STEELERS Coaches yanked Burress during short patterns

The wide receiver is puzzled about the substitution pattern.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- If it seemed wide receiver Plaxico Burress disappeared at times during the Pittsburgh Steelers' 30-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans, he did.
It had nothing to do with the Titans' Samari Rolle taking him out of the game, even though Burress calls Rolle one of the NFL's best cover cornerbacks. It has everything to do with his own coaches taking him out.
The 6-foot-5 Burress has had considerable success on goal-line fade routes, yet he was taken out several times after the Steelers advanced inside the 20.
Burress doesn't understand why he was replaced, and he also wondered Monday why the Steelers seemed so intent on relying on short patterns.
They averaged 6.1 yards per pass, compared to the Titans' 9.3, and scored only one touchdown during their five trips inside the 20.
Maddox's longest completion was 38 yards; both Rolle (49 yards) and Titans linebacker Rocky Boiman (60 yards) had longer plays on interception returns.
"I would like to see the ball get thrown up and down the field a lot more," said Burress, who made four catches for 64 yards. "But all you can just do is go out and try to seize your opportunity."
Tied for sixth
Burress is tied for sixth in the AFC with 22 receptions and averages 16 yards per catch, but has only one touchdown in four games.
Still, Burress said he's not the type to complain to coach Bill Cowher or offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey about being taken out.
"I'm not a guy who cusses my coach out; you won't see me on TV throwing my helmet or all that type of stuff," he said. "I'm just going to do what they ask me to do. I'm not going to question what they do."
Burress makes suggestions on the sidelines, but only because that's a standard course of business as the players and coaches analyze photos of the defense.
"We're the ones out there playing, so our input should be a little bit more, but they make all the calls," Burress said. "All you can do is believe in what they're telling you to do."
Interception problem
With Maddox still prone to throwing interceptions at critical times -- he had two more Sunday, giving him 17 in 11 games dating to last season -- Burress would especially like to see the fade be restored to the offense.
Unless the pass is badly underthrown, there is little chance of an interception when Burress is in a corner of the end zone with a smaller defensive back in front of him.
"We don't really call it a lot, but I would like to [see it]," Burress said. "That's when the game gets fun, when I get to go out and use my ability. Tommy just throws it up there and puts it in a place where just I can go get it."
With the Steelers off to an uneven 2-2 start, some of last season's problems are surfacing again going into Sunday night's game against the Browns (1-3).
A pass defense that ranked atop the AFC going into Sunday's game was exploited much like it was repeatedly last season, with cornerback Chad Scott beaten by Justin McCareins on 25- and 29-yard completions and by a leaping Drew Bennett on a 42-yarder.
Grabbing complaint
Scott complained Monday that McCareins grabbed him with both hands on the 29-yard touchdown catch.
"If I had touched him with two hands, it would have been a flag. But that's just the nature of the game," he said. "I know I'm good. I know I can play. I can play against any receiver, anybody. They just made some plays and that's it."
Scott, who scored a touchdown on an interception against the Chiefs on Sept. 14, promised to make a score a couple of more to help make up for his bad day.
Then, he said, "They can criticize me all they want."