Dixon likely out at least 2 weeks

[mesaSteeler]

Dixon likely out at least 2 weeks
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt...nt_700495.html
By Scott Brown
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Steelers may have three healthy quarterbacks on their roster at some point this season.

It won't be in the near future.

Dennis Dixon, who started the first two games, sustained a cartilage tear in his left knee against the Titans and could be sidelined for at least the next couple of weeks, according to NFL sources. Dixon may have surgery on the knee this week, the sources said.

With Dixon likely out for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay, Charlie Batch or Byron Leftwich probably will start at quarterback.

Batch relieved the injured Dixon early in the second quarter of the Steelers' 19-11 win against the Titans, and he served more as a caretaker of the offense with the team down to its last healthy quarterback.
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Ben Roethlisberger's suspension and injuries have scrambled the most important position for the Steelers through the first four weeks of the season. Here's how the two that have played this season have fared:
G Comp. Att. Yds. TD INT Rating
Dennis Dixon 2 22 32 254 0 1 79.4
Charlie Batch 1 5 11 25 0 0 52.5

The Steelers re-signed Leftwich on Monday. He had been waived to make room on the 53-man roster for defensive tackle Steve McLendon.

The Steelers had to temporarily cut ties with Leftwich since they needed another defensive lineman against the Titans with starting nose tackle Casey Hampton out because of a hamstring injury.

The Steelers brought Leftwich back as expected -- they released McLendon -- and he may be healthy enough to compete with Batch this week.

Leftwich, who sprained his left knee Sept. 2, was a full participant in practice last Friday.

The eighth-year veteran had been slated to start while Ben Roethlisberger serves a four-game suspension before he got hurt.

Batch and Leftwich are similar in style; each is a classic dropback passer. The two have started 99 NFL games between them, though neither has the running dimension that Dixon adds to the offense.

Batch, ironically, is now the only healthy quarterback on the Steelers' 53-man roster.

Last spring, Tomlin said Batch, 35, was the odd man out of the quarterback competition because of his recent injury history.

Dixon appeared to get hurt on one of his runs against the Titans (he rushed three times for 28 yards in the game). He said after the game that he felt something funny in his knee and came out of the game as a precaution.

Dixon said he didn't think he had done any structural damage to the knee, which is the same one in which he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during his senior season at Oregon in 2007.

The latest turn at quarterback leaves the Steelers scrambling at the game's most important position. They are expected to work out several quarterbacks today and possibly sign one of them to the practice squad to provide depth.

Dixon's injury means the Steelers will start at least three different quarterbacks this season with Batch or Leftwich filling in until Roethlisberger returns.

Roethlisberger is eligible for re-instatement after the fourth week of the season.

The Steelers have started 2-0 in his absence. Their quarterbacks have thrown for 279 yards and an interception with no touchdowns.

Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.

[Hi5Steeler]

loved dixon when drafted for potential.

three years in potential gone

reality here

dixon sucks.

i thought he would be a starter for some team one day.

no more.

hes weak.


batch is WAY better and leftwich also.

dixon cant read a defense to save his life.


hes a great preseason player against players about to get cut but thats it.


we have big ben charlie batch byron leftwich. trade DD next year for a fifth round pick . thats what we paid for him.

we dont need the dixon project to stretch into another contract.


no thank you

[BlockMonsta]

Wait..how many passes did Batch complete?