Ben Roethlisberger suffered cracked ribs vs. Raiders

Mysteries abounded surrounding the status of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, his ribs and a reportedly faulty X-ray machine at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport cleared up the mystery Sunday on Good Morning Football Weekend as he confirmed the Pittsburgh signal-caller sustained cracked ribs during the Steelers' 24-21 loss to the Raiders.

Despite the injury, Roethlisberger is expected to play for the Steelers (7-5-1) at home in a key matchup against the Patriots (9-4).

"[It's] nothing that should really limit him going forward," Rapoport said. "Wouldn't be surprised if he has more, let's say treatment like he did last week. He took a shot in the locker room and came back and then played. He should be fine going forward. But yes, unlike that X-ray machine, I can actually tell you, they were cracked."

Rapoport said he talked to a couple of people within the Steelers organization as to whether they were surprised that they had a situation in which there were problems reading the X-ray machine. And, considering the setting, they were not all that surprised.

"If it's something crazy, it probably happens in Oakland," Rapoport said he was told.