Win Quiets Controversy

So, whatever happened to the great Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback controversy?

Well, when you demolish your opponent, 42-14, as the Steelers did to the Indianapolis Colts in Sunday’s AFC first-round playoff game at Three Rivers Stadium, there is no controversy.

Instead, there was plenty of glory for both starter Mike Tomczak and starter-in-waiting Kordell Stewart.

Or as Tomczak put it, “Mr. Electrifying and Mr. Humble.”

In case you couldn’t figure it out, he was referring to Stewart as electrifying and himself as humble.

Tomczak started the game and threw all but one of Pittsburgh’s passes, hitting 13 of 21 for 176 yards.

Stewart took over behind the center once the Steelers got close to the Colts end zone. He took advantage of the opportunity to score twice on the ground, part of the 48 yards he gained rushing. Stewart also completed a two-point conversion pass to John Farquhar and ran the team in the fourth quarter.

So, how exactly is this going to work, this two-headed quarterback experiment? Bill Cowher admits he’s not sure.

“It’s probably more of a feel thing that you have to go on based on where you’re at,” said the Steeler coach, “and how things are going. They are both going to play in the upcoming weeks. How much? I can’t answer that.”

As long as things are running smoothly, he won’t have to. But should the Steelers hit some holes in the road to the Super Bowl, be assured the controversy will return.

Warming up for Packers

The San Francisco 49ers will leave their Santa Clara practice facility this week to prepare for their game in Green Bay, Wis., Saturday.

And where are they going?

Duluth? Fargo? International Falls?

Phoenix.

The 49ers will use the Arizona Cardinals training facility beginning Tuesday because of swamplike conditions at their own facility. They will leave Phoenix Thursday to get cold two days early in Green Bay.

Making his statement

Ricky Watters continued to stomp around the field after each unsuccessful drive, and that was the mild stuff.

After quarterback Ty Detmer was intercepted on third and one from the 49ers’ seven, it appeared Watters wanted to personally let everyone know in the stands and across America that the ball should have come his way. Watters appeared to yell at both teammates and coaches.

“You know I wanted to run the ball all day,” Watters said, and that has been his whine all season long. “We had a great chance to win, a great chance. I was very frustrated, we were all frustrated as a team squandering those scoring opportunities.”

Watters averaged 2.85 yards a carry.

Green says he’s staying

Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green made a determined effort Sunday to defuse speculation that he will not be back next season.

Green said he has not been contacted by any other team since he became Vikings head coach and that he expects to be back for a sixth season with Minnesota.

MEMO: NFL playoffs Saturday San Francisco at Green Bay, 9:30 a.m. Jacksonville at Denver, 1 p.m. Sunday Pittsburgh at New England, 9:30 a.m. Dallas at Carolina, 1 p.m.