Next Man Up

 

The season is still two weeks away yet the Steelers have been forced to make in season moves due to injuries already.  The pre season victory against the Packers proved far more costly than anyone could have ever imagined.  There is much debate about the value of these exhibition games in regards to tuning up the veteran players and that debate will only continue as the team saw starting All Pro center Maurkice Pouncey go down with an ankle injury, starting defensive end Stephon Tuitt also injured his ankle and backup quarterback Bruce Gradkowski went down with a finger injury. 

 

Both Pouncey and Gradkowski’s injuries required surgery and will cause both players to miss extended time.  Tuitt will in all likelihood be back by opening night in New England.

 

Should Tuitt miss the opener, the Steelers will be fine starting Cam Thomas at defensive end for a week or two. Tuitt is the better player but Thomas is a very adequate fill in and this injury is not a major concern.

 

The loss of Pouncey, however, is. Pouncey is the leader of the offensive line and the best center in the NFL. He calls out protections, leads the way in the run game for LeVeon Bell and helps keep Big Ben on his feet. He will be sorely missed and his timetable for return is sometime in November.  The Steelers will need to tread water until his return and to help them do so, they brought back veteran Doug Legursky who helped fill in for Pouncey at center in the past.  Legursky makes sense as he’s played in the system before, he’s familiar with Big Ben and he’s a solid offensive lineman who can play both center and guard. He should be able to help carry the load along with Cody Wallace, who will more than likely be the starter.  Wallace and Legursky are clearly better suited as backups but they will now need to follow the mantra of ‘next man up’ and they are capable of getting this team to November, assuming Pouncey stays on his expected schedule.

 

The loss of Gradkowski may not seem to be a big deal but having an experienced veteran who’s played in the system behind Big Ben is important. Gradkowski hasn’t seen the field much in his two seasons wearing the black and gold but he’s a guy that can be counted on in the pinch. He however is out for an extended time and with only Landry Jones as the other quarterback on the roster, the Steelers signed Mike Vick.  Vick still has the ability to make defenses sweat with his rocket arm and blazing speed and is a good alternative to Gradkowski.  In fact, he may be an upgrade.  He’ll probably serve as the emergency quarterback to start, behind Jones, but should Big Ben go down and the team needs someone else to start, Vick will most likely get the nod.  It is also my projection that Vick will stay on the roster for the entire season and will not be released if and when Gradkowski returns.

 

Speaking parenthetically for a moment I need to note that many people are bashing the Steelers move of signing Vick, due to his past.  Those individuals need to get over themselves.  Vick served his time, he’s proven to be reformed and he has repeatedly stated he regrets his past decision and has become an advocate for animal rights.  Who are any of us to judge a man who has paid his price, repented and learned from his mistakes?. He should be welcomed with open arms by the team and anyone who calls themselves a fan of the team. If you can’t accept that, take a look within yourself. The evil you’re perceiving within Vick is actually something you recognize within yourself, so before you judge him, figure out what it is that makes you that way and fix it. 

 

With two games remaining, including the ‘dress rehearsal’, the team must hope that no more injuries occur and they can get into the regular season as healthy as possible. In these final two games. Wallace, Legursky, Thomas and Vick will need to get extended time, prepping, playing and showing what they have. It’s only pre season but the Steelers are already in mid season form when it comes to relying on the “next man up”.

 

 

 

 

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