Ward nursing bruised knee

Hines Ward, who left the Steelers' week three victory prematurely, is nursing a bruised knee that has his availability for Sunday's in question. Ward left the Steelers' training facility Monday on crutches and with a brace protecting his right knee. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the preliminary diagnosis was a bone bruise, and that an MRI revealed no tears in his knee. We'll learn more about Ward's status throughout the week, but Hines' track record suggests that if there's no structural damage to his knee he'll play through the pain.