Charlie Batch To Start For Steelers This Sunday

Added on Sep 23, 2010 by Jason Kearney in

NFL

Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin has named veteran Charlie Batch as the starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Batch was the #4 quarterback on the depth chart heading into the season but is currently the best–and healthiest–option. Starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has two games remaining on his league mandated suspension. Byron Leftwich is close to making a return from a sprained knee ligament that he suffered in the final preseason game, but Tomlin didn’t want to waste a week of preparation if he couldn’t go. #3 quarterback Dennis Dixon started the first two games of the regular season, but injured his knee in last Sunday’s victory over Tennessee. He’s had surgery and could be sidelined as long as six weeks.

Batch is a well respected veteran, but he’s only thrown two regular season passes since 2007. Still, he’s ready for the challenge:

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

Had things worked out a little differently, Batch might not have been on the roster at all. The original plan was only to go with two quarterbacks while Roethlisberger was suspended. That changed when Leftwich was injured in the final preseason game, and Batch was the beneficiary. This is Batch’s first start since the meaningless final regular season game of 2007. Before that, he started one game during the regular season in 2006 when Roethlisberger was sidelined with appendicitis.
Despite his lack of playing time in recent years, Steelers’ wide receiver Hines Ward remains confident in his ability to lead the team:

“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.”

Batch’s intellectual approach to the game is highly respected around the league and many observers suggest that he’ll transition into coaching in the next couple of years. For now, however, he’s glad to get one last shot on the field:

“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.”

Batch says he’s fortunate to work against the vaunted Steelers’ 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.”

As Hines Ward noted, protecting Batch will be crucial for this game since the Steelers’ only backup will be Leftwich who may still be short of 100%. Batch still may be odd man out of the Steelers’ quarterback rotation once Roethlisberger returns, though he’s happy to be getting at least one more opportunity as a starting QB in the NFL.