Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 16-for-20, 261 yard 3-touchdown performance in Week 16.

And in Week 17, he rested.

The AFC Pro Bowl QB will give his injured ankle a rest as the Steelers close out the 2007 regular season at the Baltimore Ravens, ruining his chances to start 16 consecutive games in the regular season for the first time in his career.

Might not be a bad idea, though. LT Marvel Smith had back surgery yesterday, taking him out of the Ravens game as well as the Steelers Wild Card round playoff game.

T Max Starks will replace him on the left side, as he has done three other times this season.

The Steelers have a chance to clinch the No. 3 seed in the AFC Playoffs. If they defeat 4-11 Baltimore, and San Diego loses to 4-11 Oakland, the Steelers will host the No. 6 seed - either Tennessee or Cleveland. If not, they will host No. 5 Jacksonville. The Steelers also have a chance to become the second team in the history of the AFC North to sweep the division. A win at Baltimore would give them a 6-0 divisional record, and the first time a team has done that since the Steelers in 2002.

If this scenario comes true, it looks as if the Steelers back-ups will have to do it. Along with Roethlisberger and Smith, it doesn’t appear likely the Steelers will play SS Troy Polamalu or OLB James Harrison, either. Polamalu has previously missed time with the same knee injury. Both he and Harrison are Pro Bowl players; Harrison was named Team MVP on Wednesday.