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Roethlisberger injury a big loss for Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers survived the loss of Ben Roethlisberger for about one-third of a game on Sunday.

Dealing with his absence for potentially a month to a knee injury could be a little harder.

Roethlisberger has not missed time since sitting out three games with a shoulder injury during the 2012 season. He was off to a fantastic start in 2015, completing 75 percent of his passes through his first three games. His 95.7 Total QBR through his first two games was the best in the NFL.

Entering Week 3, the Steelers had a 40 percent chance to win the AFC North, second behind the Bengals’ 44 percent, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. Updated percentages will be released on Monday.

Five of the Steelers’ next seven games are at Heinz Field. If Roethlisberger’s absence is extended, he would miss three straight home games in Weeks 8-10 against the Bengals, Raiders and Browns.

The Steelers face the Ravens on Thursday night. Roethlisberger is 11-7 against the Ravens since the start of the 2004 season. Other Steelers quarterbacks to start against the Ravens are 1-6, including losses by Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon in prime-time games.

Michael Vick should get the start on Thursday, after completing 5 of 6 passes in relief of Roethlisberger on Thursday.

Vick’s 21 Total QBR in 2014 was the worst in the NFL for any quarterback with at least 100 action plays.

He’ll have to establish a rapport with Antonio Brown, who has 417 career receptions, 406 of which (including all of his touchdown receptions) are from Roethlisberger.

More notably, he’ll just have to get back to winning. Vick was 6-13 as a starting quarterback from 2012 to 2014.