lamberts-lost-tooth
12-31-2008, 03:54 AM
Roethlisberger's injury 'mild'
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Ben Roethlisberger was not the only Steelers player who left Sunday's game after a blow to the head. He was the only one who left Heinz Field in an ambulance.
The other, safety Tyrone Carter, left the field briefly in the first quarter, then returned and intercepted two passes, proving there are concussions, and then there are concussions.
"Even though I had a concussion and Tyrone Carter had a concussion in the last game, it all depends on the severity of it," safety Troy Polamalu said.
Polamalu left the Oct. 19 game in Cincinnati after tackling Bengals back Cedrick Benson. He returned to practice the following Wednesday and started the next game against the New York Giants.
Roethlisberger also is likely to start the next game when the Steelers open the playoffs at home. Sources yesterday described his concussion as "mild" or "low grade," and coach Mike Tomlin would not rule out him practicing this week.
Roethlisberger watched Steelers practice yesterday, then left quickly afterward without speaking to the news media.
Tomlin said his quarterback will continue to undergo tests but sounded optimistic Roethlisberger will play Jan. 11.
"He's doing better," Tomlin said. "He's starting the process of taking the battery of tests that come after one sustains a concussion. I don't know where we are in regards to those tests. We have less urgency this time around because we don't play on Sunday, quite honestly.
"We will proceed slowly with him because we have that luxury. But we feel comfortable with where he is relative to Sunday and where he's capable of being next week in preparation for our game."
It was at least Roethlisberger's third concussion in 2 1/2 years. He suffered one in his infamous motorcycle accident in June 2006 and another in Atlanta that October. It's possible he could have had more, because not every concussion is revealed publicly by the Steelers.
Carter left Sunday's game during the Steelers' first defensive series after he tackled receiver Donte Stallworth. At the time, his return was described as questionable because of "a blow to the head."
"I was woozy a little bit, but it wasn't like a concussion or they never would have let me back in," Carter said.
He said he answered all the doctor's questions, including the play in which he was injured.
"When I hit the dude, I felt numbness in my hand a little bit and I was trying to wait for it to come back because I didn't have any feelings at first," Carter remembered. "Then, I stepped up and I was not light-headed, but I was weak. When I got to the sideline, I knew everything. It was some freaky stuff."
Polamalu's concussion in October was his second in the past three seasons and seventh confirmed since his high school days.
"I think they're excellent how they deal with concussions," he said of the Steelers. "The doctors have to clear you. You have to be really honest with the doctors."
Roethlisberger's last public concussion occurred Oct. 22, 2006, in Atlanta. He started, amidst great public debate, the following week in Oakland and threw four interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, and was sacked five times in a 30-23 loss to the Raiders.
It does not mean there will be a repeat performance this time, his teammates say.
"We're not going off with what's happened in previous years or anything like that," defensive end Brett Keisel said.
"I think he's OK. I talked to him, he's doing all right. I don't know if he's clear yet, he got his bell rung pretty good and it takes a little time to shake those bells out of your ears.
"I've had a few. I think most people who play this game get a few. He just hit hard and hit wrong. Anytime you slap your head on the back like that it's going to leave you a little fuzzy, but I think he's going to be OK."
Byron Leftwich, who replaced Roethlisberger at the end of the first half Sunday and helped the Steelers to a 31-0 victory against the Browns, took most of the snaps in practice yesterday.
"The great thing is that all the tests on him were negative, so it's just a concussion," Leftwich said. "We say 'just' because they happen every week in football. You just hope that he can respond well and come back from it and get a chance to practice and doesn't have any lingering effects from it.
"He seemed cool to me, everything seemed cool, nothing I'd put a red flag up from talking to him or anything. He's the same old Ben."
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08366/938762-66.stm
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Ben Roethlisberger was not the only Steelers player who left Sunday's game after a blow to the head. He was the only one who left Heinz Field in an ambulance.
The other, safety Tyrone Carter, left the field briefly in the first quarter, then returned and intercepted two passes, proving there are concussions, and then there are concussions.
"Even though I had a concussion and Tyrone Carter had a concussion in the last game, it all depends on the severity of it," safety Troy Polamalu said.
Polamalu left the Oct. 19 game in Cincinnati after tackling Bengals back Cedrick Benson. He returned to practice the following Wednesday and started the next game against the New York Giants.
Roethlisberger also is likely to start the next game when the Steelers open the playoffs at home. Sources yesterday described his concussion as "mild" or "low grade," and coach Mike Tomlin would not rule out him practicing this week.
Roethlisberger watched Steelers practice yesterday, then left quickly afterward without speaking to the news media.
Tomlin said his quarterback will continue to undergo tests but sounded optimistic Roethlisberger will play Jan. 11.
"He's doing better," Tomlin said. "He's starting the process of taking the battery of tests that come after one sustains a concussion. I don't know where we are in regards to those tests. We have less urgency this time around because we don't play on Sunday, quite honestly.
"We will proceed slowly with him because we have that luxury. But we feel comfortable with where he is relative to Sunday and where he's capable of being next week in preparation for our game."
It was at least Roethlisberger's third concussion in 2 1/2 years. He suffered one in his infamous motorcycle accident in June 2006 and another in Atlanta that October. It's possible he could have had more, because not every concussion is revealed publicly by the Steelers.
Carter left Sunday's game during the Steelers' first defensive series after he tackled receiver Donte Stallworth. At the time, his return was described as questionable because of "a blow to the head."
"I was woozy a little bit, but it wasn't like a concussion or they never would have let me back in," Carter said.
He said he answered all the doctor's questions, including the play in which he was injured.
"When I hit the dude, I felt numbness in my hand a little bit and I was trying to wait for it to come back because I didn't have any feelings at first," Carter remembered. "Then, I stepped up and I was not light-headed, but I was weak. When I got to the sideline, I knew everything. It was some freaky stuff."
Polamalu's concussion in October was his second in the past three seasons and seventh confirmed since his high school days.
"I think they're excellent how they deal with concussions," he said of the Steelers. "The doctors have to clear you. You have to be really honest with the doctors."
Roethlisberger's last public concussion occurred Oct. 22, 2006, in Atlanta. He started, amidst great public debate, the following week in Oakland and threw four interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, and was sacked five times in a 30-23 loss to the Raiders.
It does not mean there will be a repeat performance this time, his teammates say.
"We're not going off with what's happened in previous years or anything like that," defensive end Brett Keisel said.
"I think he's OK. I talked to him, he's doing all right. I don't know if he's clear yet, he got his bell rung pretty good and it takes a little time to shake those bells out of your ears.
"I've had a few. I think most people who play this game get a few. He just hit hard and hit wrong. Anytime you slap your head on the back like that it's going to leave you a little fuzzy, but I think he's going to be OK."
Byron Leftwich, who replaced Roethlisberger at the end of the first half Sunday and helped the Steelers to a 31-0 victory against the Browns, took most of the snaps in practice yesterday.
"The great thing is that all the tests on him were negative, so it's just a concussion," Leftwich said. "We say 'just' because they happen every week in football. You just hope that he can respond well and come back from it and get a chance to practice and doesn't have any lingering effects from it.
"He seemed cool to me, everything seemed cool, nothing I'd put a red flag up from talking to him or anything. He's the same old Ben."
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08366/938762-66.stm