The Pittsburgh Steelers took a hit at quarterback on Saturday night as backup Byron Leftwich suffered a broken arm in a 34-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons. While Ben Roethlisberger is firmly entrenched as the starter, Leftwich had been the backup, with Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch also in the mix during the preseason. With Leftwich out, both are likely assured roster spots, and will battle for the backup job.
Leftwich went down hard in the second half, reaching out with his left arm to break his fall. At the time, it appeared as though he may have suffered some kind of left wrist injury, though we later learned he'd broken his arm.
The news is not good for Leftwich, according to Steelers' beat writer Ed Bouchette. While nothing is official, Bouchette expects Leftwich to head to injured reserve, ending his season.
With Leftwich out, the Steelers quarterback situation is more fluid than before, and the final preseason game will likely be used to see what they have in Dixon and Batch. Both players will likely see only limited time during the season, and only in the even something happens to Roethlisberger.
Leftwich completed one pass for 11 yards on Saturday night before going down with an injury.
For more on the Falcons visit The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta. Check out Behind the Steel Curtain and SB Nation Pittsburgh for more on the Steelers. Visit SB Nation NFL for more on Week 3 of the preseason.
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