Pouncey at right tackle?
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Maurkice Pouncey joked that since he beat Le鈥橵eon Bell down the field on Bell鈥檚 44-yard run Sunday night that maybe he should move from center to running back.
But Pouncey wasn鈥檛 joking about the move the team asked him to make Wednesday at practice to help the Steelers鈥� injury-depleted offensive line.
Pouncey confirmed he was moved to right tackle during practice in preparation for an emergency situation should the Steelers run out of tackles Sunday against the New York Jets.
The Steelers on Wednesday were without tackles Marcus Gilbert (ankle) and Ryan Harris (shin) and were down to their emergency tackle, Chris Hubbard, who played one snap at tackle last season after spending most of his time practicing as a reserve along the interior.
The Steelers also have tackle/guard Matt Feiler out of Bloomsburg on their practice squad for a second consecutive season, and he鈥檚 expected to get called up at the end of the week.
But if the Steelers don鈥檛 make the move, they wanted to see if they could count on Pouncey in a pinch. He had only played there once 鈥� during an OTA practice in 2013 鈥� prior to Wednesday鈥檚 practice.
He said it went well.
鈥淚 made it look smooth out there today,鈥� Pouncey said. 鈥淲e slid that way a lot, so it was nice. I understand what happens when we slide to Al (Villanueva) all the time. It鈥檚 easy.鈥�
Pouncey also joked that it鈥檚 easier to play in a two-point stance instead of crouching over the ball at his center position.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little easier coming from a two-point,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ithout snapping? Man, I don鈥檛 know, I might like that. I might have to move my position next year for real.鈥�
Pouncey said he was almost forced to make the a similar move in Dallas late in the 2012 season.
鈥淲hen Coach Koogs was here,鈥� Pouncey said of former line coach Sean Kugler. 鈥淲e were playing in Dallas. He called me early in the morning and said get ready to play left tackle, Max Starks is out. I鈥檓 like 鈥極h (expletive), hold on. First tackle rep against (DeMarcus) Ware? This (expletive) 鈥檅out to get real.鈥�
Pouncey laughed heartily but said, 鈥淎nd then Max ended up playing. It was all good.鈥�
(subhead)Big Ragu returns
With one hole open, another apparently closed with the return to practice of Ramon Foster to left guard. It would free up B.J. Finney to play center in case Mike Tomlin needs to use Pouncey outside.
鈥淚 feel good,鈥� said Foster, who suffered a bruised sternum two games ago. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say a whole lot as far as yay or nay because I don鈥檛 know how the rest of the week will be, but right now I鈥檓 feeling well.鈥�
Foster鈥檚 best guess on the configuration of the line Sunday against the Jets?
鈥淛ust five guys doing their job,鈥� Foster said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 about all I know right now. We鈥檒l see if they move Matt up, or who鈥檚 going to be where, if I鈥檓 going to play, whatever the case may be. Right now I think it鈥檚 the regular four and Hub(bard).鈥�
Does Foster think his buddy Pouncey could play right tackle?
鈥淗e鈥檒l tell you he鈥檚 the best lineman in the league,鈥� Foster said. 鈥淣ot just center, best lineman period 鈥� D-line OR O-line. But, no, he鈥檒l be fine. He鈥檚 done it before a year or two ago. I think he can do fine at it.鈥�
In and out
n Justin Gilbert hurt a knee and the official practice report called him 鈥渓imited.鈥� But don鈥檛 expect the team鈥檚 No. 5 cornerback to be available Sunday.
n Sean Davis, who played only one snap Sunday night due to a back injury, returned to practice and confirmed that he returned to his normal position as the No. 1 slot cornerback.
n Reserve interior lineman Cody Wallace said he took doctor鈥檚 advice that his knee would heel on its own after no problem was found in 鈥渁 couple MRIs.鈥� But when the knee didn鈥檛 heal, he finally underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last Wednesday to repair cartilage damage behind his kneecap.
鈥淚鈥檓 good to go now, hopefully,鈥� he said. 鈥淧robably be out at least a couple more weeks.鈥�
n Fullback Rosie Nix returned from a back injury for his first full practice since training camp.
n In addition to Gilbert, Harris and Wallace, also missing practice were Jarvis Jones (ankle), Eli Rogers (toe), Ryan Shazier (knee) and DeAngelo Williams (not injury related). Robert Golden (hamstring) was limited.
Big Ben 鈥� again
Ben Roethlisberger was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the 14th time in his career.
Roethlisberger threw as many touchdown passes (5) as incompletions in completing 22 of 27 for 300 yards without an interception Sunday night against the Chiefs. It was the fifth time Roethlisberger has thrown at least five touchdowns in a game, making him the sixth quarterback in NFL history to accomplish the feat.