Super Bowl 2011: 10 Reasons Losing Maurkice Pouncey Spells Doom for Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers were hoping for the perfect Super Bowl. Just as everyone was healing up in the Steel City, the news broke on NBC Sports that center Maurkice Pouncey will be out for the Super Bowl.

The young center has played tremendously for the Steelers all season, but now they will be without him for the biggest game of the year against a tough Green Bay defense.

While the Steelers are as resilient as they come, here are 10 reasons why this blow is just too much for them to overcome.

10. 43 Sacks

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 15: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers is sacked by safety Dawan Landry #26 and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata #92 of the Baltimore Ravens during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Heinz Field on January

That’s the number of sacks that the Steelers offensive line gave up in the regular season. It won’t get any easier keeping Ben off his back against a blitz-crazy Packers defense. 

During the regular season, the Packers got to the quarterback 47 times, and they've already got 10 sacks this postseason. It could be a long night for Big Ben.

If they can't protect Big Ben, they can't win. 

9. It Hampers Ben’s Play-Making Ability

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Antonio Brown #84 of the Pittsburgh Steelers reacts after he made a first down reception in the final minute of the fourth quarter against the New York Jets during the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on January 23,

Ben Roethlisberger has been great at creating something out of nothing, but in big moments he needs the time to do it. Pouncey was great at keeping the pressure off him. 

In the divisional game against the Ravens, Ben was given enough time to complete a pivotal 3rd-and-19. During the Jets game, he was able to seal the deal by getting an important 3rd-and-6 conversion. 

These big plays have gotten the Steelers where they are, and they might need a couple more on Super Bowl Sunday if they plan on winning. 

8. Who is Doug Legursky?

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PITTSBURGH - 2009: Doug Legursky of the Pittsburgh Steelers poses for his 2009 NFL headshot at photo day in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by NFL Photos)

According to the depth chart, Doug Legursky is the backup to Pouncey. He’s a serviceable replacement, but he’s young and lacks experience in a big game.

He's a second-year player out of Marshall. While he has about 10 pounds on Pouncey, he also gives up three inches in height. 

He's rough. Everyone has seen the moment get to even the oldest veterans. What will it do to an inexperienced second-year player?

7. Four of Five is Bad

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BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Rashard Mendenhall #34 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs the ball as he is tackled by Dawan Landry #26 of the Baltimore Ravens during the third quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland

Any offensive line can have their hiccups, but if Pouncey can’t play, the Steelers will have four of their five linemen coming from the backup position.

Willie Colon and Max Starks have been out since training camp and midseason, respectively. Ramon Foster and Johnathan Scott are backup-grade players. 

That's a lot of replacement players that the Steelers are asking to perform well against a very good Packers defense. 

6. Can They Run?

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Rashard Mendenhall #34 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs the ball against the New York Jets during the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on January 23, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers won 24-19. (Photo b

The Steelers have been in the top half of the league in rushing yards per game. However, with a patchwork offensive line and the loss of their star center, it’s going to be hard to imagine them pounding the ball all game. 

During the postseason, the Steelers have only managed 3.2 yards per carry. With the Packers blitzing defense and the patchwork offensive line, it's likely the Steelers average fewer than that. 

That could prove to be fatal.

5. More On Running

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CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Linebacker Clay Matthews #52 of the Green Bay Packers is blocked by J'Marcus Webb #73 of the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty

Mendenhall has been their featured back most of the year, yet he’s only hit the century mark in three games. What are the odds he does it against a Packers defense with a banged-up offensive line? 

But the truth is Mendenhall hasn't been close often. Eight times this season, Mendenhall has had fewer than 75 yards rushing.

With only 167 yards receiving during the regular season, it's not as if Mendenhall is effective on more than the ground. If he can't run, he's pretty useless. 

4. Hurts Time of Possession

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Hines Ward #86 of the Pittsburgh Steelers catches the ball and is down on the one-yard line as he is tackled by David Harris #52 of the New York Jets during the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on January 23, 2011 in

The Steelers usually have won the time-of-possession battle. They have averaged 32 minutes a game. Green Bay has held opponents to an average of 25 minutes a game. The Steelers need to control the time of possession like they have all season. 

Part of that is due to their ability to control the clock on the ground. With Pouncey out it affects that ability. Less time in the hands of the Steelers offense can’t be good. 

3. More Time for Rodgers

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CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers stands by Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears after the Packers 21-14 victory against the Bears in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 in Chicago,

The less time the Steelers have the ball, the more time Aaron Rodgers has it. He’s playing at a high level right now—and that’s the last thing the Steelers want. 

In the postseason alone, Rodgers has completed 71 percent of his passes and has thrown for six touchdowns and only two interceptions. If he's given time, he'll pick that Steelers defense apart. Dom Capers runs a similar defense, so Rodgers won't be surprised. 

2. Familiarity Matters

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PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 23: Mike DeVito #70 of the New York Jets brings down Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers for a fourth quarter safety during the 2011 AFC Championship game at Heinz Field on January 23, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvani

Don’t discount how important it is for the quarterback and his center to have a rhythm and timing together. They had a mishap in the Jets game that resulted in a safety. Chemistry takes time. It can't be taught in two weeks, can it?

1. Everything Matters

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CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates the Packers 21-14 victory against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Doug Pensin

The Super Bowl comes down to the little things. Whether it be a key play or a key injury, anything working against you hurts your chances.

The Packers have had injuries, but they are well in the past. They’ve adjusted and now they have the edge. They have the better line that will give Rodgers more protection at picking up the blitz and setting up James Starks to run. 

The Steelers may have hit their breaking point with Pouncey. While they may be able to overcome this injury, it certainly doesn't seem likely. And that is good news for Green Bay.