Bill Williamson

Morbid or not, Ben Roethlisberger’s motorcycle accident Monday may change the NFL season.

Make no mistake, as the Pittsburgh Steelers pray for his recovery, the lurking season is on the minds of everyone. It has to be. The health of the most indispensable player on the Super Bowl champions immediately affects the power structure of the 2006 NFL season.

Before Roethlisberger’s horrific accident Monday morning, a major theme of the NFL season was going to be injuries to quarterbacks of teams near top of the league’s food chain, especially in the AFC, the stronger of the two conferences.

Carson Palmer’s availability for the Bengals — one of the most intriguing teams in the NFL — is in question for much of the season due to a serious knee injury he suffered in the playoffs in January. The Chargers are perhaps the most talented team in the NFL, but Philip Rivers will be the starter for the first time after team brass decided to go with him over the successful Drew Brees, also coming off an injury, for the 2006 season. The Dolphins are banking on newly acquired Daunte Culpepper coming back from three serious knee injuries suffered last November while with Minnesota.

Ironically, days before Roethlisberger’s misfortune, Culpepper was running the Dolphins offense in a minicamp and looked way ahead of schedule. Thus, while the up-and-coming Dolphins might be set at quarterback, the Steelers suddenly may be in limbo at the most important position on the field.

And we all know what Roethlisberger means to the Steelers: With him, they are legitimate contender to repeat as Super Bowl champion. Without him, they are run of the mill.

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Of course, Roethlisberger’s availability for the 2006 season is uncertain so soon after the accident. His road to recovery has yet to begin. What we do know, at this point, is that Roethlisberger has several injuries. He was in surgery for a broken jaw, probably the most serious injury. He also suffered a broken nose, several chipped or lost teeth, had a nine-inch laceration on the back of his head and had injuries to both knees. The latest information about the knee injuries indicate that the injuries are skin-related and not structural.

Still, this is a not a “go to the emergency room, receive treatment and be on your way” incident. A witness to the accident, who saw Big Ben fly through the air, thought he was dead when she ran up to him.

At this point, we don’t know the 2006 playing prognosis for Roethlisberger, who at age 23 became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl in February.

But be sure of this: These are serious injuries Roethlisberger is going to have to recover from. With training camp looming in six weeks, it probably will impact his ability to be ready — or at least in top shape — for at least some of this season.

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A broken jaw usually takes 6-8 weeks to recover from and because of the delicate nature of that recovery, sudden movements and jarring impact — isn’t that’s what all football is? — even after the jaw resets, can easily cause another break. Plus, Roethlisberger is sure to shed several pounds from his 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame as he recovers from the broken jaw.

Once cleared to resume physical activity, the quarterback will have to regain his strength. This will take time, even if the prognosis is a best-case scenario.

The Steelers’ season could very well be impacted. Thus, the NFL season could very well be impacted.

Can the Steelers be considered a serious Super Bowl contender? Not with their heart in the hospital, they can’t. Yes, Big Ben probably will come back and resume that Hall of Fame path. But what will this all mean to 2006 in the AFC?

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Indianapolis’, Denver’s and New England’s chances of advancing to the Super Bowl have all improved. So have Miami’s, especially if Culpepper is ready for opening night, which, ironically, is Sept. 7 at Pittsburgh. Who would have thought Culpepper had a better chance of suiting up for the opener than Roethlisberger when we all went to bed Sunday night? But suddenly, Culpepper probably does.

Suddenly, add the Steelers to the list contender with a question mark at quarterback. Big Ben, the NFL world is praying for you. But, it is watching and wondering what it means for the landscape of the league.

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