It is game-eve, the day before the Pittsburgh Steelers face the St. Louis Rams on December 24, 2011. Here’s my Steelers wish list for Santa.

Dear Santa,

What I want for Christmas is simple. I want the Steelers to earn the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs. I know the Steelers were bad last week. The #1 seed was gift-wrapped and ready to be taken. But somehow the Steelers lost to the mediocre San Francisco 49ers. The Steelers played badly, but their intentions were good. They were in the spirit of giving instead of taking (turnovers). Fans in San Francisco (those not newly on the bandwagon) haven’t had football thoughts at this time of year for decades. The Steelers have given them a chance to dream of long-forgotten glory. Even the referees chipped in to help the 49ers by missing an obvious 3rd down reception by Antonio Brown and curiously confusing a muffed punt with interference. But I’m not bitter.

So, the Steelers need some help getting the #1 seed, Santa. Can you please give us fans the following to help them out?

A Houston Texans loss

Thank you, Santa and the Indianapolis Colts. This is already accomplished. See? This isn’t so hard.

A sensible win against the Rams

The Steelers should rest Ben Roethlisberger, at least for this game to let his ankle heal up. Santa, send Coach Mike Tomlin a reminder to let Charlie Batch (or Dennis Dixon) hand the ball off to RBs Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman. The Rams give up the most rushing yards in the NFL. The game plan is simple – ram it down their throats and walk away with a W. There is no need for Roethlisberger to face Chris Long and the Rams pash rush. The Rams have won one game on the road; the Steelers have only lost one game at home. Santa, you shouldn’t have to work too hard on this one. But you could put some coal in Steven Jackson’s stockings to slow him down.

A Baltimore Ravens loss

The Ravens fans are cawing because their embarrasing loss to the San Diego Chargers didn’t cost them the AFC North crown, yet. This week they play the Cleveland Browns in Baltimore. Yes, Santa, it is asking a lot. But can you help Seneca Wallace and Peyton Hillis score? And can you teach the Browns how to tackle Ray Rice before he gains 200 yards? It is hard to imagine what Ravens fans would do if the Ravens lose this one. Let’s find out!

A New England Patriots loss

The Patriots, with no real defense, still looked impressive defeating the Denver Broncos and the Tim Tebow express last Sunday. On Saturday they are at home against their division foes, the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have played better in the second half of the season. Santa, can you help C.J. Spiller, Brandon Marshall, and company to come out victorious? You will probably have to tackle Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski yourself, but that’s OK with me. Use your sleigh to knock down Tom Brady’s passes. Whatever you can do, I will appreciate it.

That’s it, Santa. Just a few items on this fan’s list. Forget the milk and cookies. If you can help the Steelers out, I’m sure there will be a Primanti Brothers sandwich and an Iron City for you. Here we go, Santa, here we go!

Sean Durity is a Terrible Towel twirling Steelers fan living in Atlanta. He grew up cheering the 1970s dynasty and appreciates the organization’s excellence even more as an adult.

More from this contributor

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My pre-season predictions

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Read More: Charlie Batch (QB – PIT), Ben Roethlisberger (QB – PIT), Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be a “game-time decision” for Saturday’s matchup against the St. Louis Rams, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN. Roethlisberger is battling a Grade 1 ankle sprain which limited his mobility and effectiveness against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football, a 20-3 Steelers loss which complicated their pursuit of the AFC North title and a first-round playoff bye. The veteran signal-caller threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in that game.

Roethlisberger initially suffered the injury Dec. 8 against the Cleveland Browns and left that game briefly, with 37-year-old Charlie Batch replacing him. Batch figures to start Saturday if Roethlisberger can’t play, with Dennis Dixon serving as his backup. Roethlisberger did not participate in practice Wednesday or Thursday.

St. Louis is battling quarterback injuries of its own. Starting quarterback Sam Bradford is listed as doubtful, while second-stringer A.J. Feeley has already been ruled out. That leaves the quarterbacking duties to Kellen Clemens.

