The anticipated Steelers-Ravens pain bowl this Saturday is expected to include one of the game's most feared hitters. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu is listed as probable to play on Pittsburgh's official injury report. Polamalu sat out Wednesday's practice to rest his sore right ankle and Achilles' tendon, but he practiced fully on Thursday and Friday, putting him in good position to start this divisional playoff game. Polamalu aggravated his ankle while returning an interception for a touchdown in week 14. He missed the next two games, but played in the Steelers' regular-season finale at Cleveland. The two weeks off since that win reportedly have Polamalu at his healthiest since midseason.

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As if there was any doubt that he would miss this game. As Matt De Lima stated here earlier in the week and as many of you already know, Polamalu is extremely important to the Steelers' success. In the last two seasons, the Steelers are 6-7 without Polamalu and 15-5 when he plays. Remember that when these teams last met in week 13, Polamalu was involved in the game-changing play. Baltimore led, 10-6, late in the fourth quarter when Polamalu pounced on Joe Flacco and stripped him of the ball. The Steelers recovered the fumble and scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown a few plays later. His fingerprints will be all over Saturday's game, too.