NFL notebook: Cassel to start at QB for Chiefs vs Bengals
BY Associated Press
Thursday, November 15, 2012
11/15/12 at 3:00 AM
Matt Cassel is getting another start at quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Brady Quinn still has not been cleared to participate in a game following his concussion, so Cassel will be back under center when the Chiefs play the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
"Brady does feel better. I'm glad he's feeling better. But he hasn't been cleared to play yet," Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel said during what's become a weekly Wednesday ritual of addressing the QB spot. "I can't take the chance on practicing the guy and not having him ready."
Cassel will start his third consecutive game. He was the starter earlier this year before sustaining his own concussion against Baltimore.
Quinn was the fill-in starter for a game, and then got the permanent job, only to be knocked out of his second start against Oakland.
Roethlisberger has rib injury too, out vs. Ravens: Right arm tucked into a black sling, weary eyes betraying a decided lack of sleep, Ben Roethlisberger tried to stay positive after the worst - and by far the most harrowing - injury of his career.
The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback believes he can return this season despite spraining his right shoulder and suffering what he called a dislocated rib in Monday night's overtime win against Kansas City.
He's just not sure when he'll be ready. And his medical team appears nowhere close to figuring out how exactly to get him there.
"From what (the doctor) said he's trying to talk to experts because there is no case study over the exact same thing," Roethlisberger said Wednesday. "We're just trying to talk to people ... because we don't know."
All Roethlisberger knows for certain is that doctors are concerned the rib - which he injured while getting sacked by a pair of Kansas City linebackers in the third quarter on Monday - could puncture his aorta if jostled around.
He also knows he'll be a spectator indefinitely while the surging Steelers (6-3) try to track down AFC North-leading Baltimore (7-2). Veteran backup Byron Leftwich will take the snaps in Roethlisberger's place, looking for his first win as a starter in six years.
Cutler's status remains up in air: The Chicago Bears believe they can get by without Jay Cutler. That theory might be tested this week.
Coach Lovie Smith said Cutler is improving after sitting out the second half of Sunday's loss to Houston because of a concussion.
Whether he'll be ready to play against San Francisco on Monday night is another issue, but they consider Jason Campbell a solid backup.
As for Cutler?
"We're still evaluating him, he's meeting with people, medical staff, our trainers and all of that, but he's getting better," Smith said Wednesday. "We do have a little bit more time and that's always good."
What wasn't good was that helmet-to-helmet hit late in the first half that Cutler took from Tim Dobbins, who was fined $30,000 by the league on Wednesday. The Bears believe that's when the concussion occurred.
The Bears will start practicing this week on Thursday, and if Cutler isn't ready to play against the 49ers, they figure to go with Campbell. They also brought in veteran Josh McCown this week as a backup.