For more on the Steelers, please visit Behind the Steel Curtain, SB Nation’s Steelers blog. For the perspective from the other side, please visit SB Nation St. Louis and Turf Show Times, SB Nation’s Rams blog.

The choice isn’t really much of a choice for Ben Roethlisberger.

Given the option to play or rest his badly sprained left ankle on Saturday against struggling St. Louis, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback would rather take the field regardless of the pain or the risk.

“I’m in the here and now,” Roethlisberger said. “That’s where we are coaches and players and a team.”

Maybe, but the Steelers (10-4) are also at a crossroads.

Monday night’s 20-3 loss to San Francisco likely cost the defending AFC champions any shot of securing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and Pittsburgh needs two wins and plenty of help just to win the AFC North and earn a first-round bye.

Roethlisberger gamely threw for 330 yards on basically one leg against the 49ers, but his limited mobility restricted the playbook and made every snap an adventure. He tossed three interceptions and fumbled once while failing to get the Steelers into the end zone for the first time in over two years.

He would love to atone against the woeful Rams (2-12).

The Steelers just aren’t sure they need him to try.

St. Louis has lost five straight and is the league’s lowest scoring team. Quarterback Sam Bradford remains hampered by a sprained ankle of his own, meaning journeyman Kellen Clemens could get his second straight start after joining the Rams less than three weeks ago.

Longtime Pittsburgh backup Charlie Batch is 4-2 in spot starts for Roethlisberger over the last six seasons, and though the 38-year-old isn’t quite as nimble as he used to be, he and fellow reserve Dennis Dixon have a better chance of getting away from St. Louis defensive end Chris Long than a hobbled Roethlisberger.

“They’re certainly more mobile,” St. Louis defensive coordinator Ken Flajole said. “They have a little bit more scrambling ability. Ben does a great job of getting away from pressure, but that ankle I’m sure has been a problem for him.”

Roethlisberger doesn’t necessarily agree. Despite throwing the ball 44 times in San Francisco and taking a handful of shots in the process, the two-time Super Bowl winner thinks he’s feeling better than he was after injuring the ankle against Cleveland on Dec. 8, jokingly giving credit to the copious amounts of milk he drinks.

Is he risking further injury and possible adversely affecting his team’s postseason chances if he plays in a game the Steelers could likely win without him? Sure. He also doesn’t care.

“I don’t go out there worrying about playing with an injury,” he said. “I don’t go out there worrying about getting hurt worse.”

Neither did Bradford, who originally injured the ankle in October then aggravated it in a loss to Arizona on Nov. 27. He didn’t practice this week and appears likely to miss his fifth game of the season.

Still, like Roethlisberger, Bradford would prefer to be on the field. It’s why he refused to be placed on season-ending injured reserve even if the Rams are putting the finishing touches on an eighth consecutive non-winning season.

“It’s my job, that’s why I’m here,” Bradford said. “I’m here to play football, I’m not here to ride the bike, I’m not here to sit on the sideline.”

Yet the Rams will be heading to the sideline regardless when the season ends on New Year’s Day. Not the Steelers, who have already clinched a playoff spot.

To get to a ninth Super Bowl the team needs Roethlisberger as healthy as possible. Rest is the only surefire way for his bum ankle to improve. It makes perfect sense to leave the final two games up to Batch and the league’s top-ranked defense.

It’s also not what Roethlisberger does. He’s already played through a sprained left foot and a fractured right thumb this season. What’s another two games on one foot if it gives his team a shot at improving its playoff position?

“I told coach (Mike Tomlin) even if I’m five percent, I’m ready to play,” Roethlisberger said.

And the Rams are hopeful to give embattled coach Steve Spagnuolo a much-needed lift. St. Louis is 10-36 in Spagnuolo’s three seasons and taken a significant step back this year after going a respectable 7-9 in 2010.

