Neither the Browns nor Steelers clarified their situation at quarterback Friday and each team will carry that uncertainty with them into Sunday's kickoff at Heinz Field.
Cleveland's Josh McCown (ribs) and Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger (foot) are officially considered questionable. McCown missed the Browns' last game because of his injury while Roethlisberger hurt his foot during the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh's 38-35 win last week against the Raiders.
Both the Browns and Steelers are on byes next week.
In Cleveland, McCown was limited at practice for a third consecutive day. Backup Johnny Manziel, who started last week at Cincinnati, has taken the bulk of the repetitions with the first-team offense.
"I won't say I don't know (who the starter will be)," Pettine said after Friday's practice. "But it's just from an information standpoint we have our plan built to be either way.
"If (McCown) is good to go, then he would start. I wouldn't have him inactive. Austin Davis will be up, it'll just be a question of whether he's the two or the three."
Pettine said he had yet to inform McCown or Manziel who would start. He said McCown had shown improvement since he returned to practice Wednesday, but couldn't quantify it.
In Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger sat out practice Wednesday and was limited Thursday and Friday. If he's unable to play, Landry Jones, who relieved Roethlisberger last week and led the Steelers' on a game-clinching scoring drive, is expected to make his second start of the season.
The last time Cleveland faced Pittsburgh without Roethlisberger under center, the Browns forced eight turnovers and won, 20-14, on Nov. 25, 2012.
"Our game plan will be the same no matter who is playing," Browns linebacker Barkevious Mingo said. "Even with Ben Roethlisberger there, he is obviously an upgrade at quarterback, but their backups aren't bad QBs at all. They can get in in there and manage the job. They have been winning. It is just us going in there with the mindset of whichever quarterback we play, we play."
