NFL notes

LITTLE ROCK — STEELERS

QB testing shoulder

PITTSBURGH - Ben Roethlisberger can hold his newborn son Ben Jr. in his injured right arm just fine. When the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback will be able to say the same about a football, even he’s not sure.

Roethlisberger practiced in a limited role Thursday and appears a long shot to return for Sunday’s game in Baltimore.

“There’s always a chance,” Roethlisberger said.

The lengthy list of issues still plaguing Roethlisberger more than two weeks after he sprained his right shoulder and suffered a dislocated rib in a 16-13 overtime victory against Kansas City, however, suggests he’s still a week away from giving it a go.

Though the pain isn’t quite as intense as it was in the days after Kansas City linebacker Tamba Hali drilled Roethlisberger into the soggy Heinz Field turf, the two-time Super Bowl winner can still only sleep in certain positions at night. And while he’s tested the shoulder this week, he’s uncertain if he can make all the throws necessary to attack Baltimore’s secondary.

“Can I put a lot of zip on the ball, throw it really hard before people like Ed Reed and defenders can get to the ball?” Roethlisberger said. “If I can’t I’m not putting us in the best situation to win the game.”

Offensive coordinator Todd Haley said Roethlisberger threw “a little bit” Thursday but the team continues to prepare as if Charlie Batch will make his second consecutive start. Batch completed 20 of 34 passes for 199 yards and threw 3 costly interceptions against Cleveland.

COWBOYS Murray practicing

IRVING, Texas - Dallas running back DeMarco Murray is finally practicing again.

It’s unknown if he’ll play Sunday night against Philadelphia, and whether his six-game absence is what ails the Cowboys’ running game.

Murray was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday in what Coach Jason Garrett said was the most football work the secondyear pro has done since spraining his right foot against Baltimore on Oct. 14.

Murray declined interviews after both practices, but did acknowledge a “good first day” in a playful exchange with reporters Wednesday.

“If he’s ready to go, it will be a boost,” quarterback Tony Romo said. “If not, some guys will have to continue to step up.”

The question is whether it’s a coincidence the Cowboys have rushed for more than 100 yards just once - and only 101 at that - in sixgames without Murray, who had a franchise-record 253 yards in his first start as a rookie last season and averaged 5.5 yards per carry.

This year, he had three consecutive games with a per-carry average of less than 4 yards before getting 90 and injuring his foot in the first half against the Ravens. He had one 3-yard carry after halftime before going to the sideline for good, and the Cowboys have been on a steady slide to last in the league in rushing ever since.

“I’m hopeful,” offensive line coach Bill Callahan said. “When he comes back, we’ll see how he feels and see where it all is.”

Former Arkansas Razorback Felix Jones has seen most of the work in Murray’s absence, but he’s been slowed by injuries to both knees. While he had 71 yards and another 22 yards receiving with a touchdown in the team’s only 100-yard rushing game since Murray’s injury, Jones is averaging a career-low 3.6 yards per carry.

Jenkins fined for shove

IRVING, Texas - Dallas Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins has been fined $7,875 for pushing Pierre Garcon to the ground well after the Washington receiver crossed the goal line on a 59-yard touchdown catch last week.

Cowboys Coach Jason Garrett confirmed Thursday that Jenkins was fined. Jenkins was penalized for unnecessary roughness for the shove on Garcon in the end zone during the Redskins’ 38-31 victory on Thanksgiving.

The former first-round pick has seen limited playing time as the third cornerback behind Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne. He figures to be on the field more with nickel cornerback Orlando Scandrick injured.

Jenkins missed training camp and the season opener after offseason shoulder surgery, and complained about not getting a new contract. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal.

49ERS Smith questions demotion

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Alex Smith is trying to understand how he lost his job as starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers a month after being named NFC offensive player of the week.

It’s not an easy thing for the NFL’s fifth-ranked quarterback to deal with this week, even though Smith already has experienced plenty of ups and downs in his tumultuous career since the 49ers made him the No. 1 overall selection of the 2005 draft.

Smith spoke with the media Thursday for the first time since Coach Jim Harbaugh made Colin Kaepernick the team’s starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams, a rematch of the last game in which Smith appeared.

Smith is now completely healthy from the concussion he suffered in that Nov. 11 game and has been medically cleared to play.

But he’ll be Kaepernick’s backup for the second consecutive week. Smith is uncertain what Harbaugh’s decision means for him the rest of this season.

“I feel like the only thing I did to lose my job was get a concussion,” Smith said.

Smith was playing some of the best football of his career when hewas injured and left early in the second quarter of the 24-24 tie with the Rams.

He completed 7 of 8 passes with a passer rating of 143.8 against St. Louis, throwing for his 13th touchdown of the season on his final pass. The week before, Smith completed 18 of 19 for 232 yards and 3 touchdowns during a victory over Arizona, setting an NFL record with a 94.7 completion percentage for a quarterback with a minimum of 15 attempts. He was named NFC offensive player of the week for the first time two days later.

Smith ranks fifth in the NFL with a passer rating of 104.1 and leads the league with a 70.0 completion percentage.

“You kind of state your case with your play and I felt like I’ve done that,” Smith said. “It’s tough. It stings the most just because I really felt there was something special going on here and you sacrifice and invest so much time. I felt like I was playing good football. I have no idea what’s going to happen from here.All I can do now is just prepare and get ready.” PACKERS Benson to remain on IR

GREEN BAY, Wis. - One injured Green Bay Packers is back, another is out.

Cedric Benson will remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season after having surgery Wednesday on his sprained left foot. The running back was able to resume practicing last week after being placed on the injured reserve but designated to return list Oct. 10, and could have played as early as Dec. 9. But he never did practice, and the odds of him returning seemed grim early in the week when Coach Mike Mc-Carthy said Benson was being reevaluated.

“Cedric Benson had surgery yesterday. That was the final conclusion,” McCarthy said Thursday. “He will not be back with us this season.”

McCarthy did not give any more details on the surgery or Benson’s prognosis.

The news comes in the same week that Greg Jennings, Green Bay’s No. 1 receiver, prepares to return after missing the last seven games with a torn muscle in his abdomen.

“It kind of seems that’s what it’s like to play in the NFL now,” fullback John Kuhn said. “Guys are dropping like flies. We’re going to get some guys back here the next couple of weeks, we know that. When they get back, we’re going to play some good football.”

Benson was the workhorse of Green Bay’s running game, leading the Packers with 248 yards rushing - more than the rest of the team combined - when he went out. Since then, the Packers have used a rotation of Kuhn, Alex Green and James Starks.