Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger 'likely' to play vs. Bengals?

As Myles Simmons noted for Pro Football Talk, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger vowed on Wednesday he would "do everything" he could to be on the field for Sunday's showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals after the veteran suffered a left pectoral injury in the Week 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders that left him in pain when he throws a football, reaches for something or gets up off the ground. 

According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, Roethlisberger practiced as a limited participant on Thursday and is "likely" to start against Cincinnati. 

Roethlisberger took 10 hits last Sunday and was hit 16 times across the season's first two contests, per Kaboly. Kaboly added Big Ben is on pace to take 136 hits and 34 sacks by the time the regular season ends. 

The two-time Super Bowl champion turned 39 years old in March. According to ESPN stats, Roethlisberger begins Week 3 sitting 25th overall with a passer rating of 85.6 and 28th with a total QBR of 33.9.

Roethlisberger and company won't want to fall to 1-2 on the campaign, as they next have to face Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Oct. 3.