Pittsburgh Steelers QB Byron Leftwich gets in some practice reps Wednesday. Leftwich will start in Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens in place of the injured Ben Roethlisberger. (AP)

Steelers QB Byron Leftwich takes comfort in the fact that the offense he was just handed the keys to isn't exactly the "Bad News Bears."

The Steelers, in turn, are happy that the presence of Leftwich hasn't left them in a situation similar to that of, say, the Chicago Bears.

With the revelation that QB Ben Roethlisberger will not play against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night due to a shoulder and rib injury, the Steelers say they are happy to have Leftwich and third-stringer QB Charlie Batch.

When the Bears lost their franchise quarterback, Jay Cutler, over the last two seasons, they were forced to turn to the likes of Josh McCown, Caleb Hanie and Jason Campbell.

The Steelers feel secure they won't suffer a significant drop off with Leftwich under center.

"I have no fear because of the backups that we have," Roethlisberger said. "Both guys are extremely capable. Byron is a great player. He's been doing this for a long time and I know that he's going to go out there and give his all. I'm going to do exactly what he does for me and what Charlie [Batch] does for me, whatever they need. If he doesn't need anything, I'm not going to give him anything. I'm not going to be in his ear and tell him to do this or do that. He knows how to play this game, he knows how to play at a high level."

Leftwich made his first appearance in an NFL regular-season game in more than 22 months during the second half of Monday night's 16-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Leftwich acknowledged that it took him a few snaps to get reacquainted to the speed of the NFL game, but he finished a respectable 7 for 14 for 73 yards.

Sunday, Leftwich will get his first start since September 2009 with Tampa Bay.

"It's exciting to get an opportunity to go out there with the Mike Wallaces of the world, the Emmanuel Sanders, the Heath Millers, to have an opportunity to get the ball to these guys," Leftwich said.

"Just to play with this caliber of team gives me comfort, understanding who I'm going out there with. This isn't the 'Bad News Bears.' That gives me comfort with the playmakers we have around me."

Leftwich insists the offense won't change much. He also laughs off concerns that his strong arm and slow-to-develop delivery are poor fits for the short passing game offense that OC Todd Haley has used with Roethlisberger.

A week of practice getting reps with the first team will help in that Leftwich can work on timing with the likes of Sanders, Wallace and Miller.

"He's going to come in and do a good job for us at the quarterback position, and we're looking forward to it," Sanders said. 

"I feel like he can make every throw on the field just like Ben can make every throw on the field," Sanders said. "We have great depth at our quarterback position, veteran-laden guys."

The Steelers are 8-5 without Roethlisberger since Big Ben became the starter as a rookie. But the split that is alarming is that they are 8-1 sans Roethlisberger against any of 30 teams that aren't the Ravens. Pittsburgh has lost all four of the games it has played against Baltimore without Roethlisberger since 2005.

A first-round pick of Jacksonville in 2003, Leftwich spent his first five seasons with the Jaguars before spending 2007 with Atlanta. He joined the Steelers as a backup for their 2008 Super Bowl-winning season, signed with Tampa Bay in 2009 but returned to Pittsburgh a year later.

Leftwich has appeared in seven games for the Steelers, going 33 for 57 for 418 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions (92.6 rating).

"[Leftwich] is a veteran guy," coach Mike Tomlin said. "This isn't his first rodeo. He has good, charismatic leadership. He can make all the throws on the field. We expect winning football from him."

Leftwich appeared loose while meeting with the media Wednesday. He joked that he felt like it was Draft Day all over again and that he always tells Roethlisberger that dealing with a horde of media [almost two dozen people surrounded his locker Wednesday] was one aspect of being a starter that he did not miss.

Leftwich said being a starter again is "like riding a bicycle."

"I've got to be able see 22 guys on the field at the same time -- and that's what I've always been able to do my whole life, see the field and get the ball to the right guy," he said. "They're not asking me to do anything special. I know this is a big game. It's a big game for both teams but I don't have to go out there and try to do anything special. I just have to go out there and do my job and be myself. Is that good enough? We'll have to see."

Follow Steelers reporter Chris Adamski on Twitter @CBSSteelers and @BuzzsawPGH.