Steelers’ point spread swings 6½ points after Roethlisberger injury

Before Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went down with a knee injury in Sunday's 12-6 win over the St. Louis Rams, Pittsburgh was projected to be favored by about 4 points over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night.

However, with Michael Vick expected to replace Big Ben under center for about a month while Roethlisberger recovers from a sprained medial collateral ligament, Las Vegas sports books have made the visiting Ravens 2½-point favorites at Heinz Field.

"He's a six- or seven-point difference, for sure," Gold Sheet handicapper Bruce Marshall (goldsheet.com) said of Roethlisberger. "Long term, they're not the same team without him."

In the short term, however, Marshall said the team can rally around Vick and he expects Pittsburgh to play well Thursday.

"Vick has had very little work in the system. He's only been there about a month. That's a negative. But short-term performances don't always match that," he said. "I can see Pittsburgh really circling the wagons around Vick this week. They've still got enough supporting weaponry to be able to overcome this in the short term. But over the course of (Roethlisberger's) absence, Vick could end up hurting them.

"He's a curious addition to me because he's been so erratic. At one point, he was feared but as his career has progressed, he's been more erratic. He might still have some good games in him, but the longer Roethlisberger is out, the better chance there is that this thing derails."