A steady stream of impact players to the injured reserve list hasn’t helped. The Rams are the league’s most anemic offense, though running back Steven Jackson is 34 yards away from posting his seventh consecutive 1,000-yard season.

The streak is a testament to Jackson’s toughness, durability and patience. St. Louis hasn’t made the playoffs since his rookie year in 2004.

He believed then a trip to the postseason would become an annual event. It has not, and there’s a chance the Rams will blow it up and start all over again next year.

It’s one of the reasons Jackson has so much respect for the Steelers.

“This team historically is one of the elite, year in and year out,” Jackson said. “They seem to always put a team together that’s playoff worthy.”

This year’s group is no exception, even if the Steelers have only been dominant in small spurts. That’s fine by them. There’s still a chance to get it going, preferably with their franchise quarterback healthy.

“We’re not concerned with that people are saying or what other people are doing outside of the building,” safety Troy Polamalu said. “I will say this, the team that may win the Super Bowl lost their last game, so we’ll see.”

All season long the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens have been battling back and forth for the lead in the AFC North. On Sunday night the Steelers retook the lead in the division-for now-when the Ravens lost to the San Diego Chargers by a score of 34-14. The loss drops the Ravens to 10-4 while the Steelers have a record of 10-3.

The best part about the Ravens usual choke job is that earlier this week I wrote my thoughts on Flacco whining about his team being disrespected by the media. It seems that Flacco believes that he and the Ravens deserve more attention than the Steelers, the New England Patriots and especially Tim Tebow. Then in typical Flacco and Ravens fashion they went out and proved exactly why they don’t get the respect the other teams do.

Nobody is perfect. The Green Bay Packers lost for the first time today and even the mighty Tebow couldn’t overcome the Patriots today. Championship caliber teams only allow this to happen once or twice though. The Ravens have now lost four times to teams they should have beaten. The first loss was against a Titans team that just lost to the previously 0-14 Titans. Loss two was to a 4-10 team and all the Ravens managed was a measly, meaningless touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Next the Ravens lost to a Seattle Seahawks team that is currently 7-7 but most agree it would be a joke if Seattle were a playoff team. Then finally the Ravens lost yesterday to a Chargers team that has some talented players that are finally playing well but a Ravens team aiming for the number one seed should not be beat by 20 points by anybody.

The Steelers have a half game lead over the Ravens in the AFC North but they have yet to play this week. Pittsburgh will play the Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers. If the Steelers beat the 49ers they will move a full game ahead of the Ravens. If the Steelers lose in San Francisco then the Steelers will move back into a tie atop the AFC North but the Ravens hold the tiebreaker.

The big question for the Monday night game is Big Ben. The Steelers quarterback has been suffering from an ankle injury and is questionable for the game. Roethlisberger did manage to practice the last two days and some theorize now that the Ravens have lost and the Steelers can get the division lead that Roethlisberger will try to play.

On the opposite side of the ball James Harrison will be out for the Steelers after being suspended one game for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy two Thursdays ago. Playing in Harrison’s place will be Jason Worilds. Worilds is just a second-year player but has started the last four games in LaMarr’s Woodley’s place. Woodley will be back in the lineup on Monday so that allows Worilds to move to Harrison’s spot.

The Steelers need to win the game not only to hold the lead in the division but also to try and grab the number one overall seed in the AFC. Currently the Patriots are the number one seed because today’s win over the Denver Broncos gives them a half-game lead over the Steelers until the Monday Night game. If the Steelers are victorious over the 49ers then the Steelers will pull even with the Patriots and the tiebreaker would give the Steelers the number one seed.

