Steelers say Randle El is something special

One of an NFL team's primary challenges each season is getting its rookies up to speed -- namely, a much faster game speed than they were accustomed to playing in college.\nThe Pittsburgh Steelers don't expect that to be a problem with rookie wide receiver Antwaan Randle El.\nRandle El, the former Indiana quarterback, had little problem adjusting to the blink-and-it's-over world of the NFL during the preseason, scoring three times in a span of two games.\n"You watch him one-on-one, and he's going to beat his one-on-one coverage," Steelers receiver Plaxico Burress said. "I don't think the regular season is going to speed up for him. He plays with speed."\nWith Randle El set to make his debut Monday night against defending the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, the Steelers are more interested in seeing how he handles the various nuances that NFL defenses employ against receivers: The two-deep zones, the line-of-scrimmage contact, the press coverages.\n"I haven't seen any indication that with everything that's being thrown at him -- blitz pickups, reading routes -- that he has missed them," coach Bill Cowher said. "There will be things that he sees each week that he will learn from, and he will grow from. The biggest adjustment will come week to week as he grows and gets a feel for this game."\nRandle El's addition is the most intriguing new element of the Steelers, who otherwise return virtually intact from their 13-3 regular season of a year ago.\nHe is undersized for an NFL receiver at 5-foot-9, but Randle El has excellent jumping ability -- he can dunk a basketball while wearing sandals -- and his speed has never been an issue.\nRandle El will be used any time the Steelers employ more than two receivers, and his presence -- and speed -- should make it more difficult for defenses to employ extra-defender coverages against Burress, their top playmaker last season.\nWhat has most surprised the Steelers is the seamless transition Randle El has made from a successful college quarterback to a pro receiver.\nAfter throwing for more than 6,000 yards and running for more than 3,000 yards in a big-time conference such as the Big 10, some players would have been reluctant to change positions, but Randle El wasn't.\n"I've always wanted to play in the NFL," he said. "I didn't want to have to go to Canada just to play quarterback."\nThe Steelers also hope Randle El will help them as a punt returner, one of their many special teams deficiencies last season. They ranked only 23rd in the league in punt returns, trailing Detroit, which won only twice all season.\n"I want to make some plays in the kicking game, too," he said. "I've been trying to get them to let me return some kickoffs. Special teams can get you. I know in college we lost some games on special teams."\nMemo to Randle El: The Steelers have, too. Most notably, he might want to watch tapes of the Steelers' 24--17 AFC championship game loss to New England, which was decided by two New England special teams touchdowns.\nAnd while it's been speculated the Steelers will employ Randle El in some sort of Stewart-like "Slash" role, perhaps to take an occasional snap from center, Randle El doesn't think it will happen Monday night.\n"We don't have time for wrinkles in this game," he said. "New England isn't falling for that."\nThe Patriots likewise shouldn't expect Randle El to be nervous or edgy in his NFL debut, despite the setting or the importance of a game matching the defending champion against a team favored to win the AFC this season.\n"Nah, I won't be nervous," Randle El said. "For what? It's football, nothing more. It's a little faster, with some more coverages, and they hit harder. But it's still football"