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While most of the attention focused on the Steelers getting the best guard available (Stanford's David DeCastro), they quietly made an important addition even before the draft began. Pittsburgh agreed to terms on a one-year deal with quarterback Byron Leftwich.

Bringing back Charlie Batch less than two weeks ago was an insurance policy if the Steelers couldn't keep Leftwich. Now, Leftwich is the favorite to be the primary backup to Ben Roethlisberger, as long as he remains healthy. He has started 49 games and passed for 10,260 yards and 58 touchdowns.

Leftwich, 32, is five years younger than Batch, and is a more viable option to lead an offense if Roethlisberger went down for an extended period. The Steelers have always preferred Leftwich to Batch. Leftwich was supposed to start for the suspended Roethlisberger in 2010, but he hurt his knee in the final preseason game. He was also projected to be the team's No. 2 quarterback last season before breaking his arm in the preseason.

The Steelers now have five quarterbacks on the roster: Roethlisberger, Leftwich, Batch, former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, and Jerrod Johnson. Striking a deal with Leftwich decreases the chances of Pittsburgh drafting a quarterback in the later rounds.

The Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed Charlie Batch to a one-year deal on Monday, but this doesn't necessarily mean he will be the team's top backup in 2012.

There's still a sense that Byron Leftwich is still the favorite for that spot. But there's no guarantee that Leftwich is coming back. He reportedly has drawn interest from the Indianapolis Colts and former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, although he remains unsigned.

Bringing back Batch is a logical move for the Steelers. He's been their decade-old security blanket when it comes to the backup quarterback position.

If Leftwich goes elsewhere, the Steelers have Batch, who is 5-2 as a spot starter for the Steelers. If Leftwich returns to Pittsburgh, the Steelers get a quarterback who is five years younger than Batch and appears to be the preferred choice. Leftwich was supposed to start for the suspended Ben Roethlisberger in 2010, but he hurt his knee in the final preseason game. He was also projected to be the team's No. 2 quarterback last season before breaking his arm in the preseason.

Even though Leftwich has major durability questions, you have to be equally unsure whether Batch can hold up for an extended period at his age. Last year, Batch looked solid in his only start, a 27-0 win over St. Louis, but he looked ragged in replacing Roethlisberger in the first meeting against Cleveland. The only quarterback from last year that is expected to move on is Dennis Dixon.

The backup quarterback position is the most critical No. 2 job on the Steelers, especially with the annual beating that Roethlisberger takes. Roethlisberger has managed one full season in his eight years in the NFL. The most games that Roethlisberger has missed in a season is four.

This is the latest in a series of moves by the Steelers to address their depth. Pittsburgh has signed tight end Leonard Pope, wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery and guard Trai Essex over the past week. Keeping Batch was the most important one considering the only other quarterbacks on the roster were Troy Smith and Jerrod Johnson.

The Baltimore Ravens are among three teams interested in Steelers free-agent quarterback Dennis Dixon, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos are also in the running for Dixon, who is not expected to return to Pittsburgh.

The Ravens have been inconsistent in how they've addressed the backup quarterback position recently. In 2010, Baltimore spent $3.8 million on Marc Bulger to have veteran insurance behind Joe Flacco. In 2011, the Ravens went with rookie sixth-round pick Tyrod Taylor.

One reason why the Ravens could go with Bulger in 2010 was the uncapped year, but it's definitely a major philosophical switch to go from a playoff-tested quarterback in Bulger to a raw prospect like Taylor. Of course, Baltimore hasn't needed a backup, because Flacco has never missed a start in his four-year career (64 straight, the third-longest current streak in the NFL). But the Ravens' playoff chances would get decimated if Flacco got hurt, and the team had to turn to Taylor for an extended period.

Dixon, 27, the No. 3 quarterback last season for Pittsburgh, has made three career starts in his four seasons with the Steelers. He has a 2-1 record, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Dixon's first start came against the Ravens in 2009, when his interception in overtime set up the winning field goal.

Here are the backup quarterback situations for the rest of the AFC North:

BENGALS: Cincinnati is set with journeyman Bruce Gradkowski. When Andy Dalton was hurt in last year's season opener, Gradkowski rallied the Bengals to a 27-17 win at Cleveland.

BROWNS: At this point, the Browns are going with Seneca Wallace, the team's backup for the past two seasons. But the depth chart could get moved around if Cleveland drafts a quarterback in the early rounds. If the Browns don't take a quarterback, Wallace won't be competing with Colt McCoy for the starting job, the team said.

