PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into familiar territory, an important division game at Baltimore with star Jerome Bettis likely sidelined with an injury.

	Bettis

The Steelers got better-than-expected news Tuesday when they learned neither Bettis nor center Jeff Hartings needs knee surgery. Both were hurt in the second half of their 28-10 victory Monday night over Indianapolis, and Hartings' injury was initially thought more serious.

Tests showed Bettis sprained his left medial collateral ligament and Hartings injured left knee cartilage, but did not tear any ligaments. They will likely be listed as doubtful in the Steelers' medical report Wednesday.

"The news on those players is good, relative to what the alternative could have been,'' coach Bill Cowher said Tuesday.

Namely, season-ending surgery that could have disrupted the Steelers just when they are playing well.

The short turnaround following Pittsburgh's third victory in four games could make it difficult for Bettis and Hartings to play Sunday at Baltimore (3-3). The game will at least temporarily decide first place in the AFC North.

The Steelers also were without Bettis (groin injury) at Baltimore last season, but backup Amos Zereoue filled in by gaining 73 yards in a 26-21 victory. Zereoue also replaced Bettis on Monday and ran for a career-high 87 yards against the Colts, who are 0-12 in Pittsburgh since 1968.

"Most definitely, I think I'm ready,'' Zereoue said. "I have a lot of confidence in my ability.''

Bettis ran for two touchdowns Monday before getting hurt and is 35 yards from moving past O.J. Simpson into 11th place in NFL career rushing.

Hartings' replacement, Chukky Okobi, has much less experience than Zereoue, but said he won't be nervous.

Okobi grew up a Steelers fan in New York before becoming current Chargers quarterback Drew Brees' center at Purdue. Okobi was a fifth-round draft pick in 2001.

"I'm sure I'm going to play this week,'' Okobi said. "But I go into every week preparing as if I'm going to play. Am I ready for this? I've been ready my whole life. I've been following the Steelers my whole life, and I've been waiting for this forever.''

Cowher is glad he didn't have to wait that long for the Steelers to turn themselves around after ego-deflating losses to New England and Oakland threatened to capsize their season.

Cowher refused to make panic moves even after the Steelers narrowly missed starting 0-3, making no lineup changes except to bench quarterback Kordell Stewart for Tommy Maddox. Of course, it helped that the Steelers play in the AFC North, where no team is above .500.

The Super Bowl champion Patriots, by contrast, looked dominating in manhandling Pittsburgh (30-14) and the Jets (44-7) to start the season. But after losing three straight, they have the same record as the Steelers.

"You don't want to get too caught up in your record,'' Cowher said. "You don't want to get too caught up with anything more than where you are inside your division. You don't want to fall too far behind, but a lot of it is about how you are playing.

"If you're 3-3 but you've lost three in a row, you're probably not feeling so good about your team. If you're 3-3 but you've won three in a row, you're probably feeling a lot better. It's not so much about the record, but the direction you're going, how you're playing and where you stand.''

The Steelers probably feel good about where they're going this weekend -- they have won five straight in Baltimore, and are 5-1 since the former Cleveland Browns relocated there in 1996.

"They're probably the leading rival now in our division,'' Cowher said.

Also Tuesday, Matt Cushing re-signed with the Steelers, who were down to one healthy tight end for Monday night's game against the Colts.

This is the third time in four years Cushing has signed with the Steelers during the season. He spent the 2001 season with them, but was cut last month after being one of four tight ends to make the season-opening 53-man roster.

To make room for Cushing, the Steelers released second-year linebacker Justin Kurpeikis.