NFL ROUNDUP \ News and notes

Steelers: Wide receiver Hines Ward’s sprained right knee doesn’t hurt as badly as it did last week and he is confident of playing Sunday against Seattle. Or maybe not. Ward was optimistic one minute, cautious the next Wednesday while self-debating his status. While Ward feels much better than last week, when he missed a game for only the fourth time in 10 seasons, he underwent an MRI exam Wednesday to make certain there are no previously undisclosed problems. “It’s day to day, still,” Ward said. “It’s not 100 percent or anything like that. But I think I’m close. I think our policy is that if I can go out there and practice on Friday you go from there. So far, so good. I’m way ahead of schedule.” Also not practicing Wednesday were nose tackle Casey Hampton (thigh), linebacker Clint Kriewaldt (illness), cornerback Bryant McFadden (ankle) and safety Troy Polamalu (abdomen).

Patriots: Safety Rodney Harrison was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances, reportedly by using human growth hormone. In his absence, the Patriots went undefeated, winning each game by at least three touchdowns. “Preparation, all the hard work they put in in the offseason during minicamps, training camp, it’s really paid off,” Harrison said Wednesday before practicing for the first time since late August. “I’m just looking forward to adding to this team and being a part of it again.”

Rams: One day after insisting he’d stick with Marc Bulger, coach Scott Linehan benched his banged-up quarterback, going with backup Gus Frerotte Sunday against the Cardinals, Linehan said Wednesday. Frerotte and Bulger, who has been ineffective while playing with two broken ribs, both got the news Tuesday from the coach and the switch was made public before practice Wednesday.

Jaguars: Left tackle Khalif Barnes dodged questions Wednesday about his latest run-in with police, refusing to explain how he fell asleep while supposedly driving to a rehabilitation session. Barnes did acknowledge he was concerned about his reputation following a one-car car accident Saturday morning that raised suspicions and cast doubt on his future with the franchise. “I always worry about that kind of stuff,” said Barnes, a second-round pick in 2005 who graduated with a criminal justice degree from Washington. “I don’t want to be labeled as a bad guy or anything like that. My family knows me and people who really know me, they don’t see me as a bad guy.” Barnes, already on probation for a drunken driving charge, drove through a yard, crashed into a tree and then left the accident scene, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.

Ravens: Baltimore’s heralded defense needs to scrap the trickery and embrace its roots as a hard-nosed, blue-collar outfit, said middle linebacker Ray Lewis Wednesday. The two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year said the defense needs to regain its old swagger and dominance. In a 27-13 loss to the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore gave up four big plays, including cornerback Chris McAlister being burned by Braylon Edwards on a 78-yard touchdown pass, and didn’t get a sack. “Sooner or later, you can’t trick everybody,” Lewis said. “Bottom line, sooner or later, you have to line up and beat the man in front of you. If you’re doing that, you’ve got nothing to hold your head down about.”

Colts: Tony Dungy hopes three of his injured starters can play against Tampa Bay this week. He just can’t count on it. Dungy was making contingency plans for the possible absences of receiver Marvin Harrison, running back Joseph Addai and safety Bob Sanders, all of whom were hurt in last Sunday’s victory over Denver. “No one’s out, and if they can practice by Friday, it would be a plus, definitely,” the coach said Wednesday before practice. “You can sit and wait and hope that they’ll come back, but I’ve never been one to do that. You have to move on.” None of the three practiced Wednesday and the only certainty was that outside linebacker Rob Morris, another starter, would be placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

Associated Press