It wasn't a memorable performance, but backup quarterback Charlie Batch demonstrated enough recall in last weekend's win at Green Bay to earn a second start for the Pittsburgh Steelers while Ben Roethlisberger continues to rehabilitate from arthroscopic knee surgery. Although there was some suspicion that an anxious Roethlisberger would try to return to practice this week and possibly play Sunday night at home -- the second-year veteran, after all, had to be talked into knee surgery by team officials -- coach Bill Cowher said Batch will start against the Cleveland Browns. The eight-year veteran, already released twice this year by the Steelers on procedural moves when the team needed to bolster another position, completed nine of 16 passes for 65 yards Sunday in a 20-10 victory at Green Bay. The lack of offense aside, he displayed poise and determination, and made enough plays to complement a Steelers defense that tallied one touchdown on a fumble return by strong safety Troy Polamalu and set up another with an interception. Batch, 30, was rusty, as evidenced by an interception, two fumbles and some misreads of the Green Bay secondary on pass plays. But the Pittsburgh coaches feel that Batch will improve, now that he has played a game and become accustomed to the speed of the regular season, and the staff is not inclined to use Tommy Maddox, who played abysmally Oct. 16 in an overtime loss to Jacksonville at Heinz Field. "He managed the game well," Cowher said of Batch, who was a four-year starter for the Lions before Detroit opted to go in a different direction. "We didn't throw the ball for a whole lot of yardage, but I like to think he will get better, too. That was his first live action [in a long time] ... in a hostile environment." The feeling is that, absent a catastrophe at quarterback, Maddox will not play again this year and will be released after the season. The start was the first for Batch since December 2001. Incredibly, it was his first victory as a starter in 1,785 days, or since Dec. 17, 2000, when Batch completed eight of 18 passes for 110 yards as the Lions defeated the New York Jets 10-7. Pittsburgh is attempting to buy another week of recovery time for Roethlisberger, who had part of a torn meniscus cartilage removed during surgery Thursday. Pittsburgh faces a deceptively tough defense in the Browns' unit, but the hope is that if the Steelers can get by without Roethlisberger for one more week, he should be fully recovered and ready for the playoff stretch run. When he underwent surgery, doctors told Roethlisberger than he would be sidelined for 10-14 days. Barring complications, the Steelers plan on having Roethlisberger back for their game Nov. 20 at Baltimore. He was injured Halloween night against the Ravens when he was hit on the knee in the first quarter, but he finished the game.
Man, Batch sucked so badly against the Packers. The only offensive TD came from Staley which came at the end of the game.
