Big Ben to Sit; Make It Happen With Batch

December 27, 2007 @ 02:24:39

By Tim Piotrowski
Edited by Nicholas Minnix

Gerry Dulac, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reports Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (ankle) did not participate in practice Thursday, Dec. 27. He is not expected to play Week 17. If Roethlisberger does not play in the game, quarterback Charlie Batch will take his place.

With a playoff spot already secure, it appears the Steelers are being cautious with their franchise quarterback. Roethlisberger suffered a sprained ankle during the team's Week 16 game but was able to finish. He did not practice Wednesday, Dec. 26, and an extra week of rest would likely help his ankle going into the playoffs.

Roethlisberger has really bounced back from a terrible 2006 season. This year, he has thrown for 3,154 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The former first-round draft choice ranks second in the NFL with a 104.1 passer rating, behind only New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Last week against the St. Louis Rams, Roethlisberger went 16-for-20 passing for 261 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. That performance netted him American Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors.

The man likely to replace him is considered by some to be one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league. Batch has not seen much playing time this season, only completing one of his five passes, but he has experience filling in for Roethlisberger. Last season, Batch threw for 496 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions in one start and parts of seven other games. He started the team's opening game because Roethlisberger underwent an emergency appendectomy.

From a fantasy perspective, Roethlisberger owners should pick up Batch if they need a starting quarterback. Batch will be facing a depleted Baltimore Ravens secondary and should have success throwing the ball to multiple receivers. If an owner has another quarterback with better matchup, Batch could be put on the bench, but he presents a solid option in Week 17. In the last four weeks, Baltimore has allowed quarterbacks to throw for 262.2 yards, 2.25 touchdowns and 0.75 interceptions per game.

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Tim Piotrowski
Piotrowski has been a Hot Off the Wire analyst since 2007.

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