STEELERS: Besides Ben Roethlisberger, the only quarterbacks on the roster are Troy Smith and Jerrod Johnson. The Steelers likely will bring back Byron Leftwich or Charlie Batch. The favorite to return is Leftwich, who reportedly drew interest from the Colts.

» AFC Assessments: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Cincinnati Bengals

Key additions: RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, S Reggie Nelson, G Travelle Wharton, CB Jason Allen, CB Adam Jones, DE Jamaal Anderson, DE Derrick Harvey

Key losses: DE Frostee Rucker (Browns), G Nate Livings (Cowboys), G Mike McGlynn (Colts), DE Jonathan Fanene (Patriots), WR Andre Caldwell (Broncos)

Grade after first wave of free agency: B. The Bengals were the most active team in the division and they should have been. Cincinnati entered free agency with over $50 million in salary-cap space, which was more than the rest of the AFC North combined. The Bengals upgraded at running back and left guard while bringing back their top free-agent priority in safety Reggie Nelson. The biggest knock against the Bengals is they didn't make a splash by signing a high-profile free agent like guard Ben Grubbs or wide receiver Robert Meachem.

The prize of the Bengals' signings is running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who is an improvement over Cedric Benson. Green-Ellis isn't known for breaking long gains, but he is a force in the red zone and has never fumbled in the NFL. Wharton is a step up from Nate Livings at left guard because he is a strong run-blocker who will open holes inside. The biggest losses came on the defensive line, where Cincinnati will miss Frostee Rucker on run defense and Jonathan Fanene in the pass rush.

What’s next: The Bengals can still close the gap between the Ravens and Steelers because they have two first-round picks in the draft (No. 17 overall, which came from Oakland in the Carson Palmer trade, and No. 21). Even with the signing of Wharton, Cincinnati needs a right guard and could have a shot at the top interior offensive lineman coming out of college. Stanford's David DeCastro is one of the safest picks in the draft and would start immediately for the Bengals.

The second first-round pick could be used on a wide receiver or a cornerback. The Bengals surprisingly didn't add a free-agent wide receiver to pair with A.J. Green. Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill or Baylor's Kendall Wright should be available in the bottom third of the draft. Another need is cornerback because Cincinnati could use an eventual replacement for Nate Clements, who is entering his 12th season. Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick, the second-best corner in the draft, has a chance of sliding to the Bengals.

Cleveland Browns

Key additions: DE Frostee Rucker, LB D'Qwell Jackson, CB Dimitri Patterson, DE Juqua Parker

Key losses: RB Peyton Hillis (Chiefs), S Mike Adams (Broncos), G Eric Steinbach, OT Tony Pashos

Grade after first wave of free agency: C. Browns president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert said they were building this team through the draft and they weren't joking. The Browns desperately needed to improve at quarterback, wide receiver and right guard. But Cleveland's offense came out of the initial wave of free agency empty-handed. Blame the Washington Redskins. The Browns attempted to move up in the draft to take Robert Griffin III, and the Rams instead traded the second overall pick to the Redskins. Cleveland reportedly pursued wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan, and both took high-priced deals from Washington.

The Browns provided more help to the defense in free agency. Frostee Rucker will make an impact in stopping the run, which was the biggest weakness on the NFL's 10th-ranked defense. Juqua Parker, who has 31.5 sacks over the past six seasons, will team with Jabaal Sheard to give Cleveland a strong rush coming off both edges. The Browns didn't try to keep Peyton Hillis and Mike Adams from going elsewhere.

What’s next: Offense, offense and offense. Did I mention offense? The Browns need a quarterback but there's no one worthy of the fourth overall pick. Cleveland could trade down to select Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill or wait until the second round for Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden. The big decision comes if the Browns stay put at No. 4. Cleveland's choices are Alabama running back Trent Richardson or Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. The Browns could use either one because they don't have a starting running back or a No. 1 wide receiver.

Cleveland has a second first-round pick as a result of last year's trade with the Atlanta Falcons. The Browns need to target a wide receiver (if they don't take one earlier in the first round), right tackle or outside linebacker with the 22nd overall pick. Baylor receiver Wright, Mississippi offensive tackle Bobby Massie and Nebraska outside linebacker Lavonte David have been linked to Cleveland.

