Will Ben Roethlisberger play in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals?
When Ben Roethlisberger suffered a left pectoral injury in Week 1, Pittsburgh Steelers fans held their breath. Roethlisberger has been the embodiment of pushing through pain throughout his career. But at 39 and two years removed from a season-ending injury, it's harder to do than it once was.
The Steelers will face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in a Week 3 divisional battle. Ben Roethlisberger is expected to play but will be in pain every time he throws. How Roethlisberger will perform with this injury is anyone's guess. The Steelers will have to be ready for any scenario at the quarterback position.
Players expected to play Sunday include Ben Roethlisberger, Derek Carr, Odell Beckham Jr., Marshon Lattimore, Noah Fant, Tim Patrick and Trey Sermon.
Ben Roethlisberger will play, but the Steelers are ready for anything
Although Ben Roethlisberger is playing, the Steelers will be prepared for the possibility of his injury getting worse. Head coach Mike Tomlin said earlier this week that the Steelers were going to have to be "adjustable." That was true before the game, and it will remain true during the game.
#Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has a left pec injury. Coach Mike Tomlin says it will affect his preparation ability - and "We'd better be ready to be adjustable."
Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins Jr. are the backup quarterbacks. Rudolph has appeared in 15 games for the Steelers in his career. Meanwhile, Haskins is a former first-round pick who has more mobility than Rudolph.
One of the major concerns for the Steelers is their offensive line play to start the season. The line has five new starters from last season and has been among the worst in the NFL in pass blocking. Ben Roethlisberger was hit ten times in Week 2 alone. The bottom line is if the offensive line can't protect Ben Roethlisberger, he might not make it 17 games.
What time are Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers playing against the Cincinnati Bengals?
The Steelers and Bengals play at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. Cincinnati's front seven is playing well to start the season. In sack percentage, they're ranked seventh-best in the NFL. But their passing defense also improved from 2020. They give up the ninth fewest passing yards per game and have a former Steelers player Mike Hilton in their secondary.
Roethlisberger will play, but the biggest question will be whether he can stay healthy the whole game. The question is followed by how effective will he be when it hurts to throw?
Also Check Out: Complete NFL Week 4 TV Schedule