STEELERS Kreider's blocking big asset

Pittsburgh has a stable of fullbacks to lead Jerome Bettis and Amos Zereoue.
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) -- Pittsburgh Steelers fullback Dan Kreider is the pride of Mt. Joy, Pa., largely because of his career as a "Cement Head."
"When you think about cement, you think about someone who's not too smart, but obviously it has to do with how hard your head is," said Kreider. "Hey, I'll take it."
Kreider, dubbed by game announcers Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley as "Cement Head," plays a position that may be key this season for Pittsburgh, whose offensive line was beaten for five sacks Saturday in a 26-13 loss to the Detroit Lions.
"I know I'm a lead blocker and that's my main concern," Kreider said. "Anything else is a bonus. If I run the ball occasionally or catch the ball, that's a bonus to me."
On the practice field recently, rookie linebacker Dantonio Burnette felt just how hard Kreider's head can be.
Stoned
"The guy was in a full-out blitz and I stoned him," Kreider said. "Then the guard came across and knocked him off. It looked good on film. It looked like I stunned him and then pancaked him, when actually the guard helped me out."
Kreider has a knack for stoning, stunning and/or pancaking some of the best linebackers in the league. Just ask Ray Lewis.
Kreider has been a thorn in the side of the Baltimore Ravens' middle linebacker ever since he made the Steelers' roster out of the University of New Hampshire.
Kreider made the team in 2000 as an undrafted, unheralded free agent, and moved into the starting lineup to replace an injured Jon Witman.
The Steelers this year brought 265-pound fullback J.T. Wall to camp as a seventh-round draft pick. With the addition of 300-pound veteran Wes Ours, the Steelers have a full stable of fullbacks to lead Jerome Bettis and Amos Zereoue to daylight and keep rushers off the quarterback.
"We've got big fullbacks, bigger fullbacks and Danny Kreider, who hits like a big, big, big fullback," said coach Bill Cowher.
Ours didn't play Saturday in the preseason opener, but Wall threw a key block on Dante Brown's 38-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
More than size
Kreider caught a pass for 2 yards and carried once for 3 yards, but his game is blocking. The 246-pounder is proof there's more to being a lead blocker than size.
"A lot of times blocking's all attitude and leverage," Kreider said. "Sometimes, if you're shorter, you have more lower body strength and if you get low and drive your legs, you'll do all right."