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FOXBORO - Count Ben Roethlisberger among Matt Cassel's biggest fans.

"I love it," the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers said earlier in the week. "For him to put up the numbers and to play and win football games, I've really enjoyed it just for the fact that people thought he couldn't do it and he's been doing it."

Roethlisberger can relate to some extent, because when he broke into the NFL as a rookie, he had unexpected success at the helm of the team that will be visiting the Patriots on Sunday (4:15 p.m.; Ch. 4, 12).

"I've always taken the underdog role, and you always have a special spot in your heart for quarterbacks because you know what they go through," he said. "But, when he came in and early on, people started talking bad about him, they started talking about, 'oh boy, how much we miss Tom (Brady).' - and I'm sure they do miss Tom because he's something special. But, Matt Cassel has been there for a while and he knows that system and it was just going to be a matter of time until he got his legs underneath him and felt comfortable out there."

Cassel has thrown for 400 or more yards in two straight games, something no other quarterback of the Patriots has ever done - which has made the rest of the league, including Roethlisberger, stand up and take notice. "I'll tell you what, I'm not going to take anything away from him," Roethlisberger said. "I think he's a phenomenal quarterback, like I said before, and back-to-back 400 yard games, that's awesome.

"Nothing against Matt Cassel, but I don't think Tom is really worried about his job; I mean, it's Tom Brady," he added. "But Matt's doing an awesome job and that's what they've asked him to do and that's what he's done."

The Steelers come to Foxboro with an 8-3 record and on a roll of sorts, winners of three of their last four games.

"As most teams do, you go through some ups and downs," Roethlisberger said. "We can talk about it, the Patriots can talk about it; most teams can. You get hot for a moment and then maybe you go through a slide, some bad games.

"In this league it's all about when do you get hot," he added. "I think both the Patriots and we are playing very good football right now and I think that's why this is going to be a great matchup."

It's also very meaningful in the race for the two AFC wild-card berths, as far as the Patriots are concerned. If the season ended today, the top four seeds would be division winners Tennessee (11-1), Pittsburgh (8-3), the Jets (8-3) and Denver (6-5), with the Indianapolis Colts (7-4, 6-2 in conference) and the Baltimore Ravens (7-4, 6-3 in conference) having a leg up on the Patriots (7-4, 5-4). An in-conference victory is now just as important as anything else to the Patriots as the season draws to a close.

"This is that stretch of the year that you can't afford to split," Roethlisberger said. "You've got to play great football. This is when the veterans need to step up and the rookies need to see what it's about. Because the AFC is so tight, so many teams are separated by a game or half a game, or two games, you really can't afford to have that lull right now.

"That's why this game is so important to us," he added, "as I'm sure it is to the Patriots as well."

Injury list

The Patriots listed 10 players on their injury report Friday, topped by linebacker Adalius Thomas out for another week with a broken arm. Five players were listed as questionable - linebacker Tedy Bruschi (knee), defensive ends Richard Seymour (knee) and Ty Warren (groin), cornerback Ellis Hobbs (shoulder) and running back LaMont Jordan (calf). Special-teamer Kelley Washington is doubtful with a thigh injury, and center Dan Koppen (elbow), cornerback Mike Richardson (concussion) and defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith (shoulder) were probable.