Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger left Wednesday’s practice after hurting his ankle, but it doesn’t look like the injury will be more than a talking point for the announcers during Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
Ed Werder of ESPN reports that Roethlisberger suffered a minor sprained ankle and that he’ll be back at practice on Friday for the Steelers. Werder also reports that he will “definitely” play against Cincinnati.
That’s obviously good news for a Steelers team that has plenty of other injuries to deal with as they head into Week Seven. Roethlisberger has played with a variety of injuries over the years and shown little loss of personal effectiveness, but the bad wheel can make him more of a punching bag for the opposition pass rush. With a shaky offensive line in front of him, that will likely be Roethlisberger’s biggest concern.
At 2-3, this is a game the Steelers need if they are going to start asserting themselves into the race for playoff spots in the AFC. Roethlisberger’s presence should make it more likely that they get it.