Quick Kicks

It’s the pits in Pittsburgh Bill Cowher says he isn’t leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers’ sidelines, and, at least for a while, Kordell Stewart isn’t, either.

Cowher denied after Sunday’s loss to Cincinnati that he wants out of the final three years on his $6 million contract.

But he said one change is pending: Stewart will be replaced Thursday at Jacksonville by backup quarterback Mike Tomczak, with Stewart reviving his “Slash” role as a part-time receiver and QB.

Cowher, speaking to reporters about 20 minutes after his sixth loss in seven home games, labeled as “ludicrous” published reports he wants to coach expansion Houston or move into the Monday Night Football booth.

“There’s no truth to it,” said Cowher, who coached his hometown Steelers to the playoffs every year from 1992-97, but is 12-15 the last two seasons. “I’m not going to discuss it any more.”

It has been widely known throughout the NFL that Cowher is unhappy with the large number of stars the Steelers have lost to free agency, including Chad Brown, Leon Searcy, Rod Woodson, Yancey Thigpen, Kevin Greene and Carnell Lake.

Stewart, who has slumped badly since midseason a year ago, was benched early in the second quarter Sunday after throwing two interceptions that helped Cincinnati open a 24-3 lead. Stewart has led only two touchdowns drives in the Steelers’ five home games, both following turnovers.

A matador defense

The poor play displayed by the New Orleans Saints defense reached historic proportions Sunday.

Just seven days after losing 41-23 at Jacksonville, the Saints were whipped 43-12 by the St. Louis Rams, marking the first time since 1973 the Saints allowed more than 40 points in back-to-back weeks.

Making that kind of history didn’t sit well with Saints coach Mike Ditka, who watched St. Louis score touchdowns on each of its four second-half possessions.

“We haven’t stopped anybody in the second half this year,” Ditka said. “Why would we start now?”

That’s particularly true lately. In the last two games, the Saints have been outscored 52-6 in the second half. The season numbers are 152-62.

Expensive.com

Some Internet companies are paying more to advertise for this season’s Super Bowl than they have generated in revenue, pushing the average price for a 30-second TV commercial to almost $2 million.

As many as a dozen “dot-com” advertisers are expected to join Anheuser-Busch, Pepsi-Cola, Federal Express, Visa and other longtime Super Bowl advertisers on the Jan. 30 telecast on ABC.

Dot-com advertisers have bought about 20 percent of the available commercials in the Super Bowl, industry insiders estimate.

The last word …

“I’m pretty down. To lose three in a row and to feel like you’re ultimately responsible for that is a very depressing thing,”

Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe.