TAMPA, Fla. -- If it seemed the Pittsburgh Steelers were repeating themselves Friday during their final full practice for the Super Bowl, they were.
Coach Mike Tomlin's staff put in the game plan for Arizona last week. Tomlin didn't want to stray from the normal practice week routine, so this week's practices were nearly the same on the corresponding days as those during the off week in Pittsburgh.
"This week was a redo," Tomlin told a pool reporter assigned by the Pro Football Writers of America. "We didn't have the sense of urgency we might normally have in a practice week, but that's because the guys have seen it all once."
Wide receiver Hines Ward (sprained right knee ligament) went through the full one-hour, 50-minute practice in unseasonably cool 55-degree weather. He is listed as probable for the Steelers' second Super Bowl in four seasons.
Ward's status "never was in question," Tomlin said, even though the Super Bowl MVP of three seasons ago was injured less than two weeks ago in the AFC Championship Game.
Ward and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger both looked sharp during a practice in which the Steelers piped in crowd noise to replicate game conditions. Roethlisberger took a helmet to the back during the AFC title game but has not been listed on the Steelers' injury report.
"I feel great about our preparation," Tomlin said. "Of course, you evaluate your preparation by your performance in the game, but I think the guys understand everything they have to do entering the game."
The Steelers will go through a final walkthrough Saturday at the University of South Florida before leaving their NFL-assigned hotel to relocate to an unannounced location.
Pittsburgh can become the first team to win six Super Bowls on Sunday if it defeats the Cardinals, who are appearing in their first NFL championship game in 60 years.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
