Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey will miss a must-win Week 17 game against the Baltimore Ravens with a knee injury, according to head coach Mike Tomlin via ProFootballTalk.
Pouncey was carted off the field in the Steelers' Week 16 loss to the New York Jets. Week 17 will be the first game Pouncey misses a game this season due to injury. Pouncey was suspended for two games earlier in the season for punching and kicking Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett.
Pouncey is not the only Steelers player who will miss time after the Jets game, as quarterback Mason Rudolph is being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, and running back James Conner is back on the injury report with a thigh injury.
While the loss to the Jets significantly hurt the team's playoff chances, Pittsburgh can still get in with a win over the Ravens and a Tennessee Titans loss to the Houston Texans.
If they Steelers lose, the Titans and Oakland Raiders need to lose, along with the Indianapolis Colts despite them being out of the playoff equation.
Pittsburgh will receive some help from an unlikely team, the Ravens. Baltimore will sit quarterback Lamar Jackson, running back Mark Ingram, offensive lineman Marshall Yanda, safety Earl Thomas, and defensive tackle Brandon Williams. Robert Griffin III will get the start.
The Steelers will look to Devlin Hodges to lead the team to a potential postseason berth, who has thrown six interceptions in the last two games. Hodges was on a “short leash” entering the Jets game, which resulted in Rudolph coming in relief of the former duck caller.
If Hodges continues his poor play, Pittsburgh has Paxton Lynch as backup.
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