Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is sending a lot of mixed signals over whether he'll play Sunday, or whether he'll be able to put any zip on the ball if he plays Sunday.

Zip on the ball seems secondary to the zip on the ball Charlie Batch throws. Roethlisberger at 70 percent probably still throws harder and farther than Batch does.

The point being, Roethlisberger is looking to play with some extra padding Sunday, which really tells us nothing more than he may play. That diagnosis is right in line with the "questionable" tag he's likely to have heading into Sunday's game against Baltimore.

Roethlisberger said will wear extra padding on shoulder, always wears rib protector, guesses as long as bubble wrap NFL-approved, good!

— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) November 29, 2012

If bubble wrap prevents further injury to Roethlisberger's shoulder, expect the Steelers to invest heavily in the product immediately after their Week 13 game.

As it is, it looks like the decision of whether Roethlisberger will start or sit will come a bit later this week.

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