Roethlisberger has 'setback' with bum ankle

As if the Steelers didn't have enough bad news with injuries lately as they prepare to open the playoffs Sunday in Denver, now comes more: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's sprained ankle took a setback Sunday during their game in Cleveland.

"I felt really good going in the Cleveland game," Roethlisberger said today. "I had a little setback early in the third quarter, so we're working really hard right now with the trainers and doctors to get back to even where we were before the Cleveland game."

Roethlisberger played the entire game in Cleveland after coach Mike Tomlin held him out the previous week against St. Louis. He has a high left ankle sprain that occurred Dec. 8 in the second quarter against Cleveland. He finished out that game, for the most part, and played the entire next game in San Francisco Dec. 19, a loss.

In his past two games, Roethlisberger completed 48 of 84 passes for 551 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. That comes to a passer rating of 57.1, dragging down his passer rating for the season to 90.1.

Roethlisberger said the aggravation to his left ankle in Cleveland set his injury back by about a week.

"I don't know if I caught it on the ground wrong or got hit," he said. "We'll see. We'll be all right."



First published on January 4, 2012 at 1:32 pm