Steelers vs. 49ers: Steelers Need to Be Smart and Sit Ben Roethlisberger

There's a thin line between tough and stupid, and Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has crossed it twice in the last two weeks.

The first time was against the Cleveland Browns back on Dec. 8. Big Ben went down and appeared to suffer a major injury to his left ankle, but he eventually found his way back on the field and was able to hang in there. This despite the fact he had a bad high ankle sprain that clearly limited his mobility.

The second time was on Monday night, when Big Ben decided to play on his left ankle against the San Francisco 49ers. He still wasn't 100 percent healthy, and it showed. He was harassed the whole game, and he ended up throwing three interceptions. The Steelers lost 20-3. 

There's no point in apologizing for either the Steelers or Big Ben himself. He decided to push his luck, and the Steelers decided to let him.

They can't afford to make the same mistake twice. The playoffs are going to be here in no time at all, and the Steelers are going to be participating. And in losing to the 49ers, the Steelers fumbled a chance to put themselves in line for a first-round bye. They will be playing postseason football in three weeks.

They need to use that time wisely, and that means putting Big Ben on the bench. They may have to tie him down to keep him from going out on the field, but if that's what it takes, the Steelers should do it.

High ankle sprains are serious, folks. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson came down with one not too long ago, and he ended up missing three whole games. From the way Big Ben was moving (or not moving), it seems he needs a similar span of R&R.

It helps matters that the Steelers likely won't miss him all that much. They'll have to play Charlie Batch, but even he should be capable of beating the St. Louis Rams on Saturday. Beating the Browns in Cleveland in Week 17 will be a bit tougher, but not impossible.

The best case scenario involves the Steelers winning both games and the Ravens losing one of both of their final two games. That would result in an AFC North title for the Steelers.

If the Steelers lose both games, it's no big deal. They already have a playoff spot locked up.

Getting healthy for the postseason should be Pittsburgh's top priority. Allowing Big Ben to hobble around while 300-pound men chase him around for two weeks is not a good way to go about doing that. He can play at less than 100 percent, but he's playing at far less than 100 percent right now and he's not doing the Steelers any good.

Benching Big Ben won't be a popular decision. It will, however, be the smart decision.

The Steelers have already failed to make that decision twice. If they do so a third time, they're going to be asking for even more trouble.