Baltimore Ravens

Key additions: C Matt Birk, ILB Jameel McClain, OLB Brendon Ayanbadejo, CB Corey Graham, S Sean Considine

Key losses: G Ben Grubbs (Saints), OLB Jarret Johnson (Chargers), DE Cory Redding (Colts) and CB Domonique Foxworth

Grade after first wave of free agency: D. The Ravens lost three starters (Ben Grubbs, Jarret Johnson and Cory Redding) from last season's AFC North champion team and have yet to add anyone to replace them. It was a a rough start to free agency for Baltimore, which didn't sign any of its first three visits (guard Evan Mathis, defensive end Mark Anderson and receiver-returner Ted Ginn Jr.). The toughest part of free agency was when the Ravens failed to sign Mathis, who re-signed with the Eagles, after Baltimore had just lost Grubbs.

Baltimore was able to keep two free-agent starters, Matt Birk and Jameel McClain, and boost a struggling special-teams group that allowed three touchdowns last season. The Ravens signed Cory Graham, a Pro Bowl special-teams player from the Bears; Brendon Ayanbadejo, a three-time Pro Bowl special teams standout; and Sean Considine, who played special teams for three seasons under John Harbaugh in Philadelphia.

What’s next: The Ravens' biggest need is at left guard, but there might not be one that warrants being taken at No. 29. Wisconsin center-guard Peter Konz's stock has slipped recently even though he can guard right away before switching to center in future seasons. It's hard to pin down a player for Baltimore, which can go in a lot of different directions in the first round.

The Ravens could take the best wide receiver available (especially if he's a returner) because they need a third target who can eventually take Anquan Boldin's starting spot. They could take a safety because Ed Reed turns 34 at the start of the season and Bernard Pollard is a free agent next year. And they could take an offensive tackle because they don't have a reliable backup and Bryant McKinnie is a free agent in 2013.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Key additions: None

Key losses: CB William Gay (Cardinals), LB James Farrior, NT Chris Hoke, G Chris Kemoeatu, DE Aaron Smith, WR Hines Ward

Grade after first wave of free agency: D. It's been a quiet free-agency period so far for the Steelers. Then again, it's usually quiet for the Steelers at this point in the offseason. The only team that consistently does less than the Steelers in free agency is the Green Bay Packers.

The Steelers avoided a failing grade because they've only lost two starters from last season's playoff team. James Farrior was cut in the team's salary-cap purge, and William Gay left as an unrestricted free agent. What Pittsburgh really lost in trimming $25 million to get under the cap was veteran depth and leadership. Injuries would force young players to step up into starting roles.

What’s next: There are question marks at running back, guard, inside linebacker, nose tackle and cornerback. Despite all of those needs, the consensus has been Pittsburgh will draft Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower if he's available at No. 24. He has a great combination of size and speed and excelled in a 3-4 defense in college. It seems like Hightower would be the perfect fit for Pittsburgh.

There's no chance that Memphis' Dontari Poe falls to the Steelers, but there some quality nose tackles in the draft. Those who should be available after the first round are: BYU's Loni Fangupo (second round), Washington's Alameda Ta'amu (third round) and Alabama's Josh Chapman (fourth round). The Steelers likely will become active later in free agency, especially in retaining their own players. Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, running back Mewelde Moore and quarterbacks Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch could potentially return to the team.

With Peyton Manning coming and Tim Tebow going out, the Broncos still are not settled at the quarterback position.

Who is going to be Manning's backup?

Denver could always opt to keep Tebow, but ESPN has reported the team will try to trade him. They may even release him if they don’t find a trade partner.

The matter of Manning’s backup is significant. Manning passed the Broncos’ physical and he has been cleared to play in 2012 after missing all of last season with a neck injury. But there has to be a backup plan.

There aren’t too many great options out there. The top backup options are Byron Leftwich, Matt Leinart, Charlie Batch Donovan McNabb, Vince Young, Billy Volek, Josh Johnson and Dennis Dixon. Of that group, I think Volek -- who was released by the Chargers last week -- could be the best option. He is a serviceable player in a pinch.

Denver could always draft a quarterback to groom behind Manning. Manning, who turns 36 Saturday, probably has at least three solid seasons remaining in him if his neck holds up.

It might be a little early to draft a quarterback in the early rounds and I think Denver is now out of the Brandon Weeden mix. Denver has closely scouted him, but he will be 29 during the season. There is little chance Denver will take a quarterback who may not be in the position to start until he is well in his 30s.

