BEREA: Daven Holly is glad he's got company on the list of Hines Ward's headhunting victims.

That doesn't make the Browns nickel back any less angry over the late hit the Steelers receiver delivered Sept. 9 that left Holly with a concussion and cost Ward a $5,000 fine.

''I'm looking to get every chance I can to compete and get him back,'' Holly said of Sunday's rematch at Heinz Field.

On Monday night, Holly watched as Ward lit up the Baltimore Ravens' Ed Reed and Bart Scott in Pittsburgh's 38-7 victory. Scott jumped up and laughed in Ward's face, while Reed had to sit out part of Wednesday's practice with what Ravens coach Brian Billick called ''a sensitivity to light.''

Ward was quoted afterward saying Scott threatened to kill him, which Scott confirmed to the Baltimore Sun this week.

''I threatened him,'' Scott told the Sun. ''If I see him again, I'm going to threaten him again.

''He took some shots that he didn't have to, and I'm not even
talking about my shot. I'm talking about the Ed Reed stuff. I was letting up because I thought (Willie Parker) was going to run out of bounds. I should've just went for the cheap shot and hit him out of bounds. Then I wouldn't have had to worry about getting blindsided. That's fine, though. He's out there in safe land as a receiver, but I'll get an opportunity one day.''

That's the same way Holly feels after Ward's hit caused him to miss the Sept. 19 game against Cincinnati. Ward issued an apology in the locker room, but not to Holly's face.

Holly thought the apology was half-hearted.

''I don't see how you can apologize for something like that. There's no need to apologize; just don't do it,'' Holly said Thursday. ''The whistle blew and he hit me. It was a hit that came kind of late. It seems like he does that. Last week he did it twice. That's what he does, goes for guys' heads when they're not paying attention.

''At least I know he wasn't just coming after me. At least I know that's part of his game and that's what he does. He even has (receiver) Santonio Holmes doing it a little bit. They're going to look to hit you after a play or when you're running to the ball, they try to get a whole bunch of cleanup shots. They've got to understand they're on offense and we're on defense, so I'm sure we can get them a lot more than they can get us.''

A three-year veteran, Holly said he was looking down at the play when Ward, a four-time Pro Bowler in his 10th year, ''ear-holed me in my right ear.''

''He said he did it because people on our team were doing it,'' Holly said. ''I've never talked to him since the hit. I know Hines Ward a little bit, I've watched him over the years and he never came across as being dirty to me. But the hit was borderline.''

Former Browns safety Earl Little might beg to differ about Ward's reputation. In Pittsburgh's 15-12 overtime victory at Cleveland in 2001, Ward knocked out Little with a high block and a helmet to the chin. Ward stood over Little and taunted him, even though he was unconscious with a concussion.

Ward was fined $5,000 for taunting, but the league ruled the block was legal. A New York Times story reported there was talk among the Browns about an informal bounty on Ward for whoever could get a good hit on him.

Holly said he definitely will be on the lookout for Ward on Sunday.

''It changes the way you play,'' Holly said. ''You've got to have your eyes open, you've got to be ready and you always have got to look for him.''

Holly grew up in Clairton, Pa., watching the Steelers and understands the team's mentality.

''The Steelers play tough, hard-nosed football,'' Holly said. ''That's their motto.

''Sometimes you can mistake playing hard-nosed football for being dirty. I don't know how to say it, I don't think they're trying to be dirty. But sometimes when you're borderline playing hard-nosed, it's dirty. Sometimes you come across as being a dirty football team.''