Sources:

Denis Poroy, Philip Rivers leads San Diego Chargers to 34-14 rout of the Baltimore Ravens, The Washington Post

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter @LeeAHenderson

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Read More: Charlie Batch (QB – PIT), Ben Roethlisberger (QB – PIT), Frank Gore (RB – SFX), Tavares Gooden (LB – SFX), Aldon Smith (LB – SFX), Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers

It’s no secret that the San Francisco 49ers are in a tough spot right now. Well, as tough a spot as you can be in with ten wins and a division title. They’re sitting at 10-3 and looking to pick up a big win on Monday Night Football over the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that is among the AFC’s best. The 49ers are also coming off a very bad loss this past week to the Arizona Cardinals, a game in which they should have won, by all accounts.

There is a lot they need to work on. The offensive line will need to up its game and the coaching staff needs to call a much better game offensively. Running back Frank Gore can’t carry the ball only ten times when he has over 70 yards with those ten carries. The coaching staff can’t call pass plays on 3^rd and 1 and 4^th and 1 at the end of the game, when the passing game hadn’t picked up and Alex Smith was being sacked.

But on Monday, they could have one less extremely important thing to worry about: Ben Roethlisberger. He’s got a high ankle sprain, though it’s only a minor one. Still, that sprain has been acting up lately and it’s going to be tough for Roethlisberger to return. With the extra rest, it would be no surprise to see him play on Monday, but it doesn’t appear to be healing on schedule, certainly a good thing for San Francisco.

Roethlisberger has been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks this season. Sam Lam of Examiner.com recently had some questions for 49ers linebacker Tavares Gooden, who is very familiar with the Steelers from his time with the Baltimore Ravens, AFC North rivals. Gooden noted one specific thing about how the Steelers have been so good this year:

He just extends the play. The guys that are coming after him, he’s able to avoid them. That’s the part of their livelihood, that’s how they eat on offense. They’re just making great plays. … They just find ways to win games and I think it’s all based on Big Ben’s ability to get free on third and long down situations and he makes a lot of plays with his feet.

It’s definitely apt. Roethlisberger’s greatest asset has always been his ability to extend the plays. If he’s not playing, that makes defending the Pittsburgh offense a whole lot easier, and Charlie Batch certainly lacks that ability. Not to mention that, if Roethlisberger were to play, he might be pretty limited in his mobility – perhaps a giant target for 49ers rookie linebacker Aldon Smith?

Regardless of whether or not Roethlisberger plays, the ankle injury should help them on Monday night. Now about that Pittsburgh defense …

“17 games, 1000+ snaps, 100+ tackles, 12+sacks and 2 forces fumbles since my last incident and I get a suspension for a football play!”

Indeed he did, and as a result, Harrison will sit out Monday night’s game against San Francisco.

The ruling was made by NFL-NFLPA on-field appeals officer Ted Cottrell after a careful review of the hit that drew the original suspension on Tuesday. McCoy, who returned during the Steelers’ win over the Browns on Dec. 8, suffered a concussion.

But while Harrison was quiet, his teammates — as expected — were anything but.

“I’m not surprised. You’re appealing to the same people who put the suspension in place, so no, I’m not surprised at all,” Steelers safety Ryan Clark said. “I don’t care about the league’s message anymore. It’s about us as a football team playing the type of football that’s going to help us win championships, despite who gets suspended, despite who gets fined.

“We’re going to try to play within the rules. We’re going to stop fighting this battle of talking to them. That’s what this is about.”

The NFL cited Harrison’s history of flagrant hits — this was his fifth on a quarterback — in making him the first player suspended under stricter guidelines for player safety that were invoked midway through last season.

“We have to adjust and play within the rules that they make up and the stuff they’re going to call,” Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. “We have to really be careful about how we approach it. It’s one of those things we’ll have to deal with as we go, and hopefully it’ll work out.”

Clark, as often is the case in the Steelers locker room, spoke the loudest.

“Like I said on Wednesday, my disappointment is for James,” he said. “He’s been trying really hard to comply with what’s being asked of him. For him to be suspended for this situation, to us, is disheartening. To me, it was a between-the-whistle play. They’re making an example out of him for it this year. I don’t think it’s right.