The Steelers signed former Ravens quarterback Troy Smith on Friday, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

This is an interesting addition but not likely a significant one. Even though the Steelers' quarterback group could undergo change, Smith would be fighting for the No. 3 job.

Pittsburgh's top two backups this season, Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon, are both free agents. Dixon presumably will go elsewhere and the 37-year-old Batch might not return.

Byron Leftwich, who is also a free agent, is expected to re-sign and become the primary backup to Ben Roethlisberger. Leftwich broke his arm in the preseason and spent the entire regular season on injured reserve.

That's why Smith's best shot at sticking with the Steelers is winning the third-string job. Smith, a Heisman Trophy winner who was with the Ravens from 2007 to 2009, spent last season with the United Football League's Omaha Nighthawks. He failed to establish himself as an NFL starting quarterback because he struggles with accuracy.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the last AFC North team to complete Week 3 of the preseason on Saturday night.

Here are some observations:

Steelers 34, Falcons 16

The Good

• Receiver Antonio Brown continues to be Pittsburgh's star of the preseason. The second-year standout lit up Atlanta with four catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Brown's two scores were for 77 and 44 yards. Brown had a huge reception in last season's playoffs to help Pittsburgh beat the Baltimore Ravens. He is carrying that momentum and confidence into this season. After Saturday's stellar performance, Brown likely has the edge over veteran Jerricho Cotchery to become Pittsburgh's No. 3 receiver.
• Pittsburgh backup cornerback Crezdon Butler showed playmaking ability against Atlanta. Butler returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter. Butler was also active. He led the Steelers with nine tackles and made a big impression. He could be one of Pittsburgh's top reserves in the secondary.

The Bad

• Steelers backup quarterback Byron Leftwich broke his arm Saturday and reportedly could miss the entire season. Leftwich had a good chance to be Pittsburgh's No. 2 quarterback. Now, that job goes to Dennis Dixon and reduces his chance for a trade. The biggest goal of the preseason is to prevent injuries. Leftwich and top cornerback Ike Taylor (broken thumb) suffered big injuries in two of Pittsburgh's three preseason games.
• Pittsburgh’s first-team defense gave up chunks of yards to Falcons No. 1 receiver Roddy White. He recorded eight receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. The Steelers didn't make any significant upgrades to the secondary in the offseason and teams will continue to attack Pittsburgh through the air this season.

Alex Smith's candidacy as the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback heading into 2011 sent me searching for some context.

The charts show some initial findings.

The first one shows quarterbacks since 1970 who met the following criteria, as provided by Pro Football Reference:

• First-round draft choice;
• Has thrown between 40 and 60 touchdown passes;
• Career passer rating was no higher than 85.0;
• Has played in no more than six seasons.

Smith's new coach, Jim Harbaugh, is one of the players on the list. Some of the players enjoyed moderately successful careers. Vince Young, Greg Landry, Harbaugh, Dan Pastorini and Archie Manning were named to at least one Pro Bowl.


The second chart eliminates Smith's statistically horrible rookie season, when he had one touchdown and 11 interceptions for a very bad team.

It shows statistics for quarterbacks drafted in first rounds since 1970 based on the following criteria, also according to Pro Football Reference:

• Second through sixth seasons only;
• Had thrown between 40 and 55 touchdown passes;
• Had thrown no more than 45 interceptions;
• Had started at least 40 games during this period.

Harbaugh again makes the list, but I was most struck by similarities between the numbers for Smith and Harbaugh's old teammate, Jim McMahon.

Smith and McMahon could not be less similar in terms of personality, overall approach, supporting cast and on-field results. McMahon went 22-1 as a starter from 1985-87.

The Harbaugh comparison is much more relevant. Both players failed to meet expectations early in their careers despite their diligence. Harbaugh's personality was much more aggressive, however, and that raises a very fair but harsh question: Does Smith have the right makeup to salvage his career in a manner the way Harbaugh did after leaving Chicago?

The clock is officially ticking on David Garrard.

While the Jacksonville Jaguars have plenty of needs on defense and at wide receiver, they sent their second-round pick, 49th overall, to Washington to move from No. 16 to No. 10 to secure Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert.

A quarterback who worked out of the spread in college was rated by many as the signal-caller with the most upside in the draft.

