After missing the entire preseason and the first two games of the regular season with a torn meniscus, Duce Staley expects to return to the Steelers backfield this Sunday. "He's looked very good," Bill Cowher said yesterday. "It's the second consecutive week he's taken part in every practice, and we'll see where he is at the end of the week." Staley will serve as a backup to AFC rushing leader Willie Parker.

Willie Parker has earned the starting job with consecutive 100-yard games -- regardless of the health of Jerome Bettis and Duce Staley. "Willie's starting again next week," coach Bill Cowher told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette after Sunday's win. "He's our starter." Parker, who rushed for 111 yards Sunday after gaining 161 yards in Week 1, remained humble about his prospects. "It's a surprise," he told the Post-Gazette. "I try to stay away from who's a starter and who's not a starter. Jerome, Duce and those guys have been great.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be in the starting lineup Sunday amidst concerns over an injured knee. "I'll be ready by Sunday. I'm just trying to take care of myself and make sure I'm healthy," Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Steelers are 14-0 with Roethlisberger at the helm during the regular season. "He worked a little bit, but not as much as I hoped he would," coach Bill Cowher said. "There's not really any kind of setback. He does have a bone bruise and he has just not responded as quickly as I had hoped and his status is day-to-day."

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was downgraded to questionable on Thursday with a bruised knee bone. Thursday's practice is considered the most important of the week by the Steelers, and players who don't practice or practice little often are held out of games. Roethlisberger didn't practice Wednesday and had limited work Thursday. "He worked a little bit, but not as much as I hoped he would," coach Bill Cowher said. "There's not really any kind of setback. He does have a bone bruise and he has just not responded as quickly as I had hoped and his status is day-to-day."

With starting quarterback Kyle Boller sidelined indefinitely by a severely sprained toe, the Ravens on Wednesday signed veteran free agent Kordell Stewart to bolster the depth chart. A 10-year veteran, Stewart was with the Ravens in 2004, and appeared in two games, but the team did not attempt to re-sign him this spring as an unrestricted free agent. Stewart drew very little interest, in fact, in the free agent market. But when Boller was injured on a sack by Indianapolis defensive tackle Larry Tripplett on Sunday, and tests indicated that he would miss playing time, the Ravens phoned Stewart. Baltimore officials considered a few other free agent quarterbacks, including Danny Kanell, but Stewart's familiarity with the Ravens offense gave him a big edge. Stewart spent much of Tuesday at the team complex, meeting with coaches and going over the playbook with them

The team's official website reports running back Jerome Bettis is doubtful for Week 2 at Houston due to a calf injury. Bettis is expected to run on Wednesday to see where he is at. Willie Parker is expected to start and it is unlikely Bettis will play until after the team's bye in Week 4. Previous starting running back Duce Staley is listed as questionable for Week 2 at Houston due to his hamstring injury. Staley is expected to test the injury on Wednesday. Willie Parker is expected to start at Houston regardless of Staley's health.

After being released by the Steelers on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed re-signed Charlie Batch only a day later. Batch was part of the original 53-man roster, but the Steelers cut him in order to make room for an extra linebacker.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis won't play in Sunday's season opener against Tennessee because of the strained right calf that kept him out of the team's final preseason game. With Bettis and Duce Staley (knee surgery) hurting, coach Bill Cowher said No. 3 running back Willie Parker will make his first career start. Parker, a college backup at North Carolina, ran for 102 yards against Buffalo on Jan. 2 in his only extensive playing time as a rookie. Staley hasn't been ruled out -- he is listed as questionable -- but missed the entire preseason and has practiced only once with the team since training camp began.

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed free agent wide receiver Quincy Morgan to a one-year contract on Tuesday. Morgan spent only one day as a free agent after being released by the Dallas Cowboys on Monday.

Hines Ward is one of the few players to walk away from contract negotiations with the Steelers with more money than he expected to get. Ward, on the verge of becoming the leading receiver in franchise history, agreed to a four-year contract. "I think they went out of their way," Ward said of an organization that has long set its own value on player contracts and ignored the huge money deals given by other teams. "It was far more than what I expected." Ward had one year left on his previous contract, and is now signed through 2009. The total value is far less than the seven-year deal Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens wants renegotiated. But Ward, an all-around receiver rather than a gamebreaking downfield threat, was determined to end his career in Pittsburgh. "I look good in black and gold," he said. "The contract is going to make me work even harder, just to prove I'm worth every penny of what they gave me."