Steelers Must Balance Caution, Competitiveness with Ben Roethlisberger Return

There's never a good time for a team's starting quarterback to get injured, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a bit of a quandary right now.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a mid-foot sprain in the fourth quarter of the Steelers' 38-35 win over the Oakland Raiders in Week 9. And while Roethlisberger dodged a bullet—the injury could have been much worse or even season-ending—the initial prognosis is that he will miss "a few weeks" while he recovers.

The injury came in Roethlisberger's second game back from another injury—an MCL sprain and bone bruise—that cost him four games, during which the Steelers went 2-2. Now 5-4, the Steelers are penciled in as the AFC's sixth seed for the playoffs. But they have a tough schedule ahead, one that they will need a healthy Roethlisberger for if they want to keep winning and remain in playoff contention.

The pressure is on for the Steelers to do right by Roethlisberger in terms of his health and simultaneously make the decisions that give them the best chance to win.

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At this point it's logical to assume Roethlisberger will not play in Week 10 against the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers then have a bye in Week 11 before traveling to Seattle to face the Seahawks in Week 12.

That Week 12 game is a good target date for Roethlisberger to return, given the week off, but mid-foot sprains—like any ligament sprain—can be tricky. Roethlisberger's return is dependent on him regaining stability in his foot, and there's no definitive timetable for his recovery.

A less-than-healthy Roethlisberger facing Seattle's defense would not be ideal, but the alternative—trotting Landry Jones onto the field in unfriendly confines—is also unappealing.

With the way things are shaking out in the AFC right now, just one ill-timed loss could send the Steelers into playoff irrelevancy. But another injury to Roethlisberger, should he return earlier than advised, could doom things completely.

Signs are pointing to Jones starting this week, but Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin did concede on Tuesday that the door is "just slightly ajar" for Roethlisberger to potentially face the Browns.

And Roethlisberger himself isn't ruling out playing on Sunday, saying on 93.7 The Fan (via CBS Sports) on Tuesday that, "The bye will come at a good time, but I'm not even going to rule myself out this week. I'm going to take it one day at a time."

Roethlisberger's competitive spirit and desire to play is nothing new in the NFL. But the Steelers must recognize that a foot injury such as this limits Roethlisberger's signature mobility, turning him into a different quarterback altogether. One only has to look at Roethlisberger rushing back from an ankle sprain in 2011 and how he looked against the San Francisco 49ers to see how poorly that can go.

It's all about weighing potential risks with potential rewards. If bringing Roethlisberger back in Week 12 at less than 100 percent still gives the team a greater chance of winning, that's something the Steelers may be willing to risk. But if he's markedly less than 100 percent, thus exposing himself to further injury or to playing poorly enough that the Steelers do not win, then there's no reason to rush him back.

Pittsburgh's playoff hopes rest on the health of their quarterback. But playing fast and loose with Roethlisberger's health could have additional, negative affects on Pittsburgh's chances to reach the playoffs.

The Steelers and Roethlisberger must be cautious, but not too cautious; aggressive, but not too aggressive. The Steelers are walking a tightrope when it comes to his timetable to return, and the season hangs in the balance.

With a bye week looming, the timing for Roethlisberger's injury couldn't be better. But given the schedule ahead and the postseason implications therein, the timing also couldn't be worse.