Steelers Notebook: Charlie Batch prepares to start

Charlie Batch turned 38 Wednesday, and he wouldn’t mind celebrating by playing Sunday. (US Presswire)

Steelers QB Charlie Batch turned 38 on Wednesday -- the oldest non-kicker in the NFL -- and said he was celebrating by "working and relaxing."

He doesn't know if he will get to spend his first Sunday as a 38-year-old as a starting quarterback. Acknowledging that, "Ben (Roethlisberger) is the guy, so whenever Ben is ready to go he's going to be out there," Batch admitted he'd like to play.

Roethlisberger is recovering from shoulder and rib injuries suffered in a Monday night win over the Kansas City Chiefs last month. Batch has started the past two games, redeeming a three-interception effort in a loss to Cleveland with a solid effort in an upset of Baltimore on Sunday.

"It goes back to another week of preparation, which I had and going out there and doing your job," Batch said. "For me, it was one of those things where I'm not going to use an excuse and I refuse to do that. I know I played bad against Cleveland, and it was just one of those things of going out and proving that I could go out there and lead the team and that's all I was trying to do."

Batch got reps at practice Wednesday. The rest of week will be determined by Roethlisberger's health.

Injury report: The list of Steelers who did not practice Wednesday was lengthy and full of prominent names. But in most cases it's no cause for alarm.

WR Antonio Brown (ankle), WR Mike Wallace (knee), WR Emmanuel Sanders (shoulder), S Troy Polamalu (routine day off) and S Ryan Clark (hip) were non-participants in practice, but they played Sunday in Baltimore and are expected to play Sunday at home against the Chargers.

"Shoulder is feeling good," Sanders said. "We will see how it goes, but I expect to be out there playing this week."

WR Jerricho Cotchery, FB Will Johnson, QB Byron Leftwich joined Roethlisberger as full practice participants. Cotchery appears poised to return from missing the past two games with a rib injury. Johnson suffered a concussion and is being monitored (it's not expected toprevent him from playing Sunday, should he continue to pass tests during the week) and Leftwich (ribs) likely would be cleared except for the fact that the Steelers want to give Batch and Roethlisberger all the reps.

Injuries are more troubling when it comes to G Willie Colon (knee), LB LaMarr Woodley (ankle), CB Ike Taylor (ankle) and OT Mike Adams (ankle). Adams and Taylor definitely will not play this week. Colon and Woodley seem unlikely to do so, although Colon will be monitored throughout the week.