21-year old rookie center Maurkice Pouncey has a fracture in his ankle and he’s not likely to play in the Super Bowl.  This could really hurt the Steelers this weekend.  Pouncey made it to the Pro Bowl as a rookie as he started all 16 games for the Steelers and the first two playoff games.  Replacing Pouncey will be 24-year old Doug Legursky.  Legursky played in 16 games (4 starts) for the Steelers this year.  He has played in 24 games (4 starts) in his first two years in the NFL.  The Steelers need Legursky to step up because he’s going to be lined up against the mammoth 6’2″, 337 pound B.J. Raji who is one of the best NTs in the NFL.  If Raji is getting into the backfield a lot in this game, the Steelers are in deep trouble.  They need Legursky to step up this Sunday.

The Steelers have signed 28-year old kicker Shaun Suisham to replace Jeff Reed.  Suisham played in 14 games for the Redskins & Cowboys last season and he made 20 of 24 field goals (83.3%) and 25 of 26 extra points good for 85 points.  He has played in 57 games in his six years in the NFL and he has made 87 of 110 field goals (79.1%) and 101 of 103 extra points good for 362 points.  The Steelers hope that Suisham will be a huge improvement over Jeff Reed who was leaving too many points on the field.

The Steelers have finally seen enough of 31-year old kicker Jeff Reed so they have released him.  Reed played in 9 games for the Steelers this year and he made 15 of 22 field goals (68.2%) and 19 of 19 extra points good for 64 points.  Reed played in 127 games in his 9 years with the Steelers and he connected on 204 of 249 field goals (81.9%) and 307 of 310 extra points good for 919 points.  Reed always seemed to come up with excuses whenever he missed a kick and his drunken escapades off the field didn’t helps things.  Good riddance I say.

The Steelers have placed starting LT Max Starks on the Injured Reserve List with a neck injury which is going to require surgery.  Starks played in 7 games (all starts) for the Steelers this year and he has played in 95 games (68 starts) in his career with them.  Rookie 5th round pick Chris Scott will likely take over as the starting LT for the Steelers going forward.  His next game will be the first one of his NFL career.  Ben Roethlisberger is going to need to grow eyes in the back of his head with Scott on his blind side.

34-year old starting DE Aaron Smith is likely done for the year after having surgery to repair a torn left triceps muscle  injured against the Dolphins last Sunday.  Smith played in 6 games for the Steelers this year and he had 15 tackles including 1 tackle for a loss.  Smith has now played in 156 games in his career with the Steelers and he has 445 tackles, 20 passes defensed, 44 sacks, 7 forced fumbles and 1 interception.  This will hurt the Steelers’ D.

The NFL has reduced 28-year old QB Ben Roethlisberger’s suspension from six games to four games.  Roethlisberger is damn lucky that he even gets to play at all this season and anyone that defends his actions is out of line.  He is coming off his best year ever throwing the football.  In 2009, Roethlisberger played in 15 games (all starts) for the Steelers and he completed 337 of 506 passes (66.6%) for 4,328 yards with 26 TD passes and 12 INTs.  He also carried the ball 40 times for 82 yards (2.1 ypc) with 2 TD grabs.  With games at home against both the Falcons and Ravens and road games against the Buccaneers and Titans the Steelers face the real possibility of being 1-3 when Roethlisberger returns to action.

The Steelers will be without 30-year old QB Byron Leftwich for the next 2-4 weeks as a has a second degree sprain of his left MCL.  Leftwich was injured in the Steelers last pre-season game against the Panthers on Thursday Night.  He was likely going to be the Steelers’ starting QB next week against the Atlanta Falcons but they will have to now turn to Charlie Batch or Dennis Dixon.  This could wind up being a big blow for the Steelers.

The Steelers have released 27-year old fullback Dwayne Wright.  Wright carried the ball 8 times for 27 yards (3.4 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Steelers this pre-season.  Wright got caught up in a numbers game as the Steelers have a few backs they like more than him.  Even if Wright signs with another team the Steelers won’t miss him one bit.

The Steelers have claimed fullback Dwayne Wright off waivers from the Eagles.  Wright has not played in the NFL since 2007 (his only year in the league).  In 2007,  Wright played in 14 games (0 starts) for the Bills in which he carried the ball 29 times for 94 yards (3.2 ypc).  He also caught 3 passes for 17 yards (5.7 avg) for the Bills that year.

The Steelers have lost starting OT Willie Colon for the 2010 season.  He tore his ACL at practice earlier today and he will soon have surgery to repair it.  The 27-year old Colon played in 16 games (all starts) for the Steelers last season.  In his four years with the Steelers he has played in 50 games (all starts).  This is a huge blow to the Steelers’ offense as Colon was the best lineman on their team last season.