STEELERS Staley will play ahead of Bettis at running back

Duce Staley has less wear than Jerome Bettis and can be used as a receiver, too.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Coach Bill Cowher finally confirmed on Tuesday the Pittsburgh Steelers' worst-kept secret: Duce Staley is in at running back and Jerome Bettis is out again.
The move has been considered a formality since Staley was given a $4 million signing bonus in March, but the Steelers had never made the change official and Cowher diplomatically split time between the two in exhibition games.
Staley, at 29, is three years younger than Bettis, has had less wear and tear than the NFL's No. 6 career rusher and, unlike Bettis, can be used as a receiver out of the backfield and on third downs.
The Steelers plan to use Bettis as a change-up back and in short-yardage situations, the role they envisioned when they began last season with the faster Amos Zereoue at running back. Zereoue was a flop and Bettis eventually won his job back, but the early-season benching probably kept Bettis from finishing below 1,000 yards (811) for only the third time in his 11-season career.
Mutual respect
"He [Bettis] has a lot of respect for Duce, and Duce does for Jerome," Cowher said Tuesday. "I think it is a healthy situation and hopefully we will be able to give them both the ball."
That is the very reason Staley left the NFC-contending Eagles after seven seasons to move across state to Pittsburgh: He felt he didn't get the ball enough.
Staley had 1,000-yard seasons in 1998, 1999 and 2002, but -- forced to split time with Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter last season -- was limited to 96 carries, 200 fewer than the season before. He had 79 yards in his final Eagles game, the NFC title game loss at home to Carolina.
Cowher liked how Bettis dealt with the latest news by not complaining or lobbying publicly for the job, but by showing up for camp in his best shape in years. Bettis needs 387 yards to pass No. 5 Tony Dorsett and 907 to overtake No. 4 Eric Dickerson in career rushing.
Likes Bettis' performance
"Jerome is the best he has looked in the last three years in camp," Cowher said. "I think he was probably somewhat disappointed, but he understood. I think he was very much aware of the parameters going in. They both had equal opportunities to run in the preseason and a decision was made on that; now we are moving on."
Bettis outrushed Staley 88-87 in the four exhibition games, but Staley didn't play Thursday against Carolina. Most of the preseason playing time went to backup Willie Parker (202 yards) and practice squad player Dante Brown (120 yards).
Cowher is taking a first-of-his-career gamble by going into Sunday's opener against Oakland with only two quarterbacks, starter Tommy Maddox and first-round draft pick Ben Roethlisberger. No. 3 Brian St. Pierre was cut Monday so the Steelers could claim special teams standout Sean Morey off waivers from Philadelphia.
Cowher felt comfortable because wide receiver Antwaan Randle El was a college quarterback at Indiana and has completed 10 of 12 passes for 51 yards in two NFL seasons.
"Was it a little bit of the roll of the dice? Yes it is," Cowher said. "We will have a quarterback on the practice squad ... and we will put a package together for him [Randle El] to be the third quarterback."
Notes
As usual, the players were off Tuesday. ... Cowher again stressed the necessity of a fast start, especially with five of the first eight games in Pittsburgh. The Steelers started 2-1 last season, then lost five in a row. ... Asked about massive Raiders defensive linemen Warren Sapp and Ted Washington, Cowher said, "They take up a lot of space, yes they do." ... Second-round draft pick Richard Colclough has replaced cornerback Ike Taylor in the nickel and dime defenses. ... Cowher is optimistic LB Kendrell Bell, who missed the last three exhibition games with a sore shoulder, will play. Bell is listed as questionable.