Steelers Digest is reporting via Twitter that veteran Pittsburgh Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch will start at quarterback Saturday against the St. Louis Rams at Heinz Field in place of the injured Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger is still nursing his left ankle sprain suffered in the first half against the Cleveland Browns a few weeks ago and he was not able to practice this week after starting Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers.
This will be the first start of the 2011 season for Batch and his last start came back in week 4 of the 2010 season against the Baltimore Ravens. Batch was 12 for 21 in that game with 141 yards passing. He had 1 interception and no touchdowns in that game and was sacked twice in the Steelers 17-14 loss. Batch did enter the game against the Browns when Roethlisberger was injured, but was 0-2 passing and sacked once.
Saturday will be the 53rd start for Batch during his career and his record as a starter is 23-29-0. It will be his 7th start for the Steelers since joining the team in 2003 and he is 4-2 in those previous 6 starts.