“We have to continue playing and just roll with the punches and try to win games without one of our best players.”

Harrison has 53 tackles and eight sacks this season.

“They’re definitely is an emphasis on head and head trauma,” Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said. “You’ve got to be careful and that’s just where the game’s at today.”

The Steelers (10-3) are locked in a battle for the AFC North Division title with Baltimore (10-3). The Ravens won both games in the season series.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has denied James Harrison‘s appeal of a one-game suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy, and the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker will sit out Monday night’s game against San Francisco.

The ruling was made by NFL-NFLPA on-field appeals officer Ted Cottrell and announced Friday.

Harrison was suspended Tuesday because of the hit to McCoy during the Steelers‘ win over the Browns on Dec. 8. McCoy suffered a concussion.

The NFL cited Harrison’s history of flagrant hits — this was his fifth on a quarterback — in making him the first player suspended under stricter guidelines for player safety that were invoked midway through last season.

“I’m not surprised. You’re appealing to the same people who put the suspension in place, so no, I’m not surprised at all,” Steelers safety Ryan Clark said. “I don’t care about the league’s message anymore. It’s about us as a football team playing the type of football that’s going to help us win championships, despite who gets suspended, despite who gets fined.

“We’re going to try to play within the rules. We’re going to stop fighting this battle of talking to them. That’s what this is about.”

The Steelers (10-3) are locked in a battle for the AFC North Division title with Baltimore (10-3). The Ravens won both games in the season series.

“We have to adjust and play within the rules that they make up and the stuff they’re going to call,” Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. “We have to really be careful about how we approach it. It’s one of those things we’ll have to deal with as we go, and hopefully it’ll work out.”

Clark, as often is the case in the Steelers locker room, spoke the loudest.

“Like I said on Wednesday, my disappointment is for James,” he said. “He’s been trying really hard to comply with what’s being asked of him. For him to be suspended for this situation, to us, is disheartening. To me, it was a between-the-whistle play. They’re making an example out of him for it this year. I don’t think it’s right.

“We have to continue playing and just roll with the punches and try to win games without one of our best players.”

Harrison has 53 tackles and eight sacks this season.

”They’re definitely is an emphasis on head and head trauma,” Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said. “You’ve got to be careful and that’s just where the game’s at today.”

For most of the past five seasons, the Cardinals wanted their defense to look like that of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They finally might have accomplished it.

As members of the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns play the Steelers twice a year and faced them last Thursday. Coach Pat Shurmur said the Cardinals look similar to the Steelers “schematically,” which is a good thing for the Cardinals.

“If you’re going to have a defense that you want to be similar to, it’s hard to beat that,” he said.

Defensive coordinator Ray Horton came to Arizona this year after spending seven seasons as the Steelers’ secondary coach, so the similarity with the Steelers’ scheme is not coincidence.

Preparing for Sunday’s game is a bit easier, Shurmur said, having just played the Steelers.

“But you have some different pieces in place,” he said. “How they play coverage is a little bit different.”

Browns left tackle Joe Thomas said he sees similarities in both scheme and personnel between the Cardinals and Steelers.

“I think they have done an excellent job putting the guys in the right position,” he said, “building and picking up guys through the draft and free agency that are going to be there for 10 years and that are going to be able to learn the system and play extremely well together. That’s been Pittsburgh’s philosophy.”

Injury update

Nine Cardinals were either limited in Wednesday’s practice or didn’t participate. But for the first time since suffering a broken foot Oct. 9, free safety Kerry Rhodes wasn’t one of them.

Rhodes practiced fully and could play Sunday for the first time since being injured at Minnesota.

Safety Sean Considine (foot) was the only Cardinals player who didn’t participate in practice. The following players were limited: outside linebacker Clark Haggans (hamstring), tight end Rob Housler (shoulder), tackle Brandon Keith (ankle), quarterback Kevin Kolb (head), outside linebacker Joey Porter (knee), receiver DeMarco Sampson (ribs), running back Beanie Wells (knee) and punter Dave Zastudil (biceps).

