<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Roethlisberger doubtful with strained ligamentESPN.com news servicesLATROBE, Pa. -- Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's right thumb injury apparently is not serious and he could play Saturday night against the Minnesota Vikings. Ben RoethlisbergerRoethlisbergerRoethlisberger missed the last few minutes of practice Wednesday after hitting his thumb on a shoulder pad, helmet or catching it in a jersey. He suffered a ligament strain. Coach Bill Cowher said it was difficult to tell on video tape how the injury occurred.Roethlisberger was examined before practice ended and returned for the conditioning and stretching drills that end each workout. He was held out of practice Thursday, and the team will decide Friday if he will play Saturday in the second of the Steelers' four exhibition games."He feels better today than he did yesterday," Cowher said Thursday. "We'll see how he feels tomorrow. If he feels OK tomorrow, he'll play Saturday. There's no indication we have to do any kind of tests or anything."If Roethlisberger can't play, backup Charlie Batch will start but won't play any longer than the rest of the starters, or about one quarter. Rookie Omar Jacobs and free agent Shane Boyd would play the rest of the way.Last season, Roethlisberger injured the thumb Nov. 28 against the Colts and was listed as probable on the remaining injury updates the rest of the season. He did not miss any games because of the injury, although Roethlisberger said it was painful.Cowher said there is no indication this latest injury is related to last year's. Despite breaking his jaw and nose in a June 12 motorcycle accident, Roethlisberger has missed no practice time since camp began July 28 and has thrown the ball increasingly well as camp has progressed, hitting on several deep passes early in practice Wednesday."He's been fine, there's been no problem with it this whole camp," Cowher said. "I mean, he's been throwing the ball pretty good. At this point, all indications are this is day to day, so we'll see how he feels."Cowher also said wide receiver Hines Ward and tight end Jerame Tuman won't play in the game because of hamstring injuries.The Associated Press contributed to this report.</div>http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2552370
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Roethlisberger starts despite sore thumbPITTSBURGH (Aug. 19, 2006) -- Ben Roethlisberger started the Pittsburgh Steelers' exhibition game against the Minnesota Vikings despite a strained right thumb ligament.The quarterback hurt the thumb late in practice Aug. 16 and did not practice either of the next two days, with the Steelers listing him as questionable. Roethlisberger hurt the same thumb last season against the Colts on Nov. 28 and was bothered by the injury the rest of the season, but did not miss any playing time because of it.The Steelers never identified the injury last season, but Roethlisberger later said he broke the thumb.Roethlisberger started and played one series against Arizona on Aug. 12, two months to the day of the serious motorcycle accident that left him with various facial injuries, including a broken jaw, nose and orbital bones, numerous cuts and a concussion. He has not missed any training camp practice time because of the crash.</div>http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/PIT/9609922
He messed up this thumb last season too and played fine so I'm not worried. He ran the no huddle really well though and I hope we do this into the reg. season.
