Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey will be out for an extended period with a broken fibula above his left ankle.
Two years after he missed all but the opening series of the 2013 season with torn knee ligaments, Pouncey could miss the entire 2015 season with an injury caused by yet another player hitting him.
This one occurred late in the first quarter, the second offensive series for the Steelers, who would go on to beat the Green Bay Packers, 24-19, at Heinz Field for their first preseason victory in their third game.
They did not celebrate.
“You know what he means to this team, not just the offense but the whole team,” guard Ramon Foster said.
Pouncey was injured while blocking on a 5-yard run by Le’Veon Bell. Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix rolled into the back of Pouncey’s leg. He missed the 2013 season after teammate David DeCastro dived into a play and hit him.
The difference this time is there are 17 days for the Steelers to prepare Cody Wallace to start at center for the season opener at New England. There also is a chance Pouncey can go on the short-term injured reserve and return by midseason.
“He’s pretty down but he’s the type of guy he’ll put it behind him,” said tackle Marcus Gilbert, who then predicted, “He’ll be back.”
The surgery likely will involve a metal plate being inserted to help the healing. Pouncey also missed the final two games and playoff in the 2011 season and the Super Bowl in the 2010 season with ankle injuries. Pouncey is a two-time All-Pro who made the Pro Bowl four times, missing it only during the 2013 season when he was injured.
“This type of thing that happened again, you have to hate it for the guy,” Foster said. “I do. You know how close we are. You have to keep him around and keep his spirits up.”
The Steelers escaped with better luck on an injury to defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who has a regular sprained ankle, according to coach Mike Tomlin. Tuitt left the field for good in the second quarter. Also, backup quarterback Bruce Gradkowski left in the second quarter with an injury to a finger on his left hand.
“It’s part of the game and we don’t overanalyze it,” Tomlin said.
Green Bay knows the feeling as well. Their star veteran receiver, Jordy Nelson, left early with a reported torn ACL.
Pertaining to the other business that went on in their first game at Heinz Field this year, the Steelers defense finally put on a bit of a show even though Aaron Rodgers and his offense went through them quickly for a touchdown on the game’s opening series.
Young linebackers Jarvis Jones and Bud Dupree each had a sack, as did old linebacker James Harrison, who not only rang up his second sack in two games but also scored a safety when he dropped Rodgers in the end zone.
That made it 8-2 in the bottom of the first with the Pirates warming up for their game Sunday night next door at PNC Park.
“We were annoyed to start off the game like that,” defensive end Cam Heyward said of the Packers’ opening 10-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Eddie Lacy running 7 yards untouched up the middle. “I do like how we reacted and responded and were able to dig ourselves out of a hole and apply pressure to the quarterback.”
The Steelers, who had just three sacks in their first two games, had six Sunday. Shamarko Thomas, Ian Wild and newcomer L.J. Fort added the others.
“I think it was a good statement to say that we could rush with just four,” Heyward said. “Everybody was getting pressure and we have to continue to do that.”
Ben Roethlisberger put his team on top, 9-8, when he side-armed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Markus Wheaton.
Green Bay’s backups put the Packers ahead at halftime, 16-9, when tight end Richard Rodgers caught a 21-yard scoring pass from Scott Tolzien and Alonzo Harris ran for the two-point conversion.
The Packers pumped their lead to 19-9 when Mason Crosby kicked a 55-yard field goal in the third quarter.
But then Landry Jones brought the Steelers back as he continues the third, and by far best, preseason of his career.
Jones hit rookie Sammie Coates with a deep pass that covered 54 yards to set up Garrett Hartley’s 46-yard field goal that cut Green Bay’s lead to 19-12 later in the quarter.
He came back with 10 minutes left to throw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Murphy. His toss to Murphy for the two-point conversion fell incomplete and Green Bay maintained a 19-18 lead.
Jones then led them to the winning touchdown, throwing a 20-yard pass to Shakim Phillips, who leaped over cornerback Tay Glover-Wright in the back right corner of the end zone to make the catch.
Again, the two-point conversion failed, but the Steelers prevailed in the game, if not in the all-important surgical statistic.
“It’s as much a part of the game as blocking or tackling,’’ Tomlin said. “We will make the necessary adjustments and I expect the ball to keep rolling because that’s the business we are in.”
Ed Bouchette: ebouchette@post-gazette.com and Twitter @EdBouchette.
First Published: August 23, 2015, 8:28 p.m.
Updated: August 24, 2015, 2:17 a.m.
