STEELERS: Big Ben won’t be ruled out vs. Browns

PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers injury list has grown so long this season, guard Ramon Foster joked the football gods must be ticked at his team.

“Ben is our franchise quarterback”.

In his second game back, though, it looks like the Steelers will have to find ways to win without him once again after suffering what appears to be a sprain in his left foot in the team’s 38-35 win against Oakland last Sunday.

The Steelers had to simplify their offense in the three games that Vick started after Roethlisberger hurt his knee September 27 in a win over the Rams at St. Louis. Oakland’s Taiwan Jones fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Pittsburgh’s Roosevelt Nix fell on it at the Raiders’ 6.

But with Maurkice Pouncey, Kelvin Beachum and Bell already done for the season, and Roethlisberger being forced to miss more time, the Steelers can ill afford another significant injury. Jones rallied Pittsburgh past Arizona on October 18 but was largely ineffective in a loss to Kansas City a week later.

“We are taking into consideration that he had an earlier concussion this year”, Jones said on 105.3 The Fan’s Shan and RJ show [KRLD-FM]. You go into a place knowing that that was a game that they absolutely had to have.

Having Brown around certainly helps. Brown set a Steelers’ record with 17 catches for 284 yards while Williams ran for 170 yards and two scores.

“It just makes life easy”, Jones said. Cleveland QB Josh McCown should be ready to go for this one and for the season he has completed 65 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. “You’re not making that check unless you’re feeling pretty confident you’re going to execute it”.

The Steelers, at 5-4, are alive for one of two AFC wild card spots. They then travel to play Seattle November 29. “I don’t want to speculate on what he would have done”, she said.

Carr has also thrown for three touchdowns per game in three consecutive weeks, the first Oakland quarterback to do so since Rich Gannon in 2001.

Derek Carr threw for 301 yards with four touchdowns and an interception for the Raiders (4-4).

Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin said as much. “That’s the thing that hurts me”. “I thought we did that part”.

Time is on his side: Running back DeAngelo Williams, who could be limited in practice at the start of the week with inflammation in his foot, has stood the test of time and is playing years younger than a 32-year old, 10-year veteran.

“I really don’t know what to say but ‘Wow, ‘” Woodson said.