Tight-Lipped Tomlin Won't Speculate On Ben's Injury
PITTSBURGH (93-7 THE FAN) -- Despite paying, potentially, a very hefty price for a decidedly sloppy win on Monday night, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin would not comment in great detail about what was deemed a right shoulder sprain for Ben Roethlisberger.
"I don't live in a hypothetical world. I'll wait till I get that information, then I'll respond, accordingly, to that information," Tomlin remarked after the 16-13 overtime win against the Kansas City Chiefs. "
Big Ben finished just 9-of-18 for 84 yards and the team's only touchdown, a second-quarter hookup with Mike Wallace. Byron Leftwich came off the bench and led the team to the win despite ending just 7-of-14 for 73 yards.
"The great thing about Byron is, he's got a very consistent demeanor. It wasn't a pretty body of work by any of us, but...it remains a stabilizing force, and we appreciate him," Tomlin said. "Big-time plays for him down the stretch...I thought the third-down conversion to Jerricho Cotchery was huge."
Tomlin also downplayed any ideas his team--which still hasn't lost a Monday Night Football game at home in 20 years--sunk to the level of their one-win counterparts.
"We'll take it. We won't apologize for it, either. Such is life in the NFL. I tip my cap to Coach Crennel and his staff over there; we didn't do enough to play good football, but we did do enough to win, though."
Tomlin elaborated further on Monday's victory, which allowed Pittsburgh (6-3) to keep pace with Baltimore (7-2) in the AFC North:
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With or without Roethlisberger, the Steelers must suck it up for two meeting with the Ravens over the next three weeks, starting with Sunday night's matchup at Heinz Field.
