LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — No signs, no pictures, no trophies. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, no looking back, either.

The Steelers reported to training camp Friday one day short of the six-month anniversary of their victory over the Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl. If they didn’t have their championship rings to prove it, it would almost seem like the game wasn’t played.

Just the way coach Mike Tomlin wants it.

“The ’08 Steelers are the ’08 Steelers,” Tomlin said, minutes after his players completed their annual camp-opening run test. “We’re here team building for ’09.”

While other teams might raise large celebratory signs at the training camp, or put the Lombardi Trophy on display for their fans to see up close, the Steelers are barely acknowledging their record sixth Super Bowl title during camp. The just-printed team media guide waits until Page 22 to acknowledge it — and then only because it’s included in Tomlin’s biography.

The media guide cover? The Steelers’ team logo displayed against a black background, with no Lombardi in sight.

Wide receiver Hines Ward likes how Tomlin is quickly putting the championship in the past, if only because the 2006 Steelers didn’t do so and wound up missing the playoffs with an 8-8 record. Linebacker James Harrison said those Steelers celebrated well into summer and didn’t begin getting focused on the new season — they started 2-6 — until it was too late.

“A lot of guys remember what happened,” said Ward, who addressed that post-Super Bowl letdown during an evening team meeting. “For us, I don’t foresee it being a letdown or anything. We’re going to come out here and figure out what kind of core we have, the younger guys and the older guys.”

Tomlin isn’t slighting what the Steelers accomplished last season, but he apparently wants this team thinking about this season, and nothing else. That’s one reason why the Steelers’ championship ring ceremony was held in June, rather than at training camp as some other Super Bowl winners have done.

“I’m not concerned about avoiding anything that happened three years ago, or worrying about letdowns,” Tomlin said. “When you use the term letdown, you’re proceeding with the assumption that this is the continuation of something that happened in the past. We’re not assuming anything — that’s a dangerous thing to do. We’re simply going to be blue collar and humble and start the process of building our team.”

Ben Roethlisberger didn’t talk to reporters, but that had nothing to do with the recently filed Nevada civil case that accuses him of sexual assault — the quarterback never talks on reporting day.

While the well-publicized Roethlisberger case threatens to be a distraction if it drags on well into the season, even though he faces no criminal charges, neither Tomlin nor Roethlisberger’s teammates expect it to affect his play.

“I have no question about Ben’s mindset, or anybody else’s mindset. That civil case is just that, it’s civil, and we’ll assume he’s going to handle that business in his personal life,” Tomlin said. “We’re going to proceed on professionally and the standard of expectation in regards to Ben is the standard of expectation. ... We’re just going to focus on football.”

Backup quarterback Charlie Batch has talked with Roethlisberger since the lawsuit was filed, and he also doesn’t foresee it disrupting the two-time Super Bowl winner or his team. In 2006, much of camp was spent wondering how Roethlisberger would bounce back from his serious motorcycle accident.

“Everybody is expecting him to come in here full speed ahead,” Batch said.

NOTES: The Steelers practice twice Saturday, with the afternoon workout open to the public. ... TE Heath Miller, who signed a $35.3 million, six-year contract this week, had surgery in June for a sports hernia but is expected to be ready for the Sept. 10 opener against Tennessee. ... S Troy Polamalu and CB Deshea Townsend also have sore hamstrings and C Justin Hartwig is slowed by a toe injury, but none of the injuries is considered to be a problem.



Cutler brings high expectations to Bears camp

By ANDREW SELIGMAN

AP Sports Writer

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) — Every deep pass Jay Cutler unleashed drew oohs and ahhs, not to mention loud cheers from the large crowd watching the start of the Chicago Bears’ training camp on Friday.

Some 6,000 came to see the quarterback with the rocket arm, the man whose arrival from Denver sent expectations soaring like a Hail Mary pass.

It has been decades since the Bears had a cornerstone quarterback player, and Cutler did not disappoint.

The reception, he said, “has been absolutely tremendous from Day 1.”

Yet for all the excitement, there’s one lingering question, Can his wide receivers catch the ball?

“We’ve got a lot to prove,” said Devin Hester, who led the team with 665 yards receiving last season. “For the guys that were out there saying we don’t have any receivers, I don’t blame them because we haven’t proven anything yet.”

Tight end Greg Olsen predicted they will, saying, “I think the group is going to surprise some people.”

The vote of confidence aside, that group certainly has something to prove.

Cutler has reliable targets in Olsen and tight end Desmond Clark along with running back Matt Forte, but those wide receivers? He could be excused for cringing when he turns to them, at least for now.

