Hines Ward appeared to be fine yesterday when he reported to the Steelers' training facility.

He walked without a limp and, in his own words, said he was "fine." However, he left a few hours later with a brace on his injured right knee and using crutches, although he placed them aside as he drove himself home.

"I'm trying to maintain," Ward said.

Ward was hit hard twice near the goal line on two incomplete passes in the third period of the Steelers' 37-16 victory against San Francisco at Heinz Field.

On one, he took a helmet to the knee and eventually left the game for good.

Coach Mike Tomlin said a preliminary diagnosis was a bone bruise, and that appears to be precisely what Ward has. An MRI showed no tear in his knee.

It's still not determined whether Ward will play Sunday in Arizona.

A Steelers spokesman said he had no update on Ward's condition and that Tomlin will issue one today at his news conference.

Leading the way

The unbeaten Steelers, off to their fastest start in 15 years, have two players atop the NFL rankings today.

Halfback Willie Parker leads the league in rushing with 368 yards, and Jeff Reed leads it in scoring with 37 points. Reed, tied for the NFL lead after two games, has the honor all to himself after kicking nine field goals and 10 extra points.

The Steelers have not had a player win the NFL rushing title since Hall of Famer Bill Dudley ran for 604 yards in 1946.

Dudley also led the NFL in rushing in his rookie season of 1942 with 696 yards.

Kicker Norm Johnson tied for the NFL scoring title with 141 points in 1995, and Gary Anderson won three consecutive AFC scoring titles in the '80s and Roy Gerela one in '74.

Bid For Hope Auction

Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca and his wife Julie will play host for the sixth annual Bid For Hope Auction to benefit A Glimmer of Hope, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit charity that supports breast cancer research.

The auction will be from 7-11 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Jerome Bettis Grille 36 on the North Shore. Faneca and many of his teammates will kick the night off with an autograph session from 7-8 p.m.

For more information, call 800-454-6746 or visit www. glimmerofhopepin.org.