STEELERS Randle El's bag of tricks will take center stage

With Kordell Stewart gone, the former quarterback has the spotlight.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LATROBE, Pa. -- Kordell Stewart may be gone, but it doesn't mean the Pittsburgh Steelers have any shortage of trick plays or a trickster.
With Stewart in Chicago, former Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El has reveled in his role as perhaps the Steelers' most unique playmaker.
During camp, Randle El has lined up as a quarterback, tailback and even a holder.
Randle El may not be as polished as quarterback Tommy Maddox, but "you're going to have to account for him," special-teams coach Kevin Spencer said.
As a rookie, Randle El caught 47 passes for 489 yards, returned 11 punts for 257 yards, rushed 19 times for 134 yards and returned 32 kickoffs for 733 yards. He also completed 7 of 8 passes for 45 yards.
"I love all of these trick plays because they work," Randle El said, pausing briefly, "all the time."
Not quite
Maybe not all the time. During practice Monday, Randle El's wide-receiver screen pass to Hines Ward fell well short.
On the following play, he took a short screen pass from Maddox, sidestepped a defender and sped through the secondary for a touchdown, showing that he may be more of a receiving threat.
Not that he necessarily agrees.
"Oh, no. I can throw," he said. "What you didn't see on the play was No. 97 [Kendrell Bell]. He was coming full speed," Randle El said. "If I would've waited any longer, I would've hit my hand on his helmet and I'd be sitting on the sideline with a broken finger."
Randle El says he's "in a groove," but he could have a hard time finding himself in pass plays this season. He is still slotted behind Ward and Plaxico Burress, both of whom had more than 1,300 yards receiving last season.
The Steelers also added a pass-catching tight end and are determined to keep their running game as integral as its always been under Coach Bill Cowher.
"It may limit my chances on the field, but you've got to remember, we have the ability to use three wide receivers at any given time," he said. "We have packages that get me in the game.
"I know they're going to use me, so I don't worry about that. They want to run more, but when it's time to get us in, they've got plays for me."
Zereoue injured
Steelers running back Amos Zereoue, who's trying to beat Jerome Bettis for the starting job, injured his left ankle on the last play of practice Tuesday.
Zereoue stopped to catch a short pass that was thrown behind him during a live scrimmage. He dove for the ball as defenders Chidi Iwuoma and Clark Haggans each batted it into the air. Zereoue was helped by trainers and then carted off the field.
Coach Bill Cowher said the early diagnosis is a lateral sprain.
"I think that's all he did was turn his ankle," said Cowher. "We'll see how he is [today]."
Zereoue, who led the Steelers last season with 762 yards rushing, has a chance to make Bettis a backup for the first time in Bettis' seven years with Pittsburgh.
Last season, his fourth with the Steelers, Zereoue started five regular-season games and two playoff games when Bettis was sidelined with injuries.
In back-to-back starts against Cleveland and Atlanta, Zereoue carried 29 and 37 times for 111 and 123 yards, respectively. He also had 26 carries for 104 yards in the finale against Baltimore.
But he's been hobbled during camp. Zereoue missed two days of practice last week with a sore foot.
Bettis, who's appeared nonchalant about the competition, said he hopes the injury is not serious.
"An injury like that, a guy diving for the ball, you just hope he'll be fine," said Bettis. "It's not super-serious to the point it will be a long-term situation. I hope."
Also on Tuesday, Cowher said center Jeff Hartings' sore knee has improved but he's been listed as questionable for Saturday's preseason game at Detroit.