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          NFL Nation

          Steelers selling optimism after Ben Roethlisberger knee injury

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          Steelers can still win two games without Big Ben (0:48)

          Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic explain that ESPN's football power index has the Pittsburgh Steelers winning two of the four games QB Ben Roethlisberger won't play in due to his knee injury. (0:48)

          • Jeremy Fowler, senior NFL national reporterSep 28, 2015, 08:22 PM
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            • ESPN staff writer
            • Previously a college football reporter for CBSSports.com
            • University of Florida graduate
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          PITTSBURGH -- If the Pittsburgh Steelers are panicked, they won't let anyone know.

          Of course they might be worried. Any reasonable football fan can realize the impact of Ben Roethlisberger's loss. But it's not the Steelers' style to panic. This is a prideful bunch. The Steelers are 9-7 without Roethlisberger since 2004.

          What's clear is the Steelers are channeling that success to sell optimism to the media and inside the team's facility.

          Playmakers are eager to carry the load left behind by Roethlisberger and his 10 yards per passing attempt. Darrius Heyward-Bey told Roethlisberger as he was carted off the field Sunday: "Get well. We’re going to make plays for you."

          In classic coach form, Mike Tomlin on Monday would not let his mind venture past this week's game against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night. The Steelers want to help Michael Vick find his "comfort zone" in the offense, not overloading him while applying pressure on the Ravens defense.

          The biggest loss could be Roethlisberger's mastery of the no-huddle attack. He's great at running it. The Steelers could scale back that attack to simplify things for Vick, though Heyward-Bey said Vick wasn't overwhelmed Sunday at St. Louis, completing his first pass and making a few calls at the line.

          “I believe we’re the hardest-working group in football,” Heyward-Bey said of the offense. “We’ll be fine. ... I don’t think we should change at all.”