He may need time, but Garrard can give him time.

I like the aggressiveness. To contend for a title, the franchise needed its first drafted quarterback since Byron Leftwich in 2003. Gabbert has the potential to be more consistent.

But he needs the team around him to be built up. The Jaguars need to fill holes or find upgrades at safety, linebacker, corner rush end, receiver and center or guard between their five remaining picks and in free agency, which could be starting soon.

I hope to bring you more on Gabbert later.

Colleague Kevin Seifert showed some daring by sending TCU quarterback Andy Dalton to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 12 in a recent ESPN.com mock draft.

He wasn't arguing for Dalton's value so much as saying the Vikings' need for a quarterback might compel them to take one there.

"To me," Seifert later wrote with first-year Vikings coach Leslie Frazier in mind, "there is no better time to jump to the other side than in a coach's first year, giving him a building block for the rest of his program."

The key, of course, is not mistaking anchors for building blocks.

Steve Mariucci was the San Francisco 49ers' first-year coach when the team used a 1997 first-rounder for Jim Druckenmiller, a blunder softened only by Steve Young's presence on the roster. That experience should not directly influence the 49ers' thinking as they consider first-round quarterbacks for new coach Jim Harbaugh, but it's a reference point.

With Harbaugh and the 49ers in mind, I went through recent drafts to see which teams with first-year head coaches used first-round selections for quarterbacks. More precisely, I looked at all first-round quarterbacks since 2000 to see which ones had first-year head coaches.

Six of the last eight first-round quarterbacks -- Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and JaMarcus Russell -- joined teams with first-year head coaches. All but Russell remain franchise quarterbacks in their teams' eyes. All but Russell are still playing for their original head coaches. Four of the six had winning records in 2010.

For most of those franchises, value and need lined up pretty well, and first-year coaches benefited.

"If you don't have a quarterback, you're drafting maybe a different kind of running back, maybe a different kind of offensive lineman, than if you have somebody," Lions coach Jim Schwartz told reporters at the scouting combine. "We had Calvin Johnson, but our ability to get Jahvid Best, Nate Burleson in free agency, to draft Brandon Pettigrew -- those pieces were because of the quarterback that we have."

We could also argue that the St. Louis Rams were better off building their offensive line and other areas of their roster before making Sam Bradford the first overall choice in 2010. They could have drafted Sanchez or Freeman instead of defensive end Chris Long in 2009, then spent subsequent selections on players to build around one of those quarterbacks.

Bradford and Denver's Tim Tebow were the "other" first-round quarterbacks in the eight-man group featuring Stafford, Sanchez, Freeman, Ryan, Flacco and Russell.

In general, getting the right quarterback for a first-year head coach puts a franchise in strong position for the long term. There's no sense forcing the issue, however, because the wrong quarterback can drag down any coach, regardless of tenure.

A coach such as the Vikings' Frazier might have a harder time waiting. His contract runs only three seasons and ownership expects quick results. Harbaugh has a five-year deal with the 49ers. Expectations are high, but there's less urgency for immediate results.

The first chart shows the 14 first-round quarterbacks since 2000 that landed with returning head coaches.

The second chart shows the 14 first-round quarterbacks since 2000 that landed with first-year head coaches.

If the NFL assures players that the big money that’s gone to first-round picks in the past will be redistributed to veterans, I don’t see where the players can object.

AP reported details of the league’s pitch for reducing rookie salaries.

For context, here’s a look at the money the Jacksonville Jaguars have paid first-round picks since 2000 -- $111,380,562 in guaranteed money before playing an NFL snap, an average of $10,125,506 per player.


Nelson, Jones, Williams and Soward were outright busts and Harvey could be off the roster by opening day. The Jaguars have suffered and will suffer depth-chart consequences for those picks. But they also shelled out nearly $26 million to those five guys.

Personnel failures are one thing, the financial penalty is something else and the only element involved in all of this that would object to a system change is members of the rookie pool who aren’t actually very good.

Five-year deals for first-rounders negotiated in this context, with less total money, seems sensible. Nothing would change for draft picks outside of the first round.

The change could help fix what’s broken in the draft.

As Eagles president Joe Banner told AP:

"The whole concept of the draft and ordering of the picks is to maintain competitive balance in the league. Now teams get top picks who have become so expensive and there's the risk you can miss, and it makes the ability to trade in and out of those spots almost impossible. It can become a disadvantage to be in one of the top spots."

