We are heading into Week 4 of the NFL season, which means it’s another week of Robert Griffin III being very available. Last week, we made a compelling case for Griffin to go to the Dallas Cowboys, who shunned that notion and went all in Brandon Weeden. I wonder how the Cowboys enjoyed sleeping in that bed they made?

This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers lost Ben Roethlisberger for 4-6 weeks as he recovers from an MCL injury. This means the Steelers now turn to Michael Vick, a man one month into his time in Pittsburgh to keep their season alive. Vick is 35 years old. There was a time in his career when he was very fast and capable of great exploits on the football field. That time has ended, and now Vick is slow and good for at least one remarkably bad turnover per game.

Unlike Vick, Griffin is young and fast and good for at least one remarkably bad turnover per game. It’s a net gain in that regard. The fact is, no one is going to replace Roethlisberger. No matter who the Steelers put under center, they are going to be objectively worse in that position. The goal is to mitigate the damage.

With Griffin there is at least the threat of the run, and even a pass or two. For three years in Washington, Griffin has existed with an atrocious offensive line buying him little to no time to get his head up and find a pass. In Pittsburgh, Griffin’s time in the pocket is improved substantially, as are his receiving options.

The Steelers also have an excellent running game. Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams are as good a supporting cast as a backup quarterback could ever hope to have. When you start to add up the tools Griffin would have at his disposal: Bell, Williams, Antonio Brown, Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Markus Wheaton, you begin to believe that a moderately competent passer might be able to salvage the next six weeks.

Vick is not a competent passer. No one knows if Griffin is, because he’s been on the ground since the start of 2013. Admittedly, Griffin’s $16 million contract in 2016 is a lot to gamble on, but given what’s at stake in 2015, the reward far outweighs the risk.

Will Pittsburgh court Griffin ahead of Thursday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens? Absolutely not. There’s no chance. However, after the Steelers are rocked at home by an 0-3 Ravens team, perhaps Pittsburgh might reconsider its options. The next six games will make or break the Steelers, make no mistake about it. It’s a question of desperation. How desperate will the Steelers get this October?