Steelers Notebook: S Troy Polamalu gets through another full practice

As the week goes on, the signs are increasingly encouraging that Steelers S Troy Polamalu will be play in Sunday's showdown with the Baltimore Ravens.

Polamalu made it through a full practice for the second day in a row Thursday. His first appearance on the practice field in seven weeks had come the previous Friday, albeit in a limited capacity.

Polamalu has been heading immediately to the trainers' room for treatment after every practice. The media availability window is the 30 minutes after practice ends, so Polamalu has been hard to track down.

Thursday, he spoke briefly with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in the hallway of the team facility. Soon after, about a half dozen other reporters converged. A Steelers representative broke up the interview.

Polamalu, as he is wont to do, offered only a "God willing" when asked if he expected to play Sunday.

Assuming there are no setbacks in the next 48 hours and he practices as scheduled Friday, there's a good chance he will play against the Ravens.

Incidentally, the same scenario has been playing out for WR Antonio Brown, who has missed the past three games with an ankle injury: Brown has practiced fully both days this week and is expected to return to action -- assuming nothing goes wrong between now and Sunday.

Worilds impresses: Coach Mike Tomlin was downright giddy when the Steelers were able to select LB Jason Worilds in the second round of the 2010 draft.

Midway through Worilds' third season, we're finally starting to see why.

In limited action, Worilds is the Steelers' sack leader with five after having two in the loss to Cleveland on Sunday. That doubles his career total.

"I would say the last month he has really come back to where he was at the end of last season, when he was coming on strong," defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said. "We are looking for him to continue to grow and be productive."

Worilds was severely limited all through training camp due to a wrist injury. He had all three of his sacks and 29 of his 38 tackles over the course of the final six games last season.

With LB LaMarr Woodley likely out of the Ravens game due to an ankle injury, Worilds has another chance to seize the spotlight.

Woodley has been injury-prone in recent seasons, and the Steelers' other OLB, James Harrison, is 34 and might be a salary-cap casualty before next season. Worilds is beginning to appear as if he's a solid starting option at OLB.

"You're always learning," Worilds said. "That's life and football -- just always learning and trying to get better."

Starks back, Colon still missing: One of the two most-veteran members of the Steelers offensive line returned to practice Thursday. The other was still missing.

LT Max Starks sat out Wednesday's practice with what was termed a back injury. Starks said it was just a routine day off, the type coach Mike Tomlin often gives to his more tenured players. That must have indeed been the case because Starks practiced fully Thursday.

LG Willie Colon, though, missed yet another practice due to an undisclosed knee ailment that cropped up late last week and prevented him from playing in the loss to Cleveland on Sunday. It's more likely that C Maurkice Pouncey will take his place at left guard against the Ravens, with OL Doug Legursky making the start at center.