Pittsburgh must find its '04 running game

The dropoff can be traced to the inability of the three running backs to settle in.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Steelers change offensive philosophies less often than they change head coaches, and they've hired only one coach in 35 years.
In Pittsburgh, the idea isn't to run the ball to reduce the pressure on the quarterback or to preserve a lead, but to win. The Steelers proved that last season by running the ball 61 percent of the time -- the highest percentage by any NFL team in 20 years -- and that commitment to the run paid off in a 15-1 season.
"Our identity is to run the ball," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "And we're not going to shy away from that."
The problem is there's only one month left in the season and the Steelers still haven't found the running game that allowed them to dominate the AFC North a season ago.
Two straight losses
As a result, the Steelers (7-4) have lost two in a row to fall a game behind the Cincinnati Bengals (8-3) in the division.
The deficit is hardly insurmountable -- if the Steelers beat the Bengals on Sunday at Heinz Field, they will be tied for the division lead and will own the tiebreaker with four games to play.
Still, that will be difficult to do if they run the way they did while being limited to a combined 156 yards rushing against the Ravens and Colts in their last two games.
To turn their season around, keep the Bengals from all but clinching the division and strengthen their chances of doing well in the playoffs, the Steelers need to find the running game they had a year ago.
"There has to be a sense of urgency," coach Bill Cowher said before the Steelers resumed practicing Wednesday, two days after their 26-7 loss to unbeaten Indianapolis.
The dropoff in a running game that averaged 154 yards per game last season can be traced to several factors, including the inability of their top three running backs -- Willie Parker, Duce Staley and Jerome Bettis -- to settle in.
Parker, a former undrafted free agent, is the starter but has only one 100-yard game -- 131 yards against the Bengals on Oct. 23 -- in his last eight games. Only twice during that span has he gained 60 yards.
Four 100-yard games
By comparison, Staley had four 100-yard games before getting hurt at midseason a year ago and Bettis ran for at least 100 yards in each of his six regular season starts.
This season, neither Staley (146 yards in four games) nor Bettis (173 yards and a 2.9 yards per carry average) has done much after being hurt during training camp.
Cowher tried all three backs Monday night against the Colts, but none could settle into a rhythm, partly because of recurring problems along an offensive line that sent three starters to the Pro Bowl last season.
"It's crazy because people said it was a good thing and now people are saying it's a bad thing," Bettis said of the running back depth. "It's like you can't win."
Right guard Kendall Simmons, back after a year's layoff resulting from knee surgery, jumped offside three times because he couldn't hear the snap count in the noisy RCA Dome.
Left tackle Marvel Smith was taken out during the second quarter because of a sprained ankle -- he has injured both ankles in a three-week period -- and won't play against Cincinnati.
With Smith out, rookie tackle Trai Essex will start for the second time in three weeks after being deactivated for the first nine games.
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