RENTON — With so many new faces on Seattle's offensive line this season, it's hard to say anything looks familiar.

But when Robert Gallery returned to practice at left guard Wednesday, Seattle's offensive line returned to the configuration everyone expected coming out of training camp.

"That was great to see him back out," coach Pete Carroll said of Gallery. "We took care of him but yet he got some physical full-speed work."

Gallery missed Seattle's opener at San Francisco because of a sprained knee. Rookie James Carpenter started in Gallery's place at left guard in Week 1, but he returned to right tackle for Wednesday's practice.

Carroll said Gallery's availability will depend on how his knee feels Thursday, the day after his workout. Carroll said the exact configuration for the starting line Sunday in Pittsburgh won't be determined until later this week.

Gallery is the only veteran on Seattle's offensive line. He played the previous seven seasons in Oakland, starting 91 games. Center Max Unger ranks second among the team's offensive linemen in career starts with 18.

Receiver Sidney Rice also returned to practice after missing the previous three weeks because of a shoulder injury. Rice was limited, meaning he did not participate in all parts of practice.

"Having Sidney out on the practice field was great," Carroll said. "He ran around a lot and caught a lot of balls today. What that means, I don't know, but it's better than not seeing him do it."

Middle linebacker David Hawthorne, how missed last week's game, practiced Wednesday.

Official reaction

Steelers receiver Hines Ward does feel bad over all the fuss generated by the officiating in Seattle's loss to Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XL. That sympathy, however, is for the referee from that game, Bill Leavy.

"I feel bad for the guy," Ward said. "He's still taking heat for something from six years ago. It was six years ago, guys. Get over that. We're not going to worry about who's whining. Let's play."

Leavy was assigned as referee for this Sunday's game in Pittsburgh. It's the second time he has officiated a Seahawks' regular-season game since the Super Bowl.

Steely resolve

Not only did Pittsburgh lose its opener for the first time since 2002 on Sunday in Baltimore, but the Steelers' 35-7 loss to the Ravens was its largest Week 1 defeat since 1997.

How are the Steelers moving on from that game?

"You take it as what it is," linebacker James Harrison. "We got beat like we stole something."

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin was similarly blunt assessing his team's mood coming out of the loss.

"It's appropriate," Tomlin said. "We played poorly. We, of course, analyzed our performance and then we move forward to ready ourselves for the next one, but it doesn't lessen that fact that tape is out there. It's out there forever."

Notes

• LB Malcolm Smith (hamstring), CB Byron Maxwell (ankle), FB Michael Robinson (ankle), DE Dexter Davis (hip) and tackle Jarriel King (ankle) did not practice.