Pouncey’s Ankle Doesn’t Bend, It Breaks

Anybody have Justin Hartwig’s phone number?

Remember that “high ankle sprain” the Pittsburgh Steelers said knocked rookie superstar center Maurkice Pouncey out of last Sunday’s AFC Championship game?  Well, that sprained ankle has morphed into a broken ankle according to this report by the Post-Gazette.  He’s been hobbling around the team’s training facility in a cast while his prognosis for Super Bowl XLV would seem to be highly doubtful.  I hope Hines Ward still has that hyperbaric oxygen chamber he used to recuperate in time for Super Bowl XLIII.

It may be moot since the Black and Gold’s new unofficial team physician, Dr. Juicy, has already said Pouncey is going to miss the game. No offense to Chris Kemoeatu but I’ll take his medical advice with a grain of salt.  Remember, Ben Roethlisberger walked around in a cast after break-spraining his foot.  Although, strange as it may sound, this kind of injury is probably worse for a lineman since they need a stable base in order to maintain balance and leverage while blocking.

Losing Pouncer for the big game would be a pretty significant handicap for the Steelers.  Doug Legursky actually did a fairly solid job in Pouncey’s place as Rashard Mendenhall ran for almost all of his 100 first half yards with the Big Legursky manning the middle.  Of course, the Jets didn’t have an imposing nose tackle like BJ Raji lining up across from him.  The center-QB exchange was a little rough but that comes with practice and repetition.  As long as Big Ben spends most of next week between Legursky’s legs, I would think they could develop enough chemistry to where there shouldn’t be any more problems in that regard.

One thing’s for sure, Pouncey will be out there if at all humanly possible.  He’s one of only two Steeler linemen to start every game this season so you know he’s not the type to pull a Cutler.  You see what I did there?  I used “a Cutler” as shorthand for “extreme pussification.”  It’s not too soon, is it?