Roethlisberger: 'No doubt' Luck will play in Thanksgiving game

Ben Roethlisberger knows a thing or two about playing soon after suffering an injury.

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback shrugged aside an injury of his own this season in order to play, and he expects Andrew Luck to do the same this Thursday when the Steelers meet the Indianapolis Colts.

The difference is Luck was placed in concussion protocol Monday after his head bounced off the turf in a game Sunday. He would have just two days left to clear protocol if he is to suit up for the Thanksgiving game.

"There is no doubt in my mind that he is going to play," Roethlisberger said to the media on Tuesday, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "I will tell him, and this has nothing to do with football, but just to be smart. The brain is nothing to mess with. He is young and has a long career ahead of himself."

Regardless of the possible concussion, Roethlisberger maintains his belief that Luck will be the opposing quarterback for a critical showdown between two 5-5 teams.

"I just know that he is a tough competitor, it's Thursday night, it's at their place and it's Thanksgiving. I anticipate him playing and you have to because he is one of the best in the game," he said. "You have to prepare for him to play. If he is smart and if he does say that he doesn't feel ready to go out there, then there will be no knock on him coming from me by any (stretch of the) imagination."

If Luck is unable to play, Scott Tolzien will be the starting quarterback for the Colts.