New England defensive lineman Richard Seymour will not start in Sunday’s AFC title game against the Pittsburgh Steelers because of a left knee injury, though might play as a substitute.

“We’ll see where he is,” coach Bill Belichick said Friday before the team’s flight to Pittsburgh. “Maybe he can give us some situational play during the game.”

Seymour, one of two Patriots on the All-Pro team, remained on the injury report as questionable, meaning there was a 50 percent chance he would not play. The only other Patriots reported as injured were linebacker Ted Johnson, who was probable with the flu, and fullback Patrick Pass, who was questionable with a sore ankle.

Starting cornerbacks Ty Law and Tyrone Poole finished the season on injured reserve.

Seymour was injured in the Dec. 26 victory over the New York Jets and missed the last game of the regular season and the Patriots’ first playoff game, a 20-3 victory over the Indianapolis Colts last week.

AP-ES-01-21-05 1545EST