For the Browns, receiver/returner Josh Cribbs (groin), fullback Owen Marecic (head/ankle), quarterback Colt McCoy (head/hand) and tight end Ben Watson (head) did not practice.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s sprained left ankle remained in a walking boot on Wednesday, and backups Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon are preparing as if they’ll play on Monday night in San Francisco.

Roethlisberger hasn’t practiced since spraining the ankle in the second quarter of a 14-3 win over Cleveland last Thursday. He declined to talk to reporters before walking out of the team’s facility with a noticeable limp.

Coach Mike Tomlin maintains Roethlisberger is “day to day” and will be evaluated throughout the week before a decision is made. Tomlin believes Roethlisberger doesn’t need to undergo a full practice in order to play against the 49ers.

“He can be ready to play on a limited number of snaps,” Tomlin said. “At the end of the week, when we get into some situational football things, that’s going to require some physical preparation in some form or fashion. But we’re going to take it day by day. We’re always going to be optimistic when it comes to Ben.”

Roethlisberger hasn’t missed a start due to health reasons since a concussion sidelined him against Baltimore in 2009. He sat out the first four games of the 2010 season after violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy and the Steelers went 3-1 in his absence with Dixon and Batch splitting the snaps.

Both expect to draw on that experience if called upon. The Steelers (10-3) are still hoping to catch Baltimore for the AFC North title and a shot at homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

Batch threw two passes, both incomplete, while briefly relieving Roethlisberger against the Browns. Dixon hasn’t taken a regular season snap since tearing the meniscus in his left knee against the Titans last September.

Though the 37-year-old Batch expects to be the starter if Roethlisberger can’t go, there’s a chance Dixon’s mobility may help him get on the field anyway.

The Steelers have allowed 37 sacks this season, eighth-most in the league. Dixon’s 26-year-old legs could be an asset, and for a player almost certainly in his last season with the Steelers, Dixon would love the chance to showcase his talents.

“I’m ready to prove to this team once again that I am ready to get things done,” Dixon said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Neither player, however, has Roethlisberger’s arm or uncanny ability to make things happen out of the pocket. If Roethlisberger can’t play, it could drastically alter Pittsburgh’s offense.

“Those guys, they’re not Ben,” wide receiver Mike Wallace said. “They’re great players, but Ben is something really special. So you have to change your game to what they do best.”

Wallace’s preference would be to have Roethlisberger play, and he’s shown a capacity to deal with significant pain. He’s started all 13 games this season despite playing with a sprained left foot and a fractured right thumb. He even played the second half against the Browns, throwing for 178 yards with a touchdown and an interception while standing in the pocket on basically one leg.

“If he can play he will,” running back Rashard Mendenhall said. “The only way he won’t is if he can’t. Last week with a high ankle sprain you could tell he was struggling but he was out there.”

Center Maurkice Pouncey is also dealing with a sprained left ankle but is hopeful to play. So is linebacker LaMarr Woodley (strained left hamstring) and safety Troy Polamalu (right hamstring).

Polamalu didn’t practice on Wednesday but expects to try later in the week. The long 11-day layoff between games is a bonus this late in the season.

The All-Pro also stressed his right shoulder is fine. TV cameras caught teammate Ryan Clark yanking on Polamalu’s right arm against the Browns trying to get the shoulder back in place.

The only regular almost certainly out against the 49ers is linebacker James Harrison, who was suspended for one game by the league on Tuesday as punishment for his illegal hit on Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy.

Harrison’s appeal was heard by the league on Wednesday, but his teammates don’t expect to see Harrison’s familiar No. 92 until the suspension ends next Tuesday.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s sprained left ankle remained in a walking boot on Wednesday, and backups Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon are preparing as if they’ll play on Monday night in San Francisco.

