Don't worry Steeler fans, your team is fine

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was injured during the second quarter of yesterday’s loss to the Miami Dolphins. He left the game for one possession, and returned at the start of the second half. Roethlisberger has been diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee, and underwent surgery this morning. The timetable for his return is uncertain, though a source told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the procedure is simple. ESPN medical analyst Mark Adickes said on the Sunday evening edition of SportsCenter that Roethlisberger could be miss as little as two weeks, and no more than six.

If his absence is extended, Steeler fans should not worry. Here’s why:

They’re still talented:

Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams combine for one of the best one-two running back punches in the NFL. Bell has rushed for 263 yards on 48 carries, and has been held scoreless since returning from his three game suspension. Expect that to change against New England, as his workload will likely increase due to Jones’s quarterbacking abilities, or lack thereof.

When Jones does pass the ball, he’ll have Pro-Bowl receiver Antonio Brown to pass to. Brown is currently ranked 11th in the league with 486 receiving yards and is tied for first with five touchdowns. Sammie Coates is also ranked in the Top 15 with 421 receiving yards.

Their schedule is fairly easy:

Roethlisberger will miss at least one game due to his injury. The Steelers face a difficult task next week as they take on the 5-1 New England Patriots at home. Pittsburgh’s bye week follows, which will be very beneficial if the case is a two week absence, as Roethlisberger will miss only a single game in the two week recovery period.

If the injury requires a longer recovery time, there is still little reason for concern. The Steelers will face the slumping Baltimore Ravens (3-3) following their bye week. A more difficult game follows in Week 10, as they play the Dallas Cowboys (5-1). After Dallas, the team will travel to Cleveland to face the Browns (0-6), followed by another road game against the Indianapolis Colts (2-4).

Even with Landry Jones at quarterback, the matchups against Baltimore, Cleveland, and Indianapolis should all be wins. Remember that this the is worst case scenario, and Roethlisberger could return in time for Baltimore.

The AFC North is not good:

Despite the loss, Pittsburgh still sits atop the AFC North. At the moment, Baltimore represents the biggest threat to the Pittsburgh’s chances at winning the division. Their best chance to pick a game is this week as they’ll play the New York Jets (1-4, before Monday Night Football). Should the Ravens win, and the Steelers lose to New England, the Week 9 matchup will determine the division leader. Again, Roethlisberger could be back for this game.

Cincinnati and Cleveland are currently 2-4 and 0-6, respectively. They face each other in Week 7. Neither pose a legitimate threat to Pittsburgh at this time, and it is likely to remain that way for the rest of the season, as Roethlisberger should return in time to lead the Steelers through the last stretch of the season.

Previewing the 2016 ALCS

The Toronto Blue Jays celebrate their walk off win over the Texas Rangers in Game 3 of the ALDS. (AP)

Regular Season:

The Blue Jays finished second to the Boston Red Sox (93-69) in the American League East with a record of 89-73. After a skid during which they lost three of their last five games, they clinched the top AL Wild Card spot on the last day of the season. Cleveland finished 2016 with a record of 94-67, and the American League Central title.

Head to head in 2016, the Indians took four of seven against the Blue Jays. In terms of runs, Toronto outscored Cleveland by a score of 38-24. This was thanks in part to a 17 run game on July 3rd.

Bats:

Toronto has hit 10 home runs this postseason. Three have come off the bat of Edwin Encarnacion, including the walk off shot against the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Game. His 42 regular season home runs were tied for third most in Major League Baseball, and his 127 RBIs were second most. Encarnacion and fellow Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista grounded into a combined 43 double plays in 2016. As a team, they grounded into 153 total double plays, which was the most in baseball. Not being able to capitalize with runners on base could harm the Blue Jays when playing the Indians. Two of Toronto’s four postseason games have required extra innings, and Cleveland’s offense has been high powered, and has only trailed for one inning out of 27 this postseason. Just like Toronto, Cleveland’s offense has relied heavily on the home run, belting five in the ALDS against Boston.

Edge: Toronto -- Their impressive postseason numbers along with a stronger regular season at the plate, the Blue Jays have the advantage on offense.

Arms:

JA Happ was tied for the second most wins in baseball this year with 20, and Corey Kluber was not far behind with 18. The two remain close in most other measurable statistics, with the only large advantage going to Kluber, who had 227 strikeouts to Happ’s 163. Each has one start in the postseason. Kluber started Game 2 of the ALDS, going seven innings while allowing three hits and no runs. Happ also started Game 2 of his series. He allowed nine hits and one run over five innings.

Between both teams, only one starter has lasted longer than seven innings. Toronto’s Marco Estrada threw 8.1 innings of one run baseball in Game 1 against Texas. Short starts have allowed the bullpens to work early and often. Each bullpen has allowed two runs so far this postseason.

Edge: Toronto -- The overall pitching stats of both teams during the regular season were too similar to pick a winner. Toronto is given the slight advantage due to their bullpen’s ability to contain batters this postseason.

Overall Edge: Toronto

The Blue Jays may have the competitive advantage, but don’t expect them to roll over Cleveland. The Indians have found a way to win all season, and have proven themselves as true contenders by beating Boston. However, Toronto is playing in their second straight ALCS and is carrying a lot of momentum after sweeping the Rangers, a team that has been giving them problems since the 2015 postseason. They showed the ability to perform well in a hostile environment by winning both games in Arlington, and should be able to do the same in Cleveland.

Vegas is currently favoring the Blue Jays, as SportsLine has given Toronto a 53.6 percent chance to advance to the World Series.

Where to Watch:

Games can be seen on TBS with Ernie Johnson, Jr. on the call, along with Cal Ripken, Jr., and Ron Darling as his color commentators. Game 1 starts at 8:00pm EST on Friday.


All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.