Charlie Batch has started two games this season
	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Photos Tommy Maddox started against the Jaguars Oct. 16. Click photo for larger image. NFL QUARTERBACK INJURIES The Steelers aren't the only team dealing with injuries at quarterback. Some teams could not cope after losing their starters while others, like the Steelers, have continued to win: JETS The New York Jets, a playoff team last season, are 2-7 and working on their fourth quarterback after their first two, Chad Pennington and Jay Fiedler, were hurt. They lured Vinny Testaverde out of retirement. RAVENS Kyle Boller returned to play Sunday for the Ravens after missing most of this season. Before that, Baltimore played Anthony Wright and, for a few snaps, Kordell Stewart. The Ravens, the preseason favorites to win the AFC North, are 2-7. VIKINGS Backup Brad Johnson, playing for injured Daunte Culpepper, directed the Vikings (4-5) to the winning field goal Sunday in their 24-21 upset of the Giants. BUCCANEERS With starter Brian Griese out, backup Chris Simms threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns to lead Tampa Bay (6-3) past Washington, 36-35, Sunday. BEARS Rookie Kyle Orton, a fourth-round draft pick, stepped in for injured starter Rex Grossman at the start of the season, and the Chicago Bears (6-3) are among the surprises in 2005.

The Steelers might know by tomorrow whether Ben Roethlisberger can play Sunday in Baltimore. It will be their first practice this week and his level of participation -- or lack of -- could tip off whether he's ready to resume his duties as starting quarterback.

The optimism is high that he will return to play for the first time since Oct. 23, when his knee was injured in Cincinnati.

Roethlisberger threw passes during warmups Sunday night at Heinz Field and then patrolled the Steelers' sideline without evidence of the limp that was noticeable at midweek. Sunday is the game doctors and coaches believed Roethlisberger could return to play after he had surgery on his right knee Nov. 3 to remove a torn meniscus.

"I hope so," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "There's no question, to get to where we need to get to we have to have him on the field, healthy."

The broken little finger metacarpal on Charlie Batch's right hand Sunday night clouded the issue some. Batch will miss what coach Bill Cowher predicted would be a couple of games. That makes Tommy Maddox the backup if Roethlisberger starts and Maddox the starter if he does not. In the latter scenario, Roethlisberger likely would serve as the No. 2 quarterback and receiver Antwaan Randle El would be No. 3. Former Pitt quarterback Rod Rutherford has been on the practice squad the past week.

"I'll go with whoever we have," Cowher said. "The next person on this football team has to step up. That's how our football team works."

Despite Maddox's poor play in his only start of the season Oct. 16 against Jacksonville, the Steelers believe they are fortunate to have him and Batch behind Roethlisberger. Maddox became their starting quarterback in 2002 and remained as such until his arm was injured in the second game of last season, coincidentally at Baltimore.

"I don't know if any other team has three guys who have the number of starts that we have," Maddox said. "You see it around the league. You have to give the Steelers' front office and coach Cowher credit."

Batch has 48 NFL starts, Maddox 35 and Roethlisberger 19.

What, for example, would happen to the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts if Peyton Manning were injured? They have just one backup, Jim Sorgi, a sixth-round draft pick from Wisconsin last year who has not thrown a pass this season.

"That's something we talked about early when Ben went down -- you're not really worried about the position because there is depth there," Batch said.

Ward, who caught eight passes for 124 yards against the Browns to become the Steelers' career receptions leader with 543, said Roethlisberger is itching to return.

"I know he's frustrated. He wants to be out there competing. He came to me and apologized that he wasn't the guy who threw it to me to get that one record," said Ward, who passed Hall of Famer John Stallworth Sunday to become the Steelers' all-time receptions leader.

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"Ben's the man here, and it's great for me knowing I'm going to be here for a while to watch his development as a quarterback. I know it's frustrating for him because things were going well and he ended up getting hurt."

Ward said it's not an ideal situation for any offense to go through several quarterbacks in a season.

"It's kind of hard to get a rapport with the quarterback when every week there's a different quarterback. It can get frustrating at times. But Tommy's been through it. Did he play particularly well in his last performance? No, but we all didn't. With the quarterback, you get a lot of the blame with some of your losses sometimes."

The Steelers have won two of three this season with their two backup quarterbacks. They'd like to keep it that way for a while and welcome Roethlisberger back this week.