Roethlisberger hasn’t practiced since spraining the ankle in the second quarter of a 14-3 win over Cleveland last Thursday. He declined to talk to reporters before walking out of the team’s facility with a noticeable limp.

Coach Mike Tomlin maintains Roethlisberger is “day to day” and will be evaluated throughout the week before a decision is made. Tomlin believes Roethlisberger doesn’t need to undergo a full practice in order to play against the 49ers.

“He can be ready to play on a limited number of snaps,” Tomlin said. “At the end of the week, when we get into some situational football things, that’s going to require some physical preparation in some form or fashion. But we’re going to take it day by day. We’re always going to be optimistic when it comes to Ben.”

Roethlisberger hasn’t missed a start due to health reasons since a concussion sidelined him against Baltimore in 2009. He sat out the first four games of the 2010 season after violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy and the Steelers went 3-1 in his absence with Dixon and Batch splitting the snaps.

Both expect to draw on that experience if called upon. The Steelers (10-3) are still hoping to catch Baltimore for the AFC North title and a shot at homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

Batch threw two passes, both incomplete, while briefly relieving Roethlisberger against the Browns. Dixon hasn’t taken a regular season snap since tearing the meniscus in his left knee against the Titans last September.

Though the 37-year-old Batch expects to be the starter if Roethlisberger can’t go, there’s a chance Dixon’s mobility may help him get on the field anyway.

The Steelers have allowed 37 sacks this season, eighth-most in the league. Dixon’s 26-year-old legs could be an asset, and for a player almost certainly in his last season with the Steelers, Dixon would love the chance to showcase his talents.

“I’m ready to prove to this team once again that I am ready to get things done,” Dixon said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Neither player, however, has Roethlisberger’s arm or uncanny ability to make things happen out of the pocket. If Roethlisberger can’t play, it could drastically alter Pittsburgh’s offense.

“Those guys, they’re not Ben,” wide receiver Mike Wallace said. “They’re great players, but Ben is something really special. So you have to change your game to what they do best.”

Wallace’s preference would be to have Roethlisberger play, and he’s shown a capacity to deal with significant pain. He’s started all 13 games this season despite playing with a sprained left foot and a fractured right thumb. He even played the second half against the Browns, throwing for 178 yards with a touchdown and an interception while standing in the pocket on basically one leg.

“If he can play he will,” running back Rashard Mendenhall said. “The only way he won’t is if he can’t. Last week with a high ankle sprain you could tell he was struggling but he was out there.”

Center Maurkice Pouncey is also dealing with a sprained left ankle but is hopeful to play. So is linebacker LaMarr Woodley (strained left hamstring) and safety Troy Polamalu (right hamstring).

Polamalu didn’t practice on Wednesday but expects to try later in the week. The long 11-day layoff between games is a bonus this late in the season.

The All-Pro also stressed his right shoulder is fine. TV cameras caught teammate Ryan Clark yanking on Polamalu’s right arm against the Browns trying to get the shoulder back in place.

The only regular almost certainly out against the 49ers is linebacker James Harrison, who was suspended for one game by the league on Tuesday as punishment for his illegal hit on Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy.

Harrison’s appeal was heard by the league on Wednesday, but his teammates don’t expect to see Harrison’s familiar No. 92 until the suspension ends next Tuesday.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The NFL season is winding down and each week you will start to hear scenarios for how your favorite team can clinch a playoff spot. With a 10-3 record the Pittsburgh Steelers are very close to clinching their own playoff spot. There are five different ways that the Steelers could clinch a playoff spot and here I have ranked those possibilities from less likely to happen to most likely to happen.

5. Tennessee Titans lose or tie @ Indianapolis Colts

The least likely playoff scenario for the Pittsburgh Steelers is the Titans losing to the Colts. The Titans have been a sneaky playoff team for years. They’re not usually talked about much throughout the season but there they are at the end with 8 or 9 wins. Meanwhile, the Colts still look like they are headed for 0-16.

