Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday during his press conference that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw on Monday and that the door was still open for him to play Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
While that sounds like a very optimistic outlook, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported via Twitter on Tuesday after Tomlin talked to the media that a source close to Roethlisberger told him that he would be “shocked” if the injured quarterback played Sunday.
Tomlin made it very clear during his Tuesday talk with the media that he did not observe Roethlisberger throw on Monday and that the quarterback won\’t be allowed to play unless he shows them that he is capable of doing so.
Tomlin also made it very clear on Tuesday that right now the team is preparing for Charlie Batch to make his second consecutive start this weekend with the newly signed Brian Hoyer remaining an emergency guy only.
This really sounds about right, and at this point, I would also be shocked if Roethlisberger wound up playing against the Ravens. Another week of rest should be perfect and I fully expect that he will be back the following week for the home game against the San Diego Chargers.
Roethlisberger suffered a right SC sprain and a dislocated rib via a sack early in the second half of the Monday night game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The injury to the rib was thought to be the more serious of the two injuries and the quarterback has already ditched his arm sling.
