New York (AFP) – Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been ruled out for Sunday’s NFL game against New England while rookie Dak Prescott will start for Dallas after the Cowboys’ bye this week.
NFL quarterback news emerging Wednesday also saw Geno Smith set to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick as the New York Jets’ starter Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, whose starter Joe Flacco missed practice but says his sore right shoulder will not sideline him against the Jets.
Roethlisberger underwent arthroscopic left knee surgery Monday and was expected to miss two or three weeks but reportedly that timetable could drag into four to six weeks based on what surgeon James Bradley saw during the operation.
“Doc says my knee looked good, but there still was some stuff in there from when I had my bone bruise last season in St. Louis,” Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “He said that might keep me out a little longer. Maybe an extra week or so. But there’s no way to put an exact timetable on it. It all depends on my pain and how I feel.”
Reserve Landry Jones will start in place of “Big Ben” against the Patriots and would now be seen as the likely starter for the Steelers after a bye week against Baltimore.
Roethlisberger, 34, was hurt in last week’s 30-15 loss to Miami.
Dallas quarterback Tony Romo awaits medical clearance to practice with the Cowboys after being diagnosed with a broken back in August. An original return timeline of 7-10 weeks would have put the Cowboys’ next game, at home October 30 against Philadelphia, within reach.
But the team says there is no timetable for Romo’s return so Prescott, who has Dallas off to a 5-1 start, is set to line up against the Eagles after the week off.
“I don’t have any idea, no one does as to what the situation will be down the road,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “The main thing is we’re all looking at the same music and everybody feels good about all of what we’re doing.”
For the Jets, Smith is set to make his first NFL start since December 2014, according to ESPN and NFL Network reports. Fitzpatrick was benched late in New York’s 28-3 loss Monday at Arizona, dropping the Jets to 1-5 this season.
Smith lost the job last year in training camp when his jaw was broken in a locker-room altercation with then-teammate IK Enemkpali, who punched Smith in a dispute over a $600 plane ticket.
Flacco missed the Ravens’ Wednesday workout but coach John Harbaugh said, “He has a legitimate shot at playing Sunday. It’s my belief he’ll be out there.”
Flacco, who called his sore shoulder “nothing to worry about,” has started all six games for Baltimore after healing from a torn knee ligament that ended his 2015 season after 10 games. The Ravens are 3-3 ahead of facing the Jets.
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