4. New York Jets lose @ Philadelphia Eagles

There is a small chance that the Eagles could knock off the Jets just because the Eagles have play makers and can score some points, they’re just extremely erratic. The Jets have won three in a row though and it is likely they win this game as they make a playoff push.

3. Oakland Raiders lose or tie vs. Detroit Lions

Speaking of erratic teams the Lions have been up and down since their 5-0 start. Clearly they are the better of these two teams on paper so a Raiders loss is a good possibility but you never know with the Lions or the Raiders for that matter.

2. Denver Broncos lose @ New England Patriots

I’m as big a fan of Tim Tebow as anybody. If the Broncos are within 10 points going into the fourth quarter than the opposing team is in a lot of trouble. There’s just one problem, I don’t think they’ll be within 10 points. The Broncos defense has been really good this year but I’m not sure they can stop Tom Brady, Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski from being up by a couple of touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

1. Steelers win or tie @ San Francisco 49ers

This is the easiest scenario to understand for sure. If the Steelers win, they’re in. The #2 seed in the NFC isn’t going to be a pushover, especially after the Steelers travel to the west coast, but I believe the Steelers are better than the 49ers and I think they will win out the rest of their regular season games.

Sources:

Jamison Hensley, Ravens, Steelers playoff scenarios, AFC North Blog on ESPN

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter at @LeeAHenderson

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By Will Graves, Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger needed only one good leg for the Pittsburgh Steelers to continue their mastery of the Cleveland Browns.

The Pittsburgh quarterback played through a painful high ankle sprain in the second half to pass for 280 yards and two touchdowns, the last a 79-yard scoring strike to Antonio Brown with 2:52 remaining to help the Steelers win for the eighth time in their last nine games.

Roethlisberger went to the locker room for X-rays following a gruesome second-quarter sack but returned to start the second half, passing for 178 yards after the break.

Pittsburgh (10-3) moved a half-game ahead of Baltimore in the race for the AFC North title.

Colt McCoy passed for 209 yards but also threw two interceptions for the Browns (4-9), who lost for the 15th time in their last 16 meetings with the Steelers.

The Browns had a chance after safety Mike Adams picked off Roethlisberger’s pass and returned it to the Cleveland 44. McCoy led the Browns deep into Pittsburgh territory before his pass was picked off in the end zone by William Gay.

The Steelers took over at the 20. After a running play went nowhere, Roethlisberger found Brown open down the right sideline. The second-year wide receiver spun away from a defender, then beat Cleveland safety Mike Adams to the end zone.

Brown finished with five receptions for 151 yards and a score, though the game will be remembered not for his dazzling catch-and-run but Roethlisberger’s remarkable play.

Despite a pair of turnovers deep in Cleveland territory, the Steelers were in complete command until the game — if not Pittsburgh’s season — appeared to change midway through the second quarter.

The Steelers were leading 7-3 when Roethlisberger dropped back to past on first down at the Pittsburgh 1. He moved up in the pocket to avoid pressure when Cleveland’s Scott Paxson corralled Roethlisberger’s left leg while teammate Brian Schaefering hit the quarterback in the chest and sent him toppling over awkwardly.

The two-time Super Bowl winner was down on the Heinz Field turf for several minutes before getting up and walking slowly to the locker room.

Backup Charlie Batch was ineffective in relief, failing to complete either of his two passes while taking a sack.

Roethlisberger gamely walked back onto the sideline to start the second half, and received a huge ovation from the crowd after hobbling to the Pittsburgh huddle.

Laboring through every play — even handoffs were a chore — Roethlisberger somehow completed 8 of 12 passes in the second half.

The Steelers needed every one of them after the Browns stuffed Pittsburgh at the goal line early in the fourth quarter to stay within striking distance at 7-3.