AFC McNair remains Steelers' nemesis

The Titans quarterback is 9-3 against the Steelers inhis career.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Just the votes he received inside the Pittsburgh Steelers' locker room seemingly should have been enough to send Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair to the Pro Bowl last season.
No wonder the Steelers were nearly as surprised as the Titans when McNair didn't make the AFC team last season. After all, no NFL quarterback beats the Steelers as regularly or plays as consistently well against them as McNair.
"The Titans probably have the most underrated player in the NFL in Steve McNair," Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress said. "Nobody understands how good this guy is. Somehow he keeps playing at the top of his game, taking those teams and overachieving. He's going to be a real test for us Sunday."
But isn't McNair always a test to the Steelers? He's beaten them nine times in 12 career meetings, including two last season, and is 8-2 against them since 1998. Last season, McNair passed for 595 yards and four touchdowns in regular season and playoff victories over Pittsburgh in Nashville.
The Titans are one of only three AFC teams with a winning record against Pittsburgh (11-10) since Bill Cowher's hiring as coach in 1992.
Versatile player
Mostly, McNair is successful against the Steelers because he avoids costly errors -- he has thrown only 10 interceptions in those 11 games -- and takes advantage of whatever they decide to give him.
He has thrown for as few as 102 yards and as many as 338 yards in beating the Steelers. He's also frustrated them repeatedly with his ability to scramble, running for 90 yards against them in a 1997 victory. He also has three career rushing touchdowns against Pittsburgh.
"He's like tackling a running back," defensive lineman Kimo von Oelhoffen said. "You're trying to tackle a 235-pound man ... and that's tough to do. He's frustrating when you know you've got him and miss him."
McNair wasn't much of a factor as the Titans lost 34-7 during their last visit to Pittsburgh in 2001. But the year before that, an injured McNair came off the bench during a game he wasn't supposed to play and led a game-winning touchdown drive as the Titans won 23-20 in Three Rivers Stadium.
Tough to attack
"You definitely have to pick your moments when you play this guy," linebacker Jason Gildon said. "He does a good job of reading defenses. He knows how teams are going to attack him and, most of the time, makes them pay for it. You know it's going to be a challenge the whole day when you play Steve McNair."
This season, McNair already has thrown for 250 yards or more twice and has five touchdown passes in three games. During a 27-12 victory over New Orleans last week, the 30-year-old McNair became the youngest quarterback and only the fifth in league history to throw for 20,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards in a career.
"It seems that every year he is getting older and older, yet he is getting better and better," Cowher said. "I think he runs and orchestrates that offense as well as anyone runs their offense in the National Football League."