PITTSBURGH The votes are in: Steelers choose Ward, Porter MVPs

The receiver and linebacker have enjoyed strong seasons from start to finish.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have often looked like two different teams -- so, appropriately enough, they have two most valuable players.
Wide receiver Hines Ward and linebacker Joey Porter were chosen in a season that saw the offense and defense alternate between being outstanding and ordinary, dominating one week and dreadful the next.
"When they said there were co-MVPs, I was thinking two offensive guys: Hines and Tommy [Maddox]," Porter said Thursday. "The success I've been having this year has snuck up on me. This is unexpected."
Oops
Porter also learned a valuable political lesson: every vote counts. Players were asked to vote last week, with two games still remaining, and he forgot to hand in his ballot.
"You're not supposed to vote for yourself anyway," linebacker Jason Gildon said.
Despite the Steelers' inconsistency, illustrated by a loss to first-year Houston and a win over Tampa Bay in a span of three weeks, Ward and Porter have enjoyed strong seasons from start to finish.
With Sunday's game against Baltimore remaining, Ward already owns the team single-season record with 107 catches, 13 more than he made a year ago. He also has 1,283 yards receiving and, with 116 yards or more Sunday, would break Yancey Thigpen's 1997 team record of 1,398 yards.
Several teammates have described Ward as a skill-position player with a linebacker's mentality. He is often called the best blocker among NFL receivers and, two weeks ago, refused to come off the field despite a hamstring injury that limited his ability to get open downfield.
Defensive standout
Porter has nine sacks, the most by any AFC linebacker, and is tied for the team lead with four interceptions. He also leads the team with 87 tackles.
Porter just wishes the defense had played more consistently, as it did during a 13-3 Steelers season a year ago. This season, the Tommy Maddox-led offense rallied the Steelers (9-5-1) from a 1-3 start, with the defense picking up its play only recently.
"It used to be a standard around here; we would tell the offense to give us 17 points and the game was over," Porter said.
"We weren't holding up our end of the bargain. The offense was putting up points, but the defense? We couldn't get it done.
"Lately, we have been putting everything together and playing some good defense. With the late success we have had on defense, I could see how we had two co-MVPs."
Steelers players vote on the award, first presented in 1969. The only other tie was in 1988, when linebacker David Little and cornerback Rod Woodson were chosen.
Even though coach Bill Cowher said Ward and Porter got 95 percent of the votes between them, Maddox suggested a number of players were deserving.
"You could throw a dart in here and hit a locker and that guy's had a big part to do with this season," Maddox said. "I think the [whole] team is the MVP. Everybody stayed together through all the ups and downs, and the team has never wavered. There's something to be said for that in this day and age, with all the bad things in sports."
Meanwhile, Maddox (ankle) was upgraded from questionable to probable following the Steelers' first practice of the week. Cowher gave his players Tuesday and Wednesday off after they beat Tampa Bay 17-7 Monday night.
Running back Jerome Bettis (knee), linebacker James Farrior (shoulder) and safety Mike Logan (back) remain questionable.