Roethlisberger said passed an ImPACT test, which the Steelers and other NFL teams use to gauge where a player is physically and mentally after sustaining a concussion, and declared himself good to go for Sunday's 4:45 p.m. game at Heinz Field.

"The next test I'm going to face is Sunday against the Chargers," Roethlisberger said. "I plan on being out there and being 100 percent and ready to go."

One of the biggest questions leading up to Sunday will be how Roethlisberger plays in his first game since getting carted off the playing surface at Heinz Field on Dec. 28. He was knocked out of a game in October 2006 with a concussion and played the following week. Roethlisberger, however, threw four interceptions in the Steelers' 20-13 loss to Oakland.

One significant difference this time with Roethlisberger coming off a concussion is the extra time he has had to recover.

The Steelers were off last weekend ? they had a first-round playoff bye -- and Roethlisberger got the benefit of sitting out both practices the team held last week. Yesterday morning, he passed the test that measures reaction time, visual and verbal memory and hand-eye coordination, and doing so cleared Roethlisberger's return to practice.

The one thing no test can determine is how confident or jittery Roethlisberger will be in the pocket after absorbing a series of wicked blows the last time he was on the field.

The Steelers have a capable backup ? Byron Leftwich ? in case Roethlisberger gets hurt or falters against the Chargers. But veteran wide receiver Hines Ward said he does not expect Roethlisberger to be on a short leash because of the concussion or because Leftwich has played well in several relief stints this season.

"However the game goes, we're going to ride Ben's back the whole way," Ward said. "He's gotten us this far, and I'm going to continue to go out there and fight hard for him. It's great to have a guy like Byron if something were to happen, but I don't foresee Ben being (taken) out regardless of how the game goes."

The game probably can't end worse for Roethlisberger than his last one.

The fifth-year veteran hit the back of his head on the field after getting sandwiched by a pair of Browns linebackers. Roethlisberger stayed down after the play, and he was strapped to a stretcher as a precaution before being taken off the field near the end of the first half.

Roethlisberger said he temporarily lost feeling in both of his arms, though he gave fans a thumbs-up before his cart disappeared into one of the tunnels at Heinz Field.

Roethlisberger called the ordeal "scary" but insists he won't have any fear when he gets back onto the field Sunday.

"It's just like when a player comes off a knee surgery or some type of surgery. You can't go out there scared or afraid to get hurt because that's normally when you get hurt," Roethlisberger said. "I'm going to go out there and play normal Football."

Concussed QBs

A handful of NFL quarterbacks have returned to the field this season after sustaining concussions, something Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will try to do Sunday in an AFC divisional playoff game against San Diego. Here is a look at how those quarterbacks fared in their first game back from the injury:

Derek Anderson, Browns: He suffered a concussion during the preseason, and in Cleveland's regular-season opener Anderson completed 11 of 24 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown in a lopsided loss to the Cowboys.

Marc Bulger, Rams: Central Catholic graduate returned from a concussion at the end of November and completed 16 of 35 passes for 149 yards and three interceptions in a loss to the Dolphins.

Trent Edwards, Bills: Edwards had the benefit of a bye week after sustaining a concussion in mid-October. In his first game following the injury, he completed 25 of 30 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown and no interceptions in a win over the Chargers.

Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks: Seattle coach Mike Holmgren strongly hinted that Hasselbeck was still feeling the effects of a concussion in a late-November game against the Redskins. In the loss, Hasselbeck completed 12 of 24 passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions.