19 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns. He, too, is a various player from 6 weeks in the past, when the Indianapolis sport marked his return from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, which experienced sidelined him for 4 video games.General, the offense is more confident than it has been in months, thanks largely to Bettis. On Dec. 11 the Steelers revived their postseason hopes with a 21-9 win over the Bears, in which Bettis plowed over a muddy, snow-coated field for 101 yards–his initial 100-lawn game of the season–and two TDs. "He was like the Jerome of old," says offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt. "He reminded us of who we are."That is, a difficult-nosed, grind-it-out group. "That was the initial time we’d played with desperation," Bettis states. "It assisted get us back to basics. We’ve been in that desperate mode at any time because."Over his 10 many years in Pittsburgh, Bettis has been the player the Steelers have turned to when they had been having difficulties–from his days as 1 of the league’s leading backs (his thirteen,662 career yards rank fifth in NFL background) to his function now as a part-timer and designated brief-yardage specialist. Said Bengals outside linebacker Brian Simmons following Sunday’s game, "He’s usually been the man that group feeds off." Bettis’s contributions have never been restricted to the stat sheet. Wideout Hines Ward raves about the example Bettis set three seasons in the past when he accepted his diminished role without grievance. This year Parker has become a much more affected person runner, mostly as a outcome of heeding Bettis’s advice on deciphering presnap reads and anticipating exactly where the holes will open up. When fourth-yr operating back again Verron Haynes was a rookie, he invested fall Friday afternoons at Bettis’s home learning how to research film.The Bus is pleased to share his insights simply because he desires youthful teammates to consider on much more responsibility in the offense and as leaders. "I’ve made a conscious effort to stay in the background this yr," Bettis states. "It’s essential that these guys step up and push this team forward. It is important that I not get in the way. As a chief I have to know when to stage back again and when I have to stick my head in."On Sunday, Bettis stuck his head in but again. Following running once for a yard in the first fifty percent, he experienced 3 key carries on Pittsburgh’s initial drive of the third quarter: two runs for initial downs and a 5-yarder for the touchdown that put the Steelers forward 21-17. In the fourth quarter Bettis reeled off a classic 25-yard operate, rambling off correct tackle, blasting through strong safety Kevin Kaesviharn 20 yards downfield and tumbling to the ground only after center linebacker Odell Thurman pounced on his back again.As he trotted off the area at game’s end, Bettis shouted to the Pittsburgh fans hovering above the visitors’ tunnel. "This is our house," he chortled, flexing his biceps and nodding toward the devoted. Almost an hour later he buttoned his charcoal-grey pinstriped fit and stuffed another souvenir–1 of the Steelers’ sport balls–into his brown leather-based duffel bag. Ambling towards the team bus, he pressured that this victory, the Steelers’ second in Cincinnati this period, only arranged them up for a tougher check. "We weren’t intrigued in reminding [the Bengals] of who we are," stated Bettis. "We only cared about getting the win. We know next week will be various. We will have to be up to that problem."
