Ben Roethlisberger"s 5 TD Game! (Week 4 Highlights) | Chiefs vs. Steelers | NFL
When the Pittsburgh Steelers take the field against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, they"ll do so with Ben Roethlisberger back in the lineup. The Steelers announced Sunday morning that Roethlisberger is not only active, but will also start the game against the Ravens.
The Steelers had considered Roethlisberger a game-time decision all week.
He was injured during the Steelers" win over the Miami Dolphins three weeks ago, tearing the meniscus in his left knee. He was originally expected to miss 4-6 weeks after surgery, but will once again return earlier than the team originally planned.
He actually only missed one game for the Steelers -- a Week 7 loss to the New England Patriots -- because the team was on a bye last week. Landry Jones made the start against New England and took the loss.
The Steelers still hold a lead in the AFC North, but the Ravens and Bengals are close behind. There"s plenty of time left in the season, but a win on Sunday would put some separation between Pittsburgh and the teams behind them, and Roethlisberger starting is a pretty good sign that they consider this an important game for their season.
PITTSBURGH -- That Ben Roethlisberger could miss one or two games with a torn left meniscus is a manageable situation for a team equipped to handle injuries, specifically quarterback injuries.
The Big Ben-Tom Brady clash won"t happen Sunday in Heinz Field because of Roethlisberger"s surgery Monday, as confirmed by ESPN"s Adam Schefter and first reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
But the big-picture goals are still mostly intact for Pittsburgh, despite an erratic defense that has allowed 64 points in its past two road games.
If the Steelers revel in chances to rally, nothing screams team-building like hosting the New England Patriots without a star quarterback. Let"s see what they can do.
The Steelers will have to rely on Le"Veon Bell in Ben Roethlisberger"s absence.Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports
A potential loss to the Patriots, followed by the bye week, sets the stage for Roethlisberger to return for Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens, depending on how the knee heals. That would make the Steelers 4-3 heading into a crucial divisional matchup, the same situation when Roethlisberger returned from a sprained medial collateral ligament last season in time for the Cincinnati Bengals game.
That didn"t stop them from making the playoffs. The Steelers are accustomed to dealing with Roethlisberger"s short absences. After Sunday, Roethlisberger will have missed at least one game in nine of his last 12 seasons. The Steelers haven"t finished worse than 8-8 in any of them.
Landry Jones doesn"t have the backup quarterback cachet of Dallas" Dak Prescott and New England"s Jimmy Garoppolo, but the Steelers feel he"s capable. In his last extended action, he was 19-of-22 for 206 yards against New Orleans in the preseason.
Last year, the Steelers went 2-2 with a clumsy backup situation while Roethlisberger was out. Michael Vick struggled mightily through two-and-a-half games before the team gave Jones the keys. In Jones" only NFL start, the Steelers battled the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in a 23-13 loss.
Le"Veon Bell got 17 carries for 121 yards that day, and he should carry the ball at least 20 times against New England. The Steelers" best chance is to pound the ball.
The Steelers can create a game plan that gives Jones quick and decisive third-down throws with an occasional deep shot to Sammie Coates or Antonio Brown.
A defense that got humbled in Miami could have linebacker Ryan Shazier and defensive end Cam Heyward back for the New England game, and if not, definitely for the Ravens.
The Steelers responded in a big way after the Week 3 blowout at the Philadelphia Eagles, holding the Chiefs and New York Jets to a combined 27 points.
After several injuries the last two years, the Steelers are accustomed to managing change.
