r sat out practice on Tuesday to give his broken left index finger a rest but he is expected to play on Thursday night when Carolina visits Heinz Field.Roethlisberger said the finger was "fine" after he threw the ball 47 times in last Sunday's victory over Baltimore.He did leave the game briefly in the third quarter after getting the wind knocked out of him Stitched James Bradberry Jersey , but he returned after missing just one snap.The 36-year-old is on pace to top 5,000 yards passing for the first time in his career. He came close in 2014 when he tied Drew Brees for the league lead with 4,952. Roethlisberger said reaching the 5,000-yard plateau "is still a pretty big deal" but he is keeping his focus on the team.The Steelers (5-2-1) have ripped off four straight wins to climb into first in the AFC North. The short week means they won't have much time to prepare for the surging Panthers (6-2), which might not be a bad thing. Roethlisberger expects to rely a little more heavily on the no-huddle offense, a setup in which he thrives."We've been doing it for a while," Roethlisberger said. "We know it. We know it pretty well. We did it really well in Baltimore, really well, and just being able to pick up the pace and the tempo."The Steelers often turn to the no-huddle in an effort to snap them out of a funk early in games, but Roethlisberger isn't using it as a method of trying to get the ball downfield.While he's on track to set a career high in yards, his production has dipped a bit during Pittsburgh's winning streak. He's gone over 300 yards just once in Pittsburgh's past five games after going over 330 yards in each of the first three weeks.An improved defense has helped. Roethlisberger lit up scoreboards early because the Steelers were trying to keep up with opponents who had little trouble getting to the end zone.That's not happening much anymore. Now that Roethlisberger isn't tasked with trying to play catch up, the Steelers have taken a more balanced approach.Second-year running back James Conner is second in the NFL in yards from scrimmage and Roethlisberger is content to keep throwing the ball underneath to move the chains and keep Pittsburgh's defense off the field. And just like that, Pittsburgh's sluggish 1-2-1 start has become a distant memory."There was no panic in this room early in the season," Roethlisberger said. "That's why we got a good chuckle out of (the media) panicking and the outside world panicking, but for us it was just a matter of playing the next week."NOTES: Right tackle Marcus Gilbert (knee) did not practice and is unlikely to play Youth Vernon Butler Jersey , meaning Matt Feiler will make his third straight start. ... NT Daniel McCullers (ankle) also did not practice. ... WR Antonio Brown (coach's decision) and WR Ryan Switzer (ankle) were limited. ... WR James Washington (knee) was a full participant. The talented edge rusher out of Florida State fills a great need and can win in many areas immediately, with the potential to win in all spots eventually."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Keep Sounding PodcastPanthers 2019 NFL DraftCSR Film RoomPanthers 2019 NFL DraftPanthers post pick review: What I think of Brian BurnsNew,24commentsThe talented edge rusher out of Florida State fills a great need and can win in many areas immediately, with the potential to win in all spots eventually.EDTShareTweetShareSharePanthers post pick review: What I think of Brian BurnsGlenn Beil-USA TODAY SportsThe Carolina Panthers made a wise choice last night with the 16th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft in choosing to address the most glaring area of concern from last season; the pass rush. To that end, they selected Brian Burns, a super athletic and accomplished edge rusher out of Florida State. Those of you who have been on our site for the entire pre-draft process know that I don’t do much of any analysis leading up to the draft. I prefer to do my research once I know a player is going to be a member of our team, and now that Brian Burns wears the black and blue, here is what I think from reviewing some of his game film from last season.Athleticism and intangibles: EliteOur own Billy Marshall is spot on in praising Burns for his athletic measurables. He is that special kind of athlete that makes the difficult look routine, and the impossible possible. Watching him play, it is a lot like watching a defensive Cam Newton. I say that because not only are their builds similar, but their motions are fluid and instinctive. Burns never looks like he is getting winded doing anything. Several people have compared him athletically to Von Miller, and they aren’t wrong to do so, but the difference there is going to be technique. Can the Panthers instill more violence in Burns movements, and expand his move set? If they can, watch out.Block shedding/disengage: AverageThis is an area that can be improved by coaching and conditioning for Burns. When linemen successfully get their hands on him and he doesn't have a speed avenue to escape Stitched Vernon Butler Jersey , he is somewhat defenseless. This is partly due to his relative strength and weight, and partly due to his need to learn better priorities in how he addresses potential blockers. This area is what sets a guy like Von Miller apart from other guys in his mold, he is the best in football in setting up a blocker for failure. If you can initiate impact and use it to stagger the guy blocking you, you can make the first move to beat him. Neutralize the blocker then pursue the ball.Pocket disruption: EliteAs Ron Rivera alluded to in their post pick press conference by calling Burns a “1.5 guy” is that he makes splash plays through causing constant discomfort to quarterbacks. Even if he doesn’t directly notch a sack, he forces quarterbacks out of a feeling of safety routinely, often leading to opportunities for others. Burns does a great job in using his speed, length, and hands to apply pressure directly or simulate it through chaos. He gets offensive tackles off their spots, forcing them into uncomfortable areas in space where he excels at winning to the inside with a formidable rip counter. Even if they do manage to get their body between him and the quarterback, the pocket collapses and it often leads to a negative play or turnover.Run support and tackling: Below averageThis has almost everything to do with his size. He simply needs to add more weight to be effective against simple running plays like power or zone runs, but he does have a huge advantage defending plays that require some sort of setup, like a counter or any kind of misdirection. There are several examples of him in college where he explodes through the weak side of the line and meets the ball carrier just as he completes the handoff, something that only the best athletes can hope to do. To that end, he seems to understand his gap assignment, which is all Luke Kuechly is going to care about Youth Taylor Moton Jersey , but he did on more than one occasion pursue the wrong guy on option plays leading to big gains. What I’m saying is, he is hit and miss against the run, but could develop to hit more often.Positional flexibility: Very goodIf the Panthers are looking to run more multiple fronts and create more opportunities through subterfuge, they made an excellent selection in Burns. While not at his best in a traditional 4-3 set shaded on a tackles shoulder, he is still capable there. In any other configuration that allows him to use his speed as a first option, from a five tech out to a wide nine, i expect him to stand out immediately. Even better, his coverage skills are advanced for a defensive lineman, and would be considered formidable by even traditional linebacker standards, again, thanks to his athleticism and agility.Where he wins in the NFL right nowObvious passing situationsOne on one with no helpOdd frontsStunts that take advantage of his speedZone Blitz as a rusher or coverage manWhere he’s unlikely to win right nowTraditional 4-3 alignmentVersus zone or power run heavy teamsVersus read option as the point defenderCurrent NFL comp: Dee FordPotential NFL comp: Von Miller