But agent Ben Dogra makes a good counterargument.

"Five years and reduced pay is basically restricting players," said Dogra, whose clients include Patrick Willis and Sam Bradford. "Roughly 68 percent of the NFL is comprised of players with five years or less of NFL experience.

"Even players from essentially picks 11 to 32 in the first round are good financial deals for the teams. If a player becomes a starter or an integral part of the team under the current system, the NFL teams have the player under a rookie deal that is favorable to the team."

The league’s done well to get this issue out front. It’s time to tinker with it, get it right and count it as one element of the deal that's done.

For weeks, many wondered which two quarterbacks the Pittsburgh Steelers would keep once starter Ben Roethlisberger returned from his four-game suspension.

On Saturday, the Steelers made their decision.

Pittsburgh announced it placed quarterback Dennis Dixon (knee) on injured reserve, which means the team will go with Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch and Byron Leftwich as its three quarterbacks for the remainder of the 2010 season. The Steelers also signed defensive tackle Steve McLendon.

Dixon was hurt in the Steelers' Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans. His recovery was projected to take about six weeks, which was enough to convince the Steelers (3-0) to move on this year with three healthier quarterbacks.

Batch's recent play also didn't hurt. He threw for three touchdowns in last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dixon finished the year throwing for 254 yards and one interception in two starts. A former fifth-round pick, Dixon will be a restricted free agent after this season.

PITTSBURGH -- With future Hall of Famer Brett Favre on a bye week, the NFL's oldest starting quarterback will be wearing black and gold Sunday.

"It's a blessing, I feel," Steelers 24-year-old receiver Mike Wallace said of 35-year-old teammate Charlie Batch. "Anytime you can be the oldest guy out there, that means you've been doing this well for a long time. If I was one of the oldest guys, I'd be happy and proud of it."

Coming off a three-touchdown performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Batch aims to put together an encore performance Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens (2-1) in the NFL's best rivalry. With franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger wrapping up his four-game suspension, this will likely be Batch's final start of the season. He wants to make it memorable.

It's been business as usual this week for undefeated Pittsburgh (3-0), the No. 1 team in ESPN.com's latest Power Rankings. Unlike Week 1 when Dixon was the starter, there weren't questions in the locker room about inexperience and how much the offense changes with a new quarterback.

Batch, a 13-year pro who is 4-1 as a starter in Pittsburgh, runs the Steelers' offense how the coaching staff wants. He stays in the pocket, is quick and decisive with the football, and only runs when necessary.

The athletic Dixon had problems with the latter, and even Roethlisberger could learn from Batch about making quicker decisions and not holding onto the football. Batch wasn't sacked last week against Tampa Bay. But he also produced the longest run of his career against the Bucs for 24 yards, which should give Baltimore another thing to worry about.

"I got the wheels," Batch warned while laughing Wednesday. "But I didn't even think about it. It was second nature. I saw things open up and I was trying to get the first down and all of a sudden I felt I could get more yardage. I think it caught [receiver Antwaan] Randle El off guard, because he was still running his route instead of looking at the football, and I passed the line of scrimmage 5 yards ago."

A win always helps, but Steelers teammates say they have a great confidence in Batch, the oldest Steeler and one of the team's bigger jokesters.

"He plays all day, and I can't ever believe anything he says," said Wallace, who caught two of Batch's touchdowns last week. "I have to watch him. He's one of biggest [pranksters] on the team. So I have to watch my back around Chuck."

Playing against the Ravens' defense will be no laughing matter.

Batch, a native of suburban Pittsburgh, faces a Baltimore defense ranked No. 1, allowing just 244.3 yards per game. The Ravens also are No. 1 against the pass at 116.7 yards per game.

Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets and Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals could not produce a touchdown against Baltimore. In Week 3, Seneca Wallace and the Cleveland Browns (0-3) had moderate success that Batch could build on. Wallace completed 18 of 24 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown, and Cleveland's running game amassed 173 yards.

Pittsburgh's 31 offensive points under Batch last week were the most the team has scored in 2010. Tailback Rashard Mendenhall (143 yards rushing) was solid against Tampa, and Batch wants to keep that momentum going.

"We felt offensively we were letting this team down," he said. "We were winning in other phases, especially with the defense. But we weren't holding up our end."

Lately, the Ravens have caught a couple breaks in this rivalry.

