STEELERS NFL realignment creates changes

Pittsburgh visits Tennessee today, playing for the last time in the regular season until 2005.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Pittsburgh safety Lee Flowers admits he will miss not playing the Tennessee Titans twice a season. Tennessee running back Eddie George will miss the games -- with one exception.
"I won't miss the Mondays afterwards," George said with a laugh.
When the Steelers (5-3-1) visit Tennessee (5-4) today, it will be their last definitely scheduled game until 2005 thanks to realignment. The only way Pittsburgh of the AFC North will play the AFC South Titans the next two years is if they finish in the same position.
Of if they meet in the playoffs.
It just doesn't seem right to Flowers.
"This is the team we like playing, because both teams know each other, and they both know what we're going to do and can you stop it?" Flowers said.
Titans quarterback Steve McNair understands.
"We know the Steelers bring the best out of us. We bring the best out of them," he said.
Played twice yearly since 1970
These teams met twice a year, regular as clockwork, from 1970 through 2001 as AFC Central rivals.
Coaches and players changed, even the hometown and nickname for the Titans changed, but the games remained physical brawls featuring stingy defenses and strong running backs -- from Franco Harris to Jerome Bettis for Pittsburgh, from Earl Campbell to George for the former Houston Oilers.
That is why Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter said there's bad blood between teams that want to pound the other. Titans receiver Derrick Mason sums up the series succinctly.
"The hate and the competitiveness between both teams is and always will be there. We know when we face the Steelers, it will be a hard-fought game," he said.
It's no coincidence that these teams are so similar because Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher and Titans coach Jeff Fisher have been with their current teams the longest of any coaches in the NFL. Both former defensive coaches, they like to run the ball, play tough defense and special teams and avoid turnovers at all costs.
George said the games always are clean.
"You see some good hits out there. You see some good football being played. Both teams really want to win, and we try to do it in a respectful way," he said.
Game may be shootout
This could become a shootout. Tommy Maddox, the AFC's second-rated passer, is the first NFL quarterback ever to throw for 450-plus yards in consecutive games, and Plaxico Burress is coming off a career day with 253 yards receiving.
Bettis, slowed by a sprained knee, may carry for the first time in a month, and Pittsburgh also has the speedy Amos Zereoue for the NFL's fifth-best offense, which is averaging 374.3 yards per game.
The Titans have been slowly improving on defense and currently are giving up an average of 340 yards. End Jevon Kearse may be back from a foot broken in the opener to help a defense with seven sacks the past two weeks.
Pittsburgh has struggled against the pass, giving up 240.6 yards per game. The Titans might be able to take advantage of that if they can avoid settling for field goals, as they did five times in the past two games.