PITTSBURGH -- Minus a few season-ending injuries, the Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be somewhat healthy heading into round one of the playoffs against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The following is an injury update for the team as of Friday:

Safety Troy Polamalu (knee) practiced on Friday. He is listed as questionable for the game on Saturday night, but coach Mike Tomlin is optimistic he will play.
Return specialist Allen Rossum (hamstring) is questionable. He practiced Friday and is expected to play on Saturday.
Linebacker Clint Kriewaldt (neck) is out and was placed on injured reserve.
Lineman Max Starks will have season-ending knee surgery on a torn meniscus. Trai Essex will be the new starter at left tackle.

"There's no use testing it too much or too often before a game," Polamalu said of his injured knee. "So, we just did enough to feel comfortable, and we'll see what coach Tomlin says."

"He's very important," Tomlin said. "He's a Pro Bowl-caliber player and a big part of what we do defensively."

Other players who did not practice early in the week but are expected to play Saturday include wide receiver Willie Reid, cornerback Bryant McFadden, defensive back Deshea Townsend and wide receiver Hines Ward.

If neither Rossum nor Reid can play, Tomlin said kicks and punts may be returned by Najeh Davenport, Cedrick Wilson or Santonio Holmes.

This week, Tomlin had the Steelers' Dec. 16 loss to Jacksonville playing on an endless loop on all the monitors at the team's practice facility on the South Side.

It could be a motivational tool -- a reminder of how those who don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it.

"Honestly, you get tired," said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "You want to watch 'Sportscenter' or see something else -- CNN, cooking channel, I don't know. I don't want to see that. Every day I've been here, it's been going, looping, and now they even got rid of the commercials, so it's even more football. It's great."

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