Only two have more than seven career catches, and one (Hester) showed some promise but struggled to grasp the position while the other (Rashied Davis) had trouble hanging onto the ball. Throw in the fact that Earl Bennett did not catch a pass as a rookie last season after being drafted in the third round out of Vanderbilt, and it’s easy to see why there was so much talk in the offseason that the Bears needed an upgrade.

They made a big one when they acquired Cutler from Denver after two straight non-playoff seasons.

“I think every NFL quarterback in this league has high expectations,” he said. “I think the team, the organization and the city all put a lot on their shoulders to go out there and compete and find ways to win ballgames. I’m in the same boat as 32 other guys right now.”

He is also in a new place, getting a chance to start over after a major blowup with management and coach Josh McDaniels in Denver. But Cutler’s success also hinges on his receivers, line and the defense.

Although he was 17-20 as a starter with the Broncos, Cutler was 13-1 when opponents scored 21 points or less. Chicago’s once-dominant defense has struggled the past two years behind a long line of injuries and poor play in general that led coach Lovie Smith to assume play-calling duties this season. A healthy and effective Tommie Harris and Brian Urlacher could spark a turnaround, assuming a secondary with question marks holds its ground.

Urlacher said he’s in much better shape than he was a year ago, when he spent the offseason rehabilitating from neck surgery.

Harris, limited by knee and hamstring problems the past three years, had little to say about his health on Friday.

Asked how he’s feeling, he responded: “Trained hard.” When asked again, he gave the same answer: “Trained hard.”

If he performs as advertised, Cutler probably will take some of the pressure away from a defense that failed to register a sack in five games and ranked 30th against the pass last season. And a re-energized defense could ease the burden on an offense with a rebuilt line and huge question marks at wide receiver to go with the top-tier passer.

In Denver, Cutler had plenty of protection behind a line that allowed just 12 sacks with one of the best young tackles in the game in Ryan Clady on the left side. He also had his pick of top receivers, including fellow Pro Bowler Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal. It added up to a franchise-record 4,526 yards, 25 touchdowns and 18 interceptions last season.

In Chicago?

Cutler will line up behind six-time Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz and seven-time Pro Bowl tackle in Orlando Pace, who signed with the Bears on the same day they made the trade with Denver. If Pace stays healthy and Chris Williams develops after being limited by a back problem as a rookie last season, Chicago’s line figures to hold its ground.

That is fueling Hester’s belief that the wide receivers will do a better job this season.

“We feel great with Devin and Earl and some of the young guys, and Rashied and Greg and Matt coming out of the backfield,” Cutler said. “Like I said since I first got here, I think we’ve got the pieces offensively to compete.”



No Britt as Titans open training camp

By TERESA M. WALKER

AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Coach Jeff Fisher had hoped the Tennessee Titans would have their top draft pick on the field for the first practice of training camp. Friday there was no Kenny Britt in sight.

Fisher now is hoping to have the receiver around Saturday.

“It looks like things have fallen into place around him, so I’m optimistic. Before practice I visited with (general manager) Mike (Reinfeldt), and he felt like things were moving so I’d say we’ve got a decent chance of having him out here tomorrow,” Fisher said.

The receiver from Rutgers was the 30th pick overall out of Rutgers. He remained among the players drafted in the first round that had not signed as of Friday afternoon.

But the Titans are talking with Britt’s agent, who did not immediately return a message left by The Associated Press. The Titans have gotten their top draft picks signed within the opening days of camp each of the past two years when their pick was much higher in the first round.

Fisher said he knew where Britt was and that the receiver is within driving distance of training camp, which is being held at the Titans’ headquarters.

Britt became the first receiver drafted since 1998 and only the third ever by this franchise. The Titans want to use Britt, free agent signee Nate Washington and rookie tight end Jared Cook to add some help to an offense that ranked 27th in the NFL in yards passing in 2008.

The receiver isn’t expected to start this season. He was slowed by a tight hamstring during the offseason, and receiver Justin Gage said rookies are hurt by not being at camp from the start.

“On the other hand, he’s a guy who can learn his position, come back and still be a force to help us. Whenever he gets back, we’ll welcome him,” Gage said.

The easiest training camp schedule in recent years doesn’t make it easy. The Titans have only two two-a-day sessions planned.

“Each play, each period is very precious,” defensive end Jevon Kearse said when asked about Britt’s absence. “When he gets in here, we’re going to get him caught up to speed with everything and let him know what he missed.”

Notes: The Titans placed All Pro center Kevin Mawae on the active physically unable to perform list. Mawae spent most of practice inside working, then came out to watch the end. ... K Rob Bironas also watched practice with what Fisher called a slight pull that will keep the kicker out a day or two. That left backup punter/kicker A.J. Trapasso to kick field goals during a drill, and the kickoff specialist struggled to hit between the goal posts.