NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that he cut Big Ben’s suspension from six games to four games. That means that Roethlisberger will be impacting NFL betting odds on October 17th when Pittsburgh hosts Cleveland.
No Surprise – The reduction of the Roethlisberger’s suspension is no surprise. It was thought all along that the suspension would be reduced from six games to four games. Roethlisberger was suspended back in April for violating the league’s personal conduct policy and Goodell said he would review the suspension before the season began.
What it Means – While Big Ben is out he can’t practice or attend games so he is going to have to work out on his own. What helps Roethlisberger and the Steelers is that their bye comes in Week 5. That means Big Ben will be able to practice with the team on their bye week and then play in Week 6 against Cleveland.
Who Starts the First Four Games – It was thought that Byron Leftwich would start the games while Roethlisberger was out but he hurt his knee in Pittsburgh’s last preseason games. That means it will be Dennis Dixon who gets the start against Atlanta on Sunday. With Leftwich out and Roethlisberger suspended, the Steelers will have Dixon starting and Charlie Batch the backup. They may need to add a quarterback for the next few weeks until Big Ben returns. The Steelers may actually be better off against the NFL betting odds with Dixon at quarterback as he gives them a player who can actually move out of the pocket and threaten opposing defenses. Leftwich has the experience but he is a stationary target whose best days are behind him.
The Schedule – Pittsburgh is an underdog in NFL odds this week at Sbg global as they host Atlanta. They then go to Tennessee and Tampa Bay before hosting Baltimore in Week 4. They then have a bye before Cleveland comes to town in Week 6. The Steelers will likely be underdogs at Tennessee in Week 2 and favored at Tampa Bay in Week 3. They will be home underdogs in Week 4 against the Ravens.