After losing four straight to Pittsburgh in this series, this will be the second straight game Baltimore faces the Steelers without Roethlisberger. In Week 12 last season, Baltimore beat the Dixon-led Steelers in overtime, 20-17. But the Ravens say they will not overlook Batch on Sunday.

"It's different when you’re going against a backup that might be a young guy or a rookie, like most backups," Baltimore linebacker Jarret Johnson said. "The fact he's been in the league for a long time, he's a veteran guy, he's got a lot of starts under his belt. So you can't look at him the same as you would a guy out of college or something like that."
PITTSBURGH -- With future Hall of Famer Brett Favre on a bye week, the NFL's oldest starting quarterback will be wearing black and gold Sunday.

"It's a blessing, I feel," Steelers 24-year-old receiver Mike Wallace said of 35-year-old teammate Charlie Batch. "Anytime you can be the oldest guy out there, that means you've been doing this well for a long time. If I was one of the oldest guys, I'd be happy and proud of it."

Coming off a three-touchdown performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Batch aims to put together an encore performance Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens (2-1) in the NFL's best rivalry. With franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger wrapping up his four-game suspension, this will likely be Batch's final start of the season. He wants to make it memorable.

It's been business as usual this week for undefeated Pittsburgh (3-0), the No. 1 team in ESPN.com's latest Power Rankings. Unlike Week 1 when Dixon was the starter, there weren't questions in the locker room about inexperience and how much the offense changes with a new quarterback.

Batch, a 13-year pro who is 4-1 as a starter in Pittsburgh, runs the Steelers' offense how the coaching staff wants. He stays in the pocket, is quick and decisive with the football, and only runs when necessary.

The athletic Dixon had problems with the latter, and even Roethlisberger could learn from Batch about making quicker decisions and not holding onto the football. Batch wasn't sacked last week against Tampa Bay. But he also produced the longest run of his career against the Bucs for 24 yards, which should give Baltimore another thing to worry about.

"I got the wheels," Batch warned while laughing Wednesday. "But I didn't even think about it. It was second nature. I saw things open up and I was trying to get the first down and all of a sudden I felt I could get more yardage. I think it caught [receiver Antwaan] Randle El off guard, because he was still running his route instead of looking at the football, and I passed the line of scrimmage 5 yards ago."

A win always helps, but Steelers teammates say they have a great confidence in Batch, the oldest Steeler and one of the team's bigger jokesters.

"He plays all day, and I can't ever believe anything he says," said Wallace, who caught two of Batch's touchdowns last week. "I have to watch him. He's one of biggest [pranksters] on the team. So I have to watch my back around Chuck."

Playing against the Ravens' defense will be no laughing matter.

Batch, a native of suburban Pittsburgh, faces a Baltimore defense ranked No. 1, allowing just 244.3 yards per game. The Ravens also are No. 1 against the pass at 116.7 yards per game.

Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets and Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals could not produce a touchdown against Baltimore. In Week 3, Seneca Wallace and the Cleveland Browns (0-3) had moderate success that Batch could build on. Wallace completed 18 of 24 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown, and Cleveland's running game amassed 173 yards.

Pittsburgh's 31 offensive points under Batch last week were the most the team has scored in 2010. Tailback Rashard Mendenhall (143 yards rushing) was solid against Tampa, and Batch wants to keep that momentum going.

"We felt offensively we were letting this team down," he said. "We were winning in other phases, especially with the defense. But we weren't holding up our end."

Lately, the Ravens have caught a couple breaks in this rivalry.

After losing three straight to Pittsburgh in this series, this will be the second time in three games Baltimore faces the Steelers without Roethlisberger. In Week 12 last season, Baltimore beat the Dixon-led Steelers in overtime, 20-17. But the Ravens say they will not overlook Batch on Sunday.

"It's different when you’re going against a backup that might be a young guy or a rookie, like most backups," Baltimore linebacker Jarret Johnson said. "The fact he's been in the league for a long time, he's a veteran guy, he's got a lot of starts under his belt. So you can't look at him the same as you would a guy out of college or something like that."

TAMPA, Fla. -- Charlie Batch is like an old, dependable car that collects dust in your garage -- it's rarely used, but it's good to know it's there whenever you need it.

Sometimes you start it up and take the car around the block for old-time's sake, like the Steelers did with Batch in the preseason. Other times, the luxury vehicle (Ben Roethlisberger) and second (Byron Leftwich) and third cars (Dennis Dixon) must go in the shop for unexpected repairs.

