KANSAS CITY Arrowhead calls Steelers once again

Pittsburgh is making its eighth-straight trip to Missouri.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- If anybody should know how to handle the bone-rattling noise of Arrowhead Stadium, it's Bill Cowher.
He was with Marty Schottenheimer in the early 1990s when they poured the foundation for the modern Chiefs program and created the raucous atmosphere at Arrowhead -- a place many visitors call the noisiest outdoor stadium in the NFL.
Plus, his Pittsburgh Steelers have made seven trips to Kansas City in the past 11 years and won four times.
"I don't know if I understand [the Arrowhead atmosphere] better than anybody else," said Cowher, who was Schottenheimer's defensive coordinator. "I think you've got to almost enjoy it as an opponent team coming in. I mean, I think you respect passionate fans, places where they are so, so supportive of their teams.
"I know the first year I came back, I went from being loved to being hated, and that's how you know they're good fans. We'll talk to the players about it all week. You try to be prepared for it."
Disruptive noise
The problem for visitors comes mainly on offense. The noise gets so loud they can't hear the signal count. Offensive linemen have been known to hold hands so they'll know when to take off.
"Our line's going to get challenged because you're dealing with the noise for the first time and they've got some guys who can rush," Cowher said.
Quarterback Tommy Maddox has experienced the Arrowhead mystique many times.
"There's always going to be an advantage that they have playing at home," said Maddox, who was 21-for-29 for 260 yards and three passes last week. "You practice against it, you prepare for it, you know what you're going into and you go out there and play."
Both teams are coming off impressive opening day wins. Kansas City running back Priest Holmes dispelled any notion he might be slowed by off-season hip surgery when he had two touchdowns and almost 200 total yards from scrimmage. Quarterback Trent Green was equally sharp, guiding the Chiefs to a 24-0 halftime lead.
The Steelers, winning their first opener since 1999, limited Baltimore to 5-of-16 on third-down conversions.
Maddox was voted AFC offensive player of the week and gave notice the Steelers' new emphasis on the passing game is going to reap immediate results.
While the Steelers are trying to adjust to the noise, the Chiefs will be concentrating on dealing with the Steelers' 3-4 defense. It's different from what most NFL teams use, but by a quirk of scheduling the Chiefs' next three opponents -- Pittsburgh, Houston and Baltimore -- all use it.