Cowher Press Conference

[Atlanta Dan]

Good to hear Cowher stood up and took the blame today for Sunday's loss, admitting he should have played Bettis more and given greater thought to pulling Maddox. It does not change the fact Sunday's game added to Cowher's rep as a poor game day coach, but at least he is letting the team know that he will not join Maddox in blaming it all on someone else - my bet is that is true Cowher and why his players fight for him.

I have not read the transcript of today's presser but apparently Maddox now claiming he had an injured shoulder to deal with (in addition to windy conditions, a poor snap from Hartings, Quincy Morgan not breaking up the game ending INT, and a mean crowd booing him) is something that Cowher never heard about before or during the game. Either Maddox was so desperate to get a start he lied about his physical condition (the shoulder injury comes after his miracle recovery from a calf injury that had him out for a month) or Maddox will blame anything and everything to avoid the fact he is a turnover artist who had a hot run of about a month in 2002 and an otherwise abysmal career.

My bet is Maddox is a pariah in the locker room and so deep in Cowher's dog house he has taken his last snap as a Steeler.

After reading the injury report, Sunday looks grim. Hope I am wrong, but Sunday in Cincy could be a changing of the guard game for this season.

[tony hipchest]

sunday dont look too grim. bad? yes. stranger things have happened than cincinatti losing a ball game.