"Mike Tomlin has another one of those decisions that fall only in the lap of a head coach -- whether to play quarterback Ben Roethlisberger Monday night in San Francisco.

Roethlisberger said he will do everything he can to play and, indeed, his left ankle temporarily was put in a cast Thursday. The cast was then removed, and it will be used as a mold for a New Jersey company to make a plastic brace.

He would wear the brace in practice and, the Steelers hope, in the game against the 49ers.

Tomlin's decision is threefold: a. Will Roethlisberger be able to perform well enough to help his team? b. Can he move on his feet well enough to protect himself by warding off a potential killer hit? c. Does he risk making the injury worse by playing?"