-- Steelers receiver Hines Ward remembers the sad feeling he experienced after losing the past two AFC Championship Games played at Heinz Field. "We definitely don't want Baltimore celebrating on our field,'' Ward said. "I don't know how long (it would take) to get over that. That's something you've got to go into the offseason and look at the whole time. We have to make sure that doesn't happen.''
-- Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he expects Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu to play despite a calf injury that slowed him in the divisional playoff game against San Diego. Polamalu, who returned to practice Thursday, "wasn't limited in any way,'' Tomlin said.
-- Center Justin Hartwig (knee) didn't practice for the second consecutive day. However, he is expected to practice today and start on Sunday. "It's not going to prevent him from playing in the game,'' Tomlin said of Hartwig, who has started every game this season. "It didn't prevent him from playing in the game last week.''
-- Defensive end Aaron Smith said the unbalanced offensive line utilized by Baltimore to improve the running game when the teams played last month was on the side opposite right outside linebacker James Harrison. The Ravens added an extra blocker. Sometimes it was a tackle, sometimes a tight end. "They did quite a bit,'' Smith said. "An extra big body for them to block. You've got to be careful you don't get caught out of position, and they get some angles on you.'' Baltimore rushed for 112 yards on 31 carries (3.6 average) in the Steelers' 13-9 win on Dec. 14.
