PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers offense looks smoother, stronger and in better shape than it was at this time a year ago.
It isn't by coincidence that running back Jerome Bettis does, too.
"I feel great," Bettis said. "I haven't felt this good in the preseason in a long time. I'm ready to go."
That is a significant change from the previous two preseasons, when Bettis barely played — not by choice, but because he couldn't. He had knee injuries almost as soon as camp opened both years, and thus saw almost no action until the games counted.
The layoffs apparently made the six-time 1,000-yard rusher more conscious about his offseason conditioning. So, after signing a $30 million, six-year contract extension, Bettis spent more time working out — and keeping his weight down — than ever before.
"Some of the coaches were kidding me and saying I even looked quick out there," Bettis said of gaining 38 yards on six carries Saturday against Detroit. "But I said, 'I haven't been 100 percent in two years, I've been playing on one leg.' What you saw was a guy on a bad knee, just kind of hobbling through it.
"I still got it done, but not as well as I am capable of getting it done. This is the healthiest I have been for a long time, the best I've felt in a long time. I'm ready for the season to start."
Bettis missed only two days of training camp, a significant drop from preseasons past.
Bettis is 29, not young for a running back but certainly not old, and has more yards rushing the past four seasons than any NFL running back except for Eddie George.
Bettis is 14th in NFL history with 9,804 yards rushing — he passed Earl Campbell last season — and must average about 1,000 yards the next three seasons to overtake Tony Dorsett and move into the top five. Bettis has had five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with the Steelers.
"I've still got a lot of football left in me," Bettis said.