STEELERS ANNOUNCE CHARLIE BATCH AS STARTING QB

The Pittsburgh Steelers are running out of quarterbacks.  Ben Roethlisberger has two games left on his league mandated suspension.  Byron Leftwich still isn’t ready to return to action following a knee ligament injury sustained in the final preseason game.  Third stringer Dennis Dixon started the first two games, but left last week’s win at Tennessee with a knee injury that required surgery and will keep him out of action for up to six weeks.  As a result, the Steelers turned to their last healthy option on the roster as coach Mike Tomlin announced that veteran Charlie Batch will start Pittsburgh’s road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

Batch has a ton of NFL experience and is highly respected for his professionalism on the field and his character and charitable work away from the game.  That notwithstanding, it’s something of a surprise that he’s still on the roster at this point.  The 35 year old Batch got very little work with the first two offensive strings during training camp and every indication was that the Steelers would cut him before the regular season began.  That changed when Byron Leftwich got injured and now Pittsburgh is glad to have him as an option.  He’s pleasantly surprised to be getting this opportunity after throwing just two passes since 2007:

"It feels good. I never imagined it would turn out this way, but here we go.”

His cerebral approach to the quarterback position has earned him respect around the league, and there’s a strong probability he’ll transition to coaching in the next few years.  For now, he’s glad to be getting this shot at starting in the NFL:

"For me, there won't be many more opportunities. You're starting to get up there in years, obviously you're just blessed to be out there in that situation. ... I was a little disappointed because I didn't get that opportunity, but here I am again. All I can do is be ready and go out and take advantage of that opportunity."

His biggest concern is the speed of the game, but is fortunate to go against the Steelers’ formidable defense in practice:

"You try to simulate as much as possible on the practice field. I think for me, going against our defense every week, it kind of allows me to go out there and work the pocket a little more in practice and be able to shift that into an actual game situation."

Wide receiver Hines Ward says the team has complete confidence in Batch’s abilities:

"He's been with the starters, he's been with the second team, he's been with the third team. He understands all the wide receivers. He probably understands this offense better than anybody. We feel good, we've just got to protect Charlie."

NFL football betting lines react much to the announcement that Batch would start against Tampa Bay.
The Steelers are a -2’ point road favorite with the total set at 33.