Big Ben appears ready to go in Oakland Sunday

He took all the snaps in Thursday's practice, but has to pass doctor's tests.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- This is what Ben Roethlisberger and coach Bill Cowher were looking for: a normal day of practice for the quarterback.
Roethlisberger, four days removed from a concussion caused by a painful helmet-to-helmet hit in Atlanta, took most of the snaps with the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting offense Thursday and looked ready to play Sunday in Oakland.
"I'm very encouraged by how he feels," Cowher said.
Roethlisberger, jolted by the jaw-jamming hit he received from the Falcons defensive end Chauncey Davis, was knocked out for a few minutes during the third quarter and forced to leave the Steelers' 41-38 overtime loss.
But Roethlisberger looked comfortable and relaxed in practice, much like he did Wednesday night while slapping high fives with LeBron James following a dunk by the Cavaliers star during an exhibition game in Pittsburgh.
Final decision game time
Cowher said a final decision on the QB's status won't be made until game time Sunday, mostly because Roethlisberger still must pass more of the post-concussion tests he takes daily. He has passed all tests so far, but any recurring symptoms or setbacks would cause him to sit out.
Thursday is one of the Steelers' two major practice days of the week, and any injured player who practices as usual almost always plays on Sunday barring a later setback.
"He took all his reps, he felt very good, and we'll see how he feels [Friday]," Cowher said. "We'll see how he feels after he flies across the country."
Playing the 24-year-old Roethlisberger only a week after he received his second concussion since June might seem to be a risky move by the Steelers, given his importance to them. But the Steelers (2-4) place considerable value in the post-concussion tests that are widely used in the NFL and were developed by two doctors and their research teams at the University of Pittsburgh, Joseph Maroon and Mark Lovell.
"I feel very comfortable with the fact our doctor here, Dr. Maroon, is one of the experts that a lot of people have come to in regards to this injury, so I'm very comfortable," Cowher said. "To me, this is not my decision, it's the doctor's decision."
Undergoes several tests
A player is tested initially when he is healthy, and the results are compared later to those after a player has received a concussion. The tests measure memory, motor skills and speed of response, and any recurring post-concussion symptoms normally show up immediately. Any player who has such symptoms is told he should not play.
Meanwhile, Pro Bowl linebacker Joey Porter (hamstring) also looks ready to go against Oakland (1-5) after being upgraded from questionable to probable. He has missed two games.
Clark Haggans (ankle), the other outside linebacker, and nose tackle Casey Hampton (hamstring) did not practice and remain questionable.
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