Ready to play through pain

Seymour, Warren set to go despite injuries

FOXBOROUGH - Richard Seymour is listed as questionable for tomorrow's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a knee injury, but there didn't seem to be any question in the defensive end's mind that he is playing.

Seymour practiced yesterday for the first time all week, having limited participation. Prior to practicing, he was asked if he'd be ready to go on Sunday.

"Absolutely," said Seymour. "Hopefully, that's the game plan. This time of year everybody is banged up and not feeling 100 percent, but you try to go out and give it your best shot."

Being banged up along the defensive line is not the ideal way to go into a game against a team as physical at the line of scrimmage as Pittsburgh, but that's where the Patriots find themselves, as both of their starting defensive ends are fighting injuries. Left defensive end Ty Warren remains hampered by a groin injury that forced him to miss the Jets game Nov. 13.

"Even with my ailments I'm going to go out there and do what I got to do," said Warren, also listed as questionable. "And I'm going to take pride in doing what I got to do. My goal always is to neutralize whatever they do coming to my side when I'm in there, and the same for Richard. So, I know he's going to take pride, despite whatever ailment he has, in going out there and performing the best way he can. That's really all you can control. You just try to win more battles than you lose."

Sitting out isn't really an option for Seymour or Warren at this point in the season.

"Absolutely, it's a big game for us, an AFC game. It holds a lot of weight," said Warren.

Seymour and Warren were among five players listed as questionable for tomorrow's game. They were joined by linebacker Tedy Bruschi (knee), cornerback Ellis Hobbs (shoulder), and running back LaMont Jordan (right calf), who has not played since Oct. 5 but was able to practice all three days this week.

Wide receiver Kelley Washington and linebacker Adalius Thomas were the only Patriots who didn't practice yesterday. Thomas, still recovering from a broken right forearm, was listed as out. Washington (thigh) didn't practice all week and is doubtful.

Keisel, Smith out

The Steelers will be without two starters: defensive end Brett Keisel (sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee), and left tackle Marvel Smith (back).

The status of running back Willie Parker (inflammation in left knee) remains up in the air. Parker had full participation in practice for the second straight day, but is listed as questionable, along with cornerbacks Bryant McFadden (broken forearm) and Deshea Townsend (hamstring).

If Parker can't go, Pittsburgh will turn to running back Mewelde Moore, who lacks Parker's home run-hitting speed.

"But both of them do a good job," said Seymour. "[Moore] is more like Kevin Faulk; he's real shifty and will catch some balls out of the backfield and does a good job for them."

Words have no impact

While Steelers safety Anthony Smith was at it again, repeating his infamous victory guarantee from a year ago, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said such utterances rarely work as motivation.

"In the end, the game is won and lost out on the field by the players," Belichick said. "You can go in there and hit your helmet against a locker before you go out on the field, hold hands and chant, kick chairs and break blackboards and all that, but as soon as the ball's snapped, either you do your job better than they do theirs, or vice versa.

"That stuff really is for a couple plays. It may even be for one play. It's really about execution. I don't think it helps you block. I don't think it helps you tackle. I don't think it helps you do the things you need to do from a football standpoint."

Nose tackle Vince Wilfork said the Patriots weren't taking Smith's comments to heart.

"I don't think anything of it," Wilfork said earlier in the week. "Some people express themselves in different ways. To me, that's just saying how confident he feels. He's probably speaking for the team, [and] how confident they feel. Every time you play a ballgame, you want to come in and win. Nobody looks forward to losing. Like I said, some people do it differently. We'll see on Sunday."

On lookout for Ward

The Patriots' secondary, already decimated by injuries, is preparing for some bruising encounters with Pittsburgh receiver Hines Ward, a proficient and punishing downfield blocker. He broke the jaw of Cincinnati rookie linebacker Keith Rivers on a devastating blow earlier this season. "Hines Ward makes you play football," said Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather. "He's not one of those guys you can go to sleep on any time. First of all, he's a great receiver. He's probably one of the best receivers in the game right now. He blocks and he runs great routes. So, Hines Ward just makes you play football 100 percent of the time. There's no play you can take off, because even on running plays he makes you play football against him. I have a lot of respect for him." . . . Walpole star running back Ryan Izzo, the Division 2 scoring leader with 34 touchdowns, is not related to Patriots special teams captain Larry Izzo. "No, we are not relatives, but we might be if you go back all the way to the old country," Larry said. "I've followed him a little bit and from what I've read, he's a heck of a football player, and I wish him well." Ryan has led his team to a Division 2 playoff game against Reading.

Michael Vega of the Globe staff contributed to this report.