Friday, October 14, 2005
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Bill Cowher insists which quarterback starts against the Jacksonville Jaguars will be a game-time decision. That came on a day when Ben Roethlisberger jogged for the first time since being injured in San Diego and backup Tommy Maddox was upgraded to probable on the injury report.
If Roethlisberger (knee/doubtful) cannot play, Maddox is healthy and ready to start against the Jaguars. However, Cowher still did not rule out the possibility of Charlie Batch getting his first start in nearly four years.
"I haven't made a decision at this point," Cowher said.
Cowher did acknowledge that Maddox "appears to be very good" and Roethlisberger, who has a hypextended left knee and deep bone bruise with 65 seconds remaining in the victory against the Chargers, "feels a lot better than he did [Wednesday]. We'll see how he feels [today]."
If Roethlisberger doesn't practice today, it is unlikely he will play against the Jaguars, though Cowher said he does not have a rule that a player must practice during the week to play on Sunday.
"It's case by case," Cowher said. "If someone doesn't practice all week, you have to certainly take that into account. But I never had a blanket rule in regards to that."
Maddox, whose right calf was strained in practice Friday, practiced for the second consecutive day and is ready to make his first start since the 2004 regular-season finale in Buffalo.
"It felt good," Maddox said of the injury. "I didn't think about it a whole lot out there. I did all my stuff and went through everything. "I didn't try to not do [everything]. You can't do that. I wanted to know where it was and how it felt and it felt good
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Bill Cowher insists which quarterback starts against the Jacksonville Jaguars will be a game-time decision. That came on a day when Ben Roethlisberger jogged for the first time since being injured in San Diego and backup Tommy Maddox was upgraded to probable on the injury report.
If Roethlisberger (knee/doubtful) cannot play, Maddox is healthy and ready to start against the Jaguars. However, Cowher still did not rule out the possibility of Charlie Batch getting his first start in nearly four years.
"I haven't made a decision at this point," Cowher said.
Cowher did acknowledge that Maddox "appears to be very good" and Roethlisberger, who has a hypextended left knee and deep bone bruise with 65 seconds remaining in the victory against the Chargers, "feels a lot better than he did [Wednesday]. We'll see how he feels [today]."
If Roethlisberger doesn't practice today, it is unlikely he will play against the Jaguars, though Cowher said he does not have a rule that a player must practice during the week to play on Sunday.
"It's case by case," Cowher said. "If someone doesn't practice all week, you have to certainly take that into account. But I never had a blanket rule in regards to that."
Maddox, whose right calf was strained in practice Friday, practiced for the second consecutive day and is ready to make his first start since the 2004 regular-season finale in Buffalo.
"It felt good," Maddox said of the injury. "I didn't think about it a whole lot out there. I did all my stuff and went through everything. "I didn't try to not do [everything]. You can't do that. I wanted to know where it was and how it felt and it felt good
