Roethlisberger returns from ankle injury, throws late TD

UPDATE IV: Roethlisberger capitalized on McCoy's mistake, throwing a 79-yard TD pass to Antonio Brown, who wove his wave the final 65 yards into the end zone, giving Pittsburgh a 14-3 advantage with 2:52 remaining.
UPDATE III: Browns QB Colt McCoy was temporarily knocked from the game after taking a helmet-t0-helmet shot from oft-fined/oft-penalized Steelers OLB James Harrison. McCoy returned after missing just a few plays before throwing a crushing end-zone INT into the arms of Steelers CB William Gay with 3:11 to go as Cleveland was driving for the go-ahead TD.
UPDATE II: Roethlisberger was just intercepted by Browns S Mike Adams with 7:10 left in the game; Adams returned the theft to Cleveland's 44-yard line. Pittsburgh continues to cling to a 7-3 lead. Big Ben has completed 16 of 21 passes for 201 yards, a TD and the INT but has been less effective since suffering his ankle injury.
UPDATE: After getting x-rays on his ankle -- which Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin told NFL Network were negative, showing no breaks -- Roethlisberger has returned to start the second half. He is limping badly with the joint heavily taped and had to hop on one leg just to execute a handoff on Pittsburgh's first play from scrimmage.
After the drive sputtered and ended with a punt, Roethlisberger was seen gingerly walking around the sideline, presumably to keep the ankle from tightening up.
Steelers Pro Bowl C Maurkice Pouncey (left ankle) has not returned to the game.
The complexion of the 2011 season may have just changed for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

QB Ben Roethlisberger was taken to the locker room in the second quarter Thursday night after suffering what appeared to be a left ankle injury when his foot was pinned beneath him as he was sacked by two Browns defenders.
Pittsburgh has survived fine without Roethlisberger before -- he was suspended for the first four games of 2010 and missed four games with a bum knee in 2005, but the Steelers reached the Super Bowl in both seasons -- but the team has never had to go into postseason without its first-round pick from 2004.
Though the severity of Big Ben's injury is currently unknown, the Steelers will enjoy a long break before their next game, a Monday night contest at San Francisco in Week 15 on Dec. 19.
The Steelers (9-3) entered the night tied with the Ravens and Patriots for the best record in the AFC.
Backup Charlie Batch entered the game with Pittsburgh leading 7-3.