Is Leftwich a better fit for Steelers against Colts?

By Neal Coolong  |   Thursday, November 06, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Pittsburgh Steelers
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The results of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger are in: His right shoulder is just as injured as it's been all season.

Is that good news or bad news? Judging by the way Roethlisberger played over the past six games of the season, it was obvious that the injury is affecting him. He left at the end of the first half of a 23-6 win over the Washington Redskins in Week 9. Veteran QB Byron Leftwich came in. And while he doesn't have Roethlisberger's tools, the fresh and healthy Leftwich propelled the team to victory.

Going into a pivotal AFC match with the Indianapolis Colts, which one of these big-armed QBs will start? It may come down to whoever is able to throw the ball harder.

Commentary: Considering the speed in the Colts' secondary, an injured throwing arm means less velocity, which means more opportunities for interceptions. Leftwich has a cannon for a right arm, but his release time is about the same as a manually loaded weapon. Simply, Roethlisberger has not gotten the job done in his past few starts; he's posted passer ratings of 38.5 and 15.1 in his last two games.

Backup quarterbacks entering a game halfway through have something of an advantage of surprise. The Redskins were not preparing for Leftwich nearly as long as they were Roethlisberger, and with the way their defense was rolling at that point, Leftwich really just needed to control the game and make smart reads. He did that, and he got the team 10 critical points in the second half.

Roethlisberger says he wants to play, and he even told Steelers coach Mike Tomlin he'll do a better job this week. He didn't sign a $100 million contract in the offseason to be replaced on the fly; so, odds are he'll get the start. The Steelers know that Leftwich is available, though, and if Roethlisberger thinks the team won't bluntly call him out for inadequate performance, injury or not, he should ask former punter Mitch Berger.

Fan Pulse: Fans are gathering on Pittsburgh Live to discuss this mini-QB controversy: Should Roethlisberger take a seat until he's fully healthy?

Fantasy Football Impact: The Steelers are likely going to get running back Willie Parker 20-plus carries Sunday versus Indianapolis, considering the Colts are ranked 25th in the NFL against the rush.

Injury Watch: Roethlisberger will likely play, but tight end Heath Miller will probably miss his first start since his rookie year with a high ankle sprain. He's listed as doubtful as of Thursday.
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About Neal Coolong

Neal Coolong is a freelance sports writer with contributions to Scout.com, AOL and Steelers Live. He lives with his fiance in St. Paul, Minn., and saves every dime (that she knows about) for their wedding next June. He's already made the prediction that the Steelers 2007 draft class will be one...
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