But there's always Batch, the Pittsburgh-area product who's been through the ups and downs and runs the offense well when you hand him the keys.

On Sunday, Pittsburgh turned the ignition and revved up the 35-year-old quarterback once again, and he responded with his best performance as a Steeler. Batch completed 12 of 17 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-13 rout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Batch was the only healthy quarterback on Pittsburgh's roster and improved to 4-1 as a starter for the Steelers. Batch also threw two interceptions but helped Pittsburgh improve to 3-0 without Roethlisberger.

"Hats off to a lot of people, but you really got to tip a hat to Charlie Batch," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "What he was able to do for us today, he played like a veteran and the guy hasn't had many opportunities, not only in recent years, but recent days, weeks or months."

Batch was mostly an afterthought with Tomlin and Pittsburgh's coaching this offseason. With Roethlisberger due to serve a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, Leftwich and Dixon competed for the starting job and took the majority of repetitions in minicamp, training camp and preseason. Roethlisberger also needed playing time to prepare for his eventual return.

According to Batch, he understood it was a unique situation. So he did a lot of individual work on the sideline and after practice to get time with receivers that he couldn't get time with in practice. Batch said he was "absolutely" disappointed he was never included in the quarterback derby, but he didn't say anything to the team.

"I always wanted to put my hat in the ring," Batch said candidly. "For me, I didn't get that opportunity early ... But things happened and here I am with that opportunity, and I had to make the most of it."

Steelers veteran Hines Ward, who caught one of Batch's touchdown throws, was impressed with all the things the quarterback has had to overcome.

"It's just amazing," Ward said. "I'm just happy for him, and I think he got a game ball. He came in and finally got a week's worth of preparation with the guys."

Batch has always played well in short stints in Pittsburgh, which begs the question: Why didn't he get a chance to compete in the first place?

Tomlin, with his team sitting at 3-0, said now isn't the time to second-guess.

"I don't get do-overs; I don't live in that world," Tomlin said bluntly. "I will let you guys (the media) talk about that."

When it comes to Batch, Tomlin added that "good things usually happen to those kind of people." Batch did things the Steeler way: He worked hard, never complained, and was ready when it was time to step up.

With Leftwich still working his way back from a knee injury and Batch playing well, Batch shouldn't get overlooked a second time. He deserves to start for Pittsburgh in a big rivalry game next week against the Baltimore Ravens (2-1).

"One thing I wanted to do is go out here and put it on tape to put the pressure on Coach Tomlin to make a tough decision for next week," Batch said. "Because I still want to be out there again, even though Byron is going to be healthy. I felt that I kind of made my case."

Eventually, the Steelers will go back to driving their luxury car Oct. 17 when Roethlisberger returns. But the 35-year old classic will be waiting in the garage, ready to perform.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Here are some thoughts on the Pittsburgh Steelers' victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

What it means: The Steelers impressively improved to 3-0 without suspended quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. It's been a total team effort, as every week different players step up to make big plays. On Sunday, quarterback Charlie Batch got the start and threw three touchdown passes in the first half to quickly put the game out of reach. Overall, it was the most dominant showing for the Steelers so far this season.

What I liked: Pittsburgh's offense was solid with Batch under center. Batch was in control, decisive and accurate with his throws. The Steelers scored 38 points Sunday after scoring just 34 points in their first two games. Receiver Mike Wallace caught two deep bombs (41 and 46 yards) in the first half to get Pittsburgh's offense going.

What I didn't like: There wasn't much not to like for Pittsburgh. If you really want to nitpick, the Steelers were not sharp very early in the game. Batch threw an interception on his first pass of the game, and the defense allowed more yards than usual to set up Tampa Bay's two early field goals. Batch also threw a second pick in garbage time during the fourth quarter.

Key injuries: Backup defensive lineman Chris Hoke hurt his knee late, and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he may have sprained his MCL. Quarterback Byron Leftwich (knee) also dressed for the game and wore a brace on his knee. He was there in case of an emergency.

What's next: The Steelers have a huge rivalry game against the Baltimore Ravens in what will be Pittsburgh's final game without Roethlisberger. The Steelers have a chance to be 4-0 without their franchise quarterback, which would be a tremendous accomplishment. At worst, Pittsburgh will be 3-1 without Roethlisberger.