Mike Vick makes his third start in place of Ben Roethlisberger on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals and could be in line for a fourth next week.
Week 7 represents the early window in Big Ben's timetable for a return from an MCL sprain and a bone bruise, suffered in Week 3, but NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reports that Roethlisberger is a long shot to hit the field against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"Based on what he is doing in practice, which features almost no movement, he's doing hardly anything, my understanding is that he's viewed as a long shot for next week," Rapoport said Sunday on NFL Network's GameDay Morning. "It was always the early part of his window to come back. He's going to try, but from what I'm told it seems unlikely that Ben plays next week."
Roethlisberger participated in 7-on-7 drills this week, but admitted that he's not able to move laterally yet on his injured knee.
Big Ben has a history of playing through injuries, but until he's able to do more in practice the Steelers' won't toss their franchise quarterback in harms way against the likes of Justin Houston.
