Steeler Nation can let out a sigh of relief. Sort of.
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is reported to be in a walking boot around the South Side complex today, nursing a high ankle sprain.
Tribune-Review reporter Gerry Dulac tweeted both Roethlisberger and C Maurkice Pouncey suffered high ankle sprains, "described as 'not good.'"
Roethlisberger suffered the sprain in Pittsburgh's 14-3 Week 14 win over Cleveland Thursday. While high ankle sprains are not easy injuries to play with, it looked far worse than what it ended up being.
Veteran back-up Charlie Batch came into the game for the remainder of the first half, and the results of that were uninspiring, to put it mildly. Roethlisberger returned to the game, but clearly was hobbled. He struggled to step back into handoffs, and his fourth quarter interception looked like the result of not being able to step into the throw.
It appears Batch would be the starter if Roethlisberger is unable to play in Week 15, a Monday Night game at San Francisco. It's likely Dennis Dixon will be active for the game as well. Dixon has been a healthy